Plush-Crested Jay Chicks Make an Entrance

The chicks hatched on July 11 and 12, although with protective parents caring for them, it was challenging for the animal care team to safely view them initially to confirm. The family resides in Tropic 4. Their father is Bandit, 18, and their mother is Juniper, 8. Juniper arrived in 2016 from the Houston Zoo, and Bandit arrived in 2019 from the Fresno Chaffee Zoo. Neither had chicks at their previous homes, and this is the pair’s third clutch here at MCZ. They’ve been great parents from the start, and the animal care team generally remains hands-off, unless there’s a concern. The chicks have been banded for identification (teal, right leg and yellow, left leg), and blood samples taken for sexing indicate that one chick is male and the other female.

Plush-crested jays are omnivores, and at MCZ, they eat a soft bill fruit mix: cooked vegetables, fruit, and hard-boiled eggs — all finely chopped and mixed with nutritional pellets, then topped with worms, insects, and more fruit.

Plush-crested jays have a loud number of calls, with more than 20 vocalizations. Marked by shades of blue and yellow-cream, the species gets its name from the stiffened feathers on their forehead that become softer on the crown, forming a short crest.

Juniper and Bandit are a recommended breeding pair according to their Species Survival Plan® (SSP). (The Zoo’s member organization, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums [AZA], oversees the SSP® to ensure genetic diversity across all zoo and aquarium populations.) The hatching of these chicks is important to the health of their population within North American zoos.

It’s also credit to the Aviary’s animal care team. Plush-crested jays — and all birds — need to feel comfortable in their habitat in order to exhibit natural behaviors and breed. This includes a significant amount of time spent observing and managing the population. Providing ideal nesting materials, opportunities for enrichment, nutritional items, and suitable plant cover and lighting scheme can make a huge difference in whether birds are likely to breed. They should also be part of appropriate social structures, without having to compete for resources with other birds.

We’re thrilled for Juniper and Bandit’s latest clutch. The care team notes that the parents and their chicks are “very charismatic and never shy to check out something new.” Stop by Tropic 4 in the Aviary to see the family!

Fast Facts:

• Plush-crested jays can be found in their natural range of South America, including the forests, wooded areas, and rainforests in Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Argentina.
• There, they eat small invertebrates, insects, fruit, eggs, and other, much smaller birds.
• Part of this species’ courtship involves the male feeding the female. If she’s receptive, she’ll respond by jiggling her wings and tail.