The Florida scrub-jay is a bright blue and gray bird known for its intelligence and family-oriented behavior. Found nowhere else in the world, it’s Florida’s only endemic bird species.
This jay lives exclusively in the state’s scrub habitats—sandy ridges dominated by low oak shrubs and open patches. These areas are mostly in central and coastal Florida.
Scrub-jays eat acorns, insects, small reptiles, and fruits. They are cooperative breeders: offspring from previous years help feed and protect new chicks. They also cache acorns in the sand to store for later seasons.
The species is listed as Threatened due to loss of scrub habitat from development and lack of natural fire cycles that maintain open scrub.
They can remember hundreds of acorn cache locations.
They live in family groups with complex social interactions.
They are unafraid of humans and often approach for food.