Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jay
Aphelocoma woodhouseii
In 2016, scientists decided the species we once called the Western Scrub-Jay was actually two separate species, and so the California Scrub-Jay and the Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jay were born. The California bird lives along the west coast, from Oregon to Baja California (Mexico) and preferring oak woodland habitat.
The Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jay lives inland across the Great Basin, southern Rockies and south through Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and Mexico. They prefer pinyon pine habitat.
Today, science recognises seven subspecies of Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jay in two groups.
Great Basin group
- A. w. woodhouseii lives in northern and central Nevada, California’s eastern Mojave Desert, central Utah, Arizona, southwestern New Mexico, and in northern Mexico in the states of Sonora and Chihuahua.
- A. w. suttoni lives in northern and eastern Utah, northern Arizona, Colorado, central New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and Oklahoma.
- A. w. texana lives on the Edwards Plateau of central Texas.
- A. w. grisea lives in Chihuahua south to northeastern Jalisco (Mexico).
- A. w. cyanotis lives from southern Coahuila south to Tlaxcala (Mexico).
Southern Mexican group
- A. w. sumichrasti lives in central Mexico.
- A. w. remota lives in southwestern Oaxaca and central Guerrero (Mexico).
To date, my meetings with the Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jay have been in New Mexico and West Texas. Growing up in Southern California as I did, I am more familiar with the California Scrub-Jay.
17 Photos
Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay(Aphelocoma woodhouseii) |
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Description: Aguirre Springs Campground is nestled on the eastern slopes of the Organ Mountains to the east of Las Cruces New Mexico. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:02 11:46 |
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Location:
Aquirre Springs |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/8000 |
File Name: WoodhouseScrubJay_D5X2828-AguirreSprings |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay(Aphelocoma woodhouseii) |
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Description: There must have been a dozen jays on the hillside where I stopped to take a break from the drive. I stopped to view the scenery and meet the birds. This was my second journey through the Davis Mountains. Truly one of the many Texas gems. |
Date Taken: 2020:12:29 11:05 |
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Location:
Roadside Picnic Area |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: WoodhouseScrubJay_D5X6473-DavisMountains-TX |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay(Aphelocoma woodhouseii) |
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Description: Feasting on tiny acorns. There must have been a dozen jays on the hillside where I stopped to take a break from the drive. I stopped to view the scenery and meet the birds. This was my second journey through the Davis Mountains. Truly one of the many Texas gems. |
Date Taken: 2020:12:29 11:05 |
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Location:
Roadside Picnic Area |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: WoodhouseScrubJay_D5X6476-DavisMountains-TX |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay(Aphelocoma woodhouseii) |
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Description: Feasting on tiny acorns. There must have been a dozen jays on the hillside where I stopped to take a break from the drive. I stopped to view the scenery and meet the birds. This was my second journey through the Davis Mountains. Truly one of the many Texas gems. |
Date Taken: 2020:12:29 11:05 |
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Location:
Roadside Picnic Area |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: WoodhouseScrubJay_D5X6491-DavisMountains-TX |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay(Aphelocoma woodhouseii) |
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Description: There must have been a dozen jays on the hillside where I stopped to take a break from the drive. I stopped to view the scenery and meet the birds. This was my second journey through the Davis Mountains. Truly one of the many Texas gems. |
Date Taken: 2020:12:29 11:07 |
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Location:
Roadside Picnic Area |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: WoodhouseScrubJay_D5X6530-DavisMountains-TX |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay(Aphelocoma woodhouseii) |
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Description: I stopped at Kickapoo State Park to meet Black-Capped Vireos, but the gate was locked (closed Tues-Thur). I met the vireos, but they were impossible to photograph. These jays were curious about me. It took me five days to putt my way out of Texas. I stopped along the road a few times to visit the birds. |
Date Taken: 2021:05:12 11:20 |
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Location:
Kickapoo State Park |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1500 |
File Name: WoodhouseScrubJay_D5X8434_KickapooStatePark |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay(Aphelocoma woodhouseii) |
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Description: The local birding community in Burns Oregon were holding a “Birding Festival” when I arrived in the area. In my past visits to the region, I’d always forsaken my explorations around town to focus on the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. Today, I spent time with the fields north of Burns and enjoying the company of local birds, such as this Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay. |
Date Taken: 2022:04:23 17:55 |
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Location:
North Foley Drive |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: WoodhouseScrubJay_8504010-BurnsOregon |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay(Aphelocoma woodhouseii) |
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Description: The local birding community in Burns Oregon were holding a “Birding Festival” when I arrived in the area. In my past visits to the region, I’d always forsaken my explorations around town to focus on the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. Today, I spent time with the fields north of Burns and enjoying the company of local birds, such as this Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay. |
Date Taken: 2022:04:23 17:55 |
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Location:
North Foley Drive |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: WoodhouseScrubJay_8504016-BurnsOregon |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay(Aphelocoma woodhouseii) |
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Description: I was invited to visit friends in Apache Creek New Mexico and enjoy the birds visiting their yard, so I did! It was loads of fun. |
Date Taken: 2023:04:13 14:22 |
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Location:
Apache Creek |
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Camera Information: NIKON Z 9, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: WoodhouseScrubJay_ZX93327_ApacheCreek_NM |
| © 2023 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay(Aphelocoma woodhouseii) |
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Description: Woodhouse's Scrub-Jays were among the birds I found foraging on the lawns at the McDonald Observatory. |
Date Taken: 2022:10:05 12:22 |
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Location:
McDonald Observatory |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/4000 |
File Name: WoodhouseScrubJay_8508389-McDonaldObservatory |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay(Aphelocoma woodhouseii) |
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Description: Woodhouse's Scrub-Jays roame the campground here at Davis Mountains State Park, often announcing their arrival with boisterous vocalizations. |
Date Taken: 2022:10:04 12:40 |
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Location:
Davis Mountains State Park |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1600 |
File Name: WoodhouseScrubJay_8508118-DavisMountains.SP_ |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay(Aphelocoma woodhouseii) |
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Description: Woodhouse's Scrub-Jays roame the campground here at Davis Mountains State Park, often announcing their arrival with boisterous vocalizations. |
Date Taken: 2022:10:04 11:09 |
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Location:
Davis Mountains State Park |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: WoodhouseScrubJay_8507979-DavisMountains.SP_ |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay(Aphelocoma woodhouseii) |
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Description: Woodhouse's Scrub-Jays roame the campground here at Davis Mountains State Park, often announcing their arrival with boisterous vocalizations. |
Date Taken: 2022:10:04 10:52 |
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Location:
Davis Mountains State Park |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/500 |
File Name: WoodhouseScrubJay_8507905-DavisMountains.SP_ |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay(Aphelocoma woodhouseii) |
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Description: Woodhouse's Scrub-Jays roame the campground here at Davis Mountains State Park, often announcing their arrival with boisterous vocalizations. |
Date Taken: 2022:10:04 10:51 |
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Location:
Davis Mountains State Park |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/640 |
File Name: WoodhouseScrubJay_8507892-DavisMountains.SP_ |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay(Aphelocoma woodhouseii) |
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Description: Woodhouse's Scrub-Jays roame the campground here at Davis Mountains State Park, often announcing their arrival with boisterous vocalizations. |
Date Taken: 2022:10:03 13:47 |
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Location:
Davis Mountains State Park |
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Camera Information: NIKON D850, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: WoodhouseScrubJay_8507835-DavisMountains-SP |
| © 2022 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay(Aphelocoma woodhouseii) |
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Description: Woodhouse's Scrub-Jays can be bold subjects. I met this bird at Kickapoo Caverns State Park in Texas. |
Date Taken: 2024:05:04 10:23 |
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Location:
Kickapoo Caverns State Park |
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Camera Information: NIKON Z 9, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1600 |
File Name: WoodhousesScrubJay_Z9X7931_KickapooCaverns-SP |
| © 2024 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay(Aphelocoma woodhouseii) |
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Description: Woodhouse's Scrub-Jays can be bold subjects. I met this bird at Davis Mountains State Park in Texas. |
Date Taken: 2024:05:07 11:17 |
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Location:
Davis Mountains State Park |
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Camera Information: NIKON Z 9, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: WoodhouseScrubJay_Z9X8512_DavisMountains-SP |
| © 2024 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
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