Eurasian jay

The Eurasian jay, Garrulus glandarius, is a corvid of the family Corvidae first formally described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758, whose genus name derives from Latin for chattering and species name refers to acorns. It measures 34 to 35 centimeters long with a 52 to 58 centimeter wingspan, and has light rufous-brown to pinkish-brown body plumage, a whitish throat bordered by black stripes, a mostly black tail and a wing patch of bright blue finely barred with black. It occurs over a vast range from western Europe and northwest Africa to the Indian subcontinent and across to the eastern seaboard of Asia and into southeast Asia. Renowned for mimicking the calls of birds of prey, it is a significant disperser of oak seeds, sometimes carrying individual acorns up to 20 kilometers, shows advanced cognitive abilities including planning for future needs, and is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN.