Population
Estimated population is 8,000 (2010) and decreasing.
Status VU
Habitat destruction, human disturbance, predation by feral cats, are the main threats.
For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.
Food
Mainly arthropods, acorns and small vertebrates.
Voice
A variety of calls, with marked variation locally even over short distances, including rasping 'creep' and sweet, loose 'ch-leep'.
Florida Scrub Jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens) [XC145792]
by Paul Marvin from Scrub Ridge Trail, Merritt Island NWR, Brevard County, Florida, United States (call)
Florida Scrub Jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens) [XC173592]
by Greg Irving from Scrub Ridge Trail, Merritt Island NWR, Brevard County, Florida, United States (call)
Subspecies
No subspecies.
May form a superspecies with Western Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma californica) and Santa Cruz Jay (Aphelocoma insularis), and all previously treated as conspecific. Relationships of this group with Ultramarine Jay (Aphelocoma ultramarina) and Unicolored Jay (Aphelocoma unicolor) yet to be resolved, as recent studies indicate that divergence of these three major lineages within the genus was apparently rapid, leading to conflict among genetic markers. Hybridizes with Western Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma californica) (in captivity), and recorded as hybridizing once with Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata).
Similar Species
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) when in flight, but has white in wings and tail.
References
See References.