Gray Jay
This songbird has a touch of larceny in its soul.
The gray jay (Perisoreus Canadensis) is between 10 and 13 inches in length. It’s a quiet and fluffy jay, found in small groups. The gray jay has several nicknames, including Canada jay and whiskey Jack. Some people also call it the “camp robber” for its willingness to take any food it wants. The gray jays of the Rocky Mountains south of Canada have very limited amounts of black on their heads, while the Pacific variety is darker overall with a whitish belly and extensively dark head. Reference for the measured drawings and colors were obtained from study skins at Eastern Washington University. You can find more reference photos (and natural history) in the Spring 2004 issue of WILDFOWL CARVING MAGAZINE.
Read the rest of this article in Wildfowl Carving Magazine’s Spring 2014 issue!