• East view from Crissy Field overlook with old Coast Guard station on left and city on right

    Presidio of San Francisco

    California

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  • CAUTION: Post Storm Damage to Coastal Trail

    The Presidio Coastal Trail segment just north of the Pacific Overlook and adjacent to Lincoln Blvd remains CLOSED indefinitely. We have posted signage to alert bicyclists and hikers and with information for safe trail alternatives. More »

Scrub Jay

(Aphelocoma coerulescens)
 
Scrub Jay
A Scrub Jay sits at the forest edge near Inspiration Point.
Will Elder, NPS
 

Natural History: The Scrub Jay eats nuts, fruits, insects, bird eggs (and the young) and often caches its food. It takes cover in scrub and woodlands and prefers willow habitats on the Presidio. This bird nests in twig cups in dense foliage from early March to mid-August.

General Distribution: In the Presidio, this species can be found in forests of willow, eucalyptus, live oak, and all developed areas. It breeds in the Presidio.

Frequency: This species is common all year.

Identifying Characteristics: The Scrub Jay has no crest. It has a blue head, wings, and tail. Otherwise, it is a brownish-gray with a white throat necklace.

Presidio Birds main page

Did You Know?

The San Francisco National Cemetery at the Presidio

The National Cemeteries Act was based on the principles articulated by President Lincoln in his Gettysburg Address--"that these dead shall not have died in vain."  Passed by Congress in 1863, the law established thirteen cemeteries to inter veterans of the Armed Forces and their families.