| Group | Jays and Crows |
| Code | ABPAV01010 |
| Order | Passeriformes |
| Family | Corvidae |
| Author | (Linnaeus, 1766) |
| Rank | G5 (definitions) |
| Occurrence | P (definitions) |
| Scale | N (definitions) |
| Western UP | all |
| Eastern UP | all |
| Northern LP | none |
| Southern LP | none |
Forested Landscapes
(Spruce/Fir (Sm Saw or Lg Saw or Uneven))
or (Jack Pine (Sm Saw or Lg Saw or Uneven))
or (Mixed Upland Conifer (Sm Saw or Lg Saw or Uneven))
or (Northern White Cedar (Pole or Sm Saw or Lg Saw or Uneven))
or (Black Spruce (Pole or Sm Saw or Lg Saw or Uneven))
or (Mixed Lowland Conifer (Pole or Sm Saw or Lg Saw or Uneven))
containing:
(Stand/Gap Openings and Mast)
view decision rule term definitions
| Habitats | Regen | Sap | Pole | Sm Saw | Lg Saw | Uneven |
| Aspen | no | no | no | no | no | - |
| Paper Birch | no | no | no | no | no | - |
| Oak | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| Assorted Hardwoods | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| Northern Hardwoods | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| Spruce/Fir | no | no | no | YES | YES | YES |
| Hemlock | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| Jack Pine | no | no | no | YES | YES | YES |
| Red Pine | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| White Pine | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| Conifer Plantations | no | no | no | no | no | - |
| Mixed Upland Hardwoods | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| Mixed Northern Hardwoods | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| Mixed Upland Conifer | no | no | no | YES | YES | YES |
| Mixed Pine | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| Swamp Hardwoods | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| Balsam Poplar & Swamp Aspen & Swamp Birch | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| Bottomland Hardwoods | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| Tamarack | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| Northern White Cedar | no | no | YES | YES | YES | YES |
| Black Spruce | no | no | YES | YES | YES | YES |
| Mixed Lowland Hardwoods | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| Mixed Lowland Conifer | no | no | YES | YES | YES | YES |
| Non-Forested | none | |||||
| Special Features | Mast, Stand (Gap) Openings |
Habitat: The Gray Jay is an inhabitant of coniferous forests, particularly spruce communities. In Michigan, it also occurs in jack-pine plains and northern white cedar swamps. Riverine habitats frequently are used as travel corridors by family groups; several Atlas records of fledged young came from dense spruce groves lining small rivers. Areas with small scattered openings, such as beaver meadows or peatlands, commonly are used. This early nesting species typically chooses spruce and fir within conifer or mixed woodlands for its nest.
Habitat: Breeding: Coniferous forest and nearby deciduous or mixed woodlands. Coniferous swamps, wooded mountain slopes. Winter: Birds wander but seldom move south of the breeding range. In mountainous areas, they commonly seek lower elevations.
Special Habitat Requirements: Coniferous forest.
Surprisingly, they nest and raise their young in late winter and early spring, not during the brief northern summer.
Habitat: Spruce and fir forests. Found in various kinds of coniferous and mixed forest, but rarely occurs where there are no spruce trees. Habitats include black spruce bogs in eastern Canada, forests of aspen and Englemann spruce in Rockies, Sitka spruce and Douglas-fir on northwest coast.
Diet: Diet is remarkably varied, includes insects, spiders, berries, seeds, fungi, small rodents, bird's eggs, and carrion.
Nest: Site is in dense conifer, close to trunk at base of branch; usually fairly low, averaging about 15 feet above the ground. Nest is a bulky flat cup of twigs, lichens, strips of bark, and caterpillar webs, lined with softer materials including animal hair and feathers.
Conservation Status: Has declined in a few areas after clearcutting of forest.