The thick black mustache looks well with the bold black-and-white wing pattern, and an elaborate blue patch amidst striking black barring adds visual interest.

Among the corvidae family, you’ll find the strikingly handsome Eurasian Jay (Garrulus glandarius). A thick black mustache, a striking blue patch on the shoulder, and a unique black-and-white wing pattern define this extraordinary bird.

The stunning black-and-white wing pattern, accentuated by the blue patch on the shoulder, is the most noticeable aspect of the Eurasian Jay. The top parts of both adult birds can be anything from pinkish-grey to reddish-brown. Against the black tail, they have a white rumρ and uppertail coverts. Black primary and outer great covert feathers with fine bars stand out against a rufous lesser and middle covert backdrop on the upperwing. Black or grey-black feathers, occasionally with white bases or edges, make up the remainder of the upperwing and form an eye-catching pattern when the bird flies.

White undertail and vent coverts contrast with mantle-like underparts. White ornamentation adorns the forehead, lores, eye area, chin, and throat, and the head sports a unique black crown with white streaks. The black malar stripe gives it a striking appearance, and the coloration on the nape and sides of the head is similar to that on the upperparts.

The sturdy beak is dark in color and has rictal bristles that range from white to buffy. Legs and feet turn a pinkish-brown color, while eyes are bluish-white. While adult Eurasian Jays have lighter plumage, darker plumage on the body, a grayer bill, bluer eyes, and brighter legs, juvenile Jays are visually similar. In the first fall, juvenile birds begin to show blue wing patches with uneven black bars.

From its home in woodlands across Europe and northwest Africa to the Indian subcontinent and beyond, the Eurasian Jay is one of the most widespread woodland birds in the world. Its range also includes Southeast Asia and the eastern coast of Asia. The beech, hornbeam, and oak trees are favorites of these versatile birds, but you can see them in a wide variety of woodlands and forests. Parks, expansive gardens, orchards, and even high altitudes of up to 4,000 meters are good places to see them.

In terms of behavior, when it comes to mating and nesting, the Eurasian Jay mostly feeds on invertebrates. Like other birds in the corvidae family, they feed on tree foliage and also Һunt other birds’ eggs and young. In the fall and winter, their diet shifts to include acorns, chestnuts, seeds, and berries, with the occasional acorn cached for later use.

The Eurasian Jay is known for its flamboyant antics and courtship rituals. In forks close to tree centers or lower crowns, they build sturdy twig platforms to build their nests on. Laid by themselves, females spend 16–19 days incubating a clutch of 3–10 eggs. From 19 to 23 days after hatching, the parents continue to feed the chicks until they fledge. They stay close to their parents for about seven or eight weeks before being forcibly removed from the home range. Eurasian jays often begin mating between the ages of one and two.

This shy and reticent bird can be seen hiding in thick vegetation from time to time, either singly or in small families. Large communal roosts are formed in the late summer and fall by birds that have not yet mated, and in the spring they congregate to attract mates.

Populations of the Eurasian Jay have been steadily rising and are now at a common or abundant level around the globe. Currently, the species does not face any threats.