Gray Jay    Perisoreus canadensis

Conservation Status

General Status in Canada : Secure

COSEWIC Status : Not assessed

Breeding Bird Surveys indicate North American populations have changed little between 1966 and 2007 and populations are thought to be relatively stable. Nesting habitat is negatively affected by harvesting in some areas, although Gray Jays are not reluctant to nest in edge habitats created by logging. Gray Jays readily adapt to human-modified environments and will nest near settlements, often scavenging on garbage or foraging at bird feeders. Inadvertent poisoning from scavenging certain types of refuse may cause individual mortality, but the degree of impact is unknown. Gray Jays are prone to being caught in leg hold traps set for furbearers, as they attempt to scavenge the set bait.

Reference(s)

Strickland, D., and H. Ouellet. 1993. Gray Jay (Perisoreus canadensis), The Birds of North America Online, . A. Poole, Ed. Ithaca: Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology; Retrieved from The Birds of North America Online database: http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/species/040