• Scenic View from Inspiration Point, Anacapa Island ©timhaufphotography.com

    Channel Islands

    National Park California

Island Scrub-Jay

Tim Hauf
 

Common Name
Island Scrub-Jay

Scientific Name
Aphelocoma insularis

Conservation Status
Channel Islands National Park has afforded some protection for the island scrub-jay. Sheep and pigs have severely degraded habitat on the islands, but efforts to control their impact have been underway.

Habitat
This species breeds in coast live oak woodland or chaparral dominated by scrub oak on Santa Cruz Island.

Natural History
This species has been split from the Western Scrub-Jay because of its brighter plumage and different genetic makeup. It is restricted to the island of Santa Cruz off the California coast, where its entire population would be threatened by any major disturbance.

Additional Information
Please visit audubon.org or nationalzoo.si.edu for more island scrub-jay facts.

Download the 2009 Island Scrub-Jay History Report (PDF, 5.4mb) written by Paul Collins, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, for The Nature Conservancy.

  • Bird Watching Bird Watching

    Learn more about birding in the park. Read More

  • Inventory & Monitoring Inventory & Monitoring

    Learn about scientific research in the park at the Mediterranean Coast Network website. Read More

  • All About Birds All About Birds

    Learn more at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Read More

Did You Know?

Painted Cave, Santa Cruz Island

Painted Cave on Santa Cruz Island is one of the world’s largest known sea caves. The cave measures 1215 feet in length (the size of more than four football fields), has a 160 foot entrance, and is almost 100 feet wide.