Pileated Jay
There are no bird species known as the Pileated Jay. However, there is a bird species called the Pileated Finch (Coryphospingus pileatus), also known as the Red-crested Finch, which is a small passerine bird found in parts of South America. Here is some information about the Pileated Finch:
- Physical characteristics: The Pileated Finch measures around 13 cm in length. It has a distinctive red crest on its head and a red bill. The male has a black throat and upper parts, while the underparts are bright yellow. The female has a more subdued plumage with a grayish-brown head and upper parts, and yellow underparts.
- Habitat: The Pileated Finch is found in parts of South America, including Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Argentina. It inhabits a range of forested habitats, including tropical and subtropical forests, as well as savannahs and scrublands.
- Diet: The Pileated Finch feeds on a variety of seeds, fruits, and insects. It forages on the ground and in low vegetation, often in small groups.
- Breeding: The breeding season for the Pileated Finch is from September to January in Brazil. The female will lay 2-3 eggs in a cup-shaped nest made from grasses and other plant material.
- Conservation status: The Pileated Finch is listed as a species of Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). However, like many bird species, it is threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation due to deforestation and human development.
Scientific Name – The scientific name of the pileated jay woodpecker is Dryocopus pileatus meaning ‘crested tree hitter’ in English.
Origin – The Pileated Jay jay is found in Canada, the Western part of Washington, Northern California, and the eastern part of the USA. The bird’s natural habitat is open-spaced coniferous forests where mostly old pine trees stand.
Description – This woodpecker is exceptionally large almost as big as a crow. They are more than 40 cm long and weigh around 400 grams. In pine forests, one can easily recognize the birds by their large size along with flashing white-colored wing bars. The wind span of the bird is 66-75 cm. Juvenile birds differ from their adults by having smaller-sized crests and brown eyes.
Cock – A prominent red-colored crest on top of the head. A striking red line is present from the bill of the bird to the throat. The color of the body is generally black with white stripes on it from face to neck. The wings have also some traces of white plumage along with the throat of the bird as well. The bill of the bird is silvery gray, the eyes are yellow and the feet are grayish black.
Hen – The hen has also a red crest at the top of the head. In the case of a female, the color of the line from the bill to the throat is black instead of red as in males.
Diet – The bird mainly feeds on foods like beetle larvae and carpenter ants that are found in plenty in snags or dead tree plants. The bird also lives on fruits like berries and nuts.
Breeding – They breed in monogamous pairs. For nesting, they seek out a melon-sized hole in the tree trunks. They generally lay a clutch of four eggs in a single season. They usually mate during the spring season. Both the birds take part in brooding the eggs and also feeding and rearing the young ones.
During the nesting season, this specie of bird is highly territorial. They are quite aggressive with other passers-by birds. But during the winter season, they can tolerate other flights of birds to an extent. Interesting facts related to Pileated Jay
- The bird produces a call sounding like a staccato ‘laugh’ while in flight.
- They generally stay confined to a demarcated territory throughout the year.
- The bird is the largest-sized woodpecker in North America.
- The nest or the hole where the work pecker resides has several entrance holes.
- To mark their territory they generally make a sound by pecking the tree trunks with their bills.
- The sound made by the bird while making a hole in the tree trunks is quite loud and can be heard for long distances.
- The bird tends to make huge holes in very large trees. Such big holes in small trees may break the tree into two.
A very rare characteristic of the bird which is very unlikely in other bird species is that it moves the egg to a safe place if the egg happens to fall from the nest.
Overall, the Pileated Finch is a colorful and charismatic bird species found in parts of South America. Its diet and unique breeding behavior make it an important member of its ecosystem.
See more: Pintailed Parrot Finch