The round-headed, blue and gray Florida Scrub-Jay is the only bird species that lives exclusively in Florida, where it occurs in patches of low-growing scrub oak in sandy soils. It perches tall with its long tail hanging down or boldly hops on the ground burying acorns.

The Florida scrub jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens [A]) is one of the species of scrub jay native to North America. It is the only species of bird endemic to the U.S. state of Florida and one of only 15 species endemic to the continental United States. [4]

The Florida scrub-jay is the only species of bird that is endemic to Florida. Scrub-jays inhabit sand pine and xeric oak scrub, and scrubby flatwoods, which occur in some of the highest and driest areas of Florida – ancient sandy ridges that run down the middle of the state, old sand dunes along the coasts, and sandy deposits along rivers in ...

Its name is appropriate, for it lives only in Florida scrub, areas of short scrubby oaks growing on sandy soil. This habitat occurs mostly as isolated pockets, and the jays rarely wander away from their own little patch of scrub, making them extremely sedentary.

The only bird species that requires a sandy, scrubby habitat to survive is the Florida scrub-jay. As the state’s human population has grown, development has increased and the scrub-jays’ choice habitat has become more limited.

Aug 22, 2019 · <p>The round-headed, blue and gray Florida Scrub-Jay is the only bird species that lives exclusively in Florida, where it occurs in patches of low-growing scrub oak in sandy soils. It perches tall with its long tail hanging down or boldly hops on the ground burying acorns.

Florida scrub jays look similar to other jays (Cyanocitta), but do not have a crest, white-tipped wings or tail feathers, or black barring.

This extreme habitat born of the sea and maintained by fire is the only home of the Florida Scrub-Jay. Unfortunately, high, dry and well-drained land is prime habitat for housing subdivisions and orange groves too, and little scrub remains for the jays.

Feb 19, 2024 · The Florida Scrub-Jay is an endemic bird adapted to the challenging oak scrub ecosystems of peninsular Florida. These intelligent and cooperative birds thrive in habitats with a mosaic of bare sand, short woody shrubs, and taller oak thickets.

The Florida Scrub-Jay is the only bird species endemic to Florida and is a habitat specialist, found only in scrubby, sandy oak woodlands and ancient dunes in coastal and central areas of the state.