Blue Jay

SCI Name:  Cyanocitta cristata
Protonym:  Corvus cristatus Syst.Nat.ed.10 p.106
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Corvidae / Cyanocitta
Taxonomy Code:  blujay
Type Locality:  in America septentrionali [= southeastern South Carolina, fide Oberholser (1921, Auk, 38, p. 83)].
Author:  Linnaeus
Publish Year:  1758
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

CYANOCITTA
(Corvidae; Ϯ Blue Jay C. cristata) Gr. κυανος kuanos  dark-blue; κιττα kitta  jay; "The birds of which I have been treating appear to be in want of a generic name. They stand in the same relation to the South American genus Cyanocorax, typified by C. pileatus, and of which Cyanurus, Swains., is a synonym, which Garrulus bears to Corvus, being essentially Blue Jays, while the species pileatus, cristatellus, peruvianus, azureus, cyanopogon, and one or two others composing Cyanocorax, are Blue Crows.  Mr. G. R. Gray's genus Calocitta (typified by C. Bullocki, and perhaps including the Asiatic species erythrorhynchus) is distinguished by great length of tail, and there is consequently no generic name for these Blue Jays, which I would therefore propose to name Cyanocitta, taking C. cristata, Linn. sp., as the type, and including the species ultramarina Bonap., superciliosa, mihi, floridana, Bartram, stelleri, Pall., coronata, Swains., and probably a few others. The beak is much more slender, more depressed, amd the culmen straighter than in Cyanocorax." (Strickland 1845); "Cyanocitta Strickland, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., 15, p. 261, 1845—type, by orig. desig., Corvus cristatus Linnaeus." (Hellmayr, 1934, Cat. Birds Americas, Pt. VII, p. 59).
Synon. Cyanogarrulus, Lophocorax, Stellerocitta.

cristata
L. cristatus  crested, plumed, tufted  < crista  crest, plume, tuft. This epithet refers not only to obvious coronal crests of various shapes and sizes, but also to frontal knobs, ear tufts, and upstanding rictal bristles or feathers.
● ex “Alcedo amboinensis cristata” of Seba 1734, and “Ispida philippensis cristata” of Brisson 1760 (syn. Alcedo vintsioides).
● "44. PSITTACUS.  ...  cristatus.  16. P. brachyurus albus, crista dependente flava.  Psittacus albus cristatus. Aldr. ornith. l. 11. c. 4. Will. ornith. . . Raj. av. 30. Seb. mus. I. p. 94. t. 59. f. 1. Alb. av. 3. p. 12. t. 12. Edw. av. 160. t. 160. Frisch. av. 4. t. 50.  Habitat in China." (Linnaeus 1758) (syn. Cacatua alba).
● ex “Cariama” of Marcgrave 1648 (Cariama).
● ex “Coucou huppé de Madagascar” of Brisson 1760 (Coua).
● ex “Touraco géant” of Levaillant 1806 (Corythaeola).
● "48. CORVUS.  ...  cristatus.  8. C. tectricibus alarum lineis transversis nigris, corpore cæruleo, collari nigro.  Pica glandaria cærulea cristata. Catesb. car. p. 15. t. 15.  Habitat in America septentrionali. Præcedenti in multis assimilans." (Linnaeus 1758) (Cyanocitta).
● ex “Foulque de Madagascar” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 797, “Grande Foulque à crête” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Crested Coot” of Latham 1785 (Fulica).
● "93. ALAUDA.  ...  cristata.  6. A. rectricibus nigris: extimis duabus margine exteriori albis, capite cristato.  Alauda cristata major. Raj. av. 69. Will. orn. 151. t. 40. Olin. av. 13. Alb. av. 3. p. 48. t. 52. Aldr. orn. l. 18. c. 18.  Habitat in Europæ viis." (Linnaeus 1758) (Galerida).
● ex “Crested Gallinule” of Latham 1785 (syn. Gallicrex cinerea).
● ex “Phasianus cristatus Indicus” of Brisson 1760, and “Great Crowned Indian Pigeon” of Edwards 1761 (Goura).
● ex “Crestudo amarillo” of de Azara 1802-1805, no. 129 (Gubernatrix).
● ex “Crested Falcon” of Dillon 1780, and “Caracca Falcon” of Latham 1781 (syn. Harpia harpyja).
● ex “Hirondelle Huppé” of Levaillant 1807, pl. 247 (?syn. Hirundo sp.).
● ex “Crested Duck” of Latham 1785 (syn. Lophonetta specularioides).
● ex “Chouette à Aigrette Blanc” of Levaillant 1799, pl. 43 (Lophostrix).
● ex “Courlis huppé de Madagascar” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 841, and “Courlis huppé” of de Buffon 1770-1785 (Lophotibis).
● ex “Spatule huppée de l’isle de Luçon” of Sonnerat 1776 (syn. Platalea alba).
● ex “Rouloul de Malacca” of Sonnerat 1782, and “Lesser crowned Pigeon” of Latham 1783 (syn. Rollulus rouloul).
● ex “Muscicapa senegalensis cristata” of Brisson 1760, “Gobe-mouche huppé du Sénégal” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 573, fig. 2, and “Crested Senegal Fly-catcher” of Latham 1783 (syn. Terpsiphone viridis).
● "88. MELEAGRIS.  ...  cristata.  2. M. capite pennis erectis cristato, temporibus violaceis.  Quan s. Guan. Edw. av. 13. t. 13.  Jacupema. Marcgr. bras. 198.  Coxolitli. Hern. mex. . .  Phasianus brasiliensis. Raj. av. 56.  Habitat in America australi.  Gula caruncula compressa rubra ut in antecedente, capite supra crista oblonga pennacea." (Linnaeus 1758) (unident.; composite).
● "96. LOXIA.  ...  cristata.  7. L. albicans, fronte cristata, uropygio pedibusque rubris, rectricibus intermediis longissimis.  Habitat in Æthiopia. J. Burmannus.  Avis inter maximas sui generis. Crista Maris rubra, Feminæ alba. Pectus in mare rubrum. Rectrices cinereæ: intermediæ duæ duplo longiores." (Linnaeus 1758) (unident.; nom. dub.).
● ex “Bec-de-Fer” of Levaillant 1801, pl. 79 (Sparactes; artefact).
● see cristatus

SUBSPECIES

Blue Jay (bromia)
SCI Name: Cyanocitta cristata bromia
bromia
Gr. βρομιος bromios  noisy, boisterous  < βρομος bromos  loud noise  < βρεμω bremō  to roar.

Blue Jay (cristata)
SCI Name: Cyanocitta cristata cristata
cristata
L. cristatus  crested, plumed, tufted  < crista  crest, plume, tuft. This epithet refers not only to obvious coronal crests of various shapes and sizes, but also to frontal knobs, ear tufts, and upstanding rictal bristles or feathers.
● ex “Alcedo amboinensis cristata” of Seba 1734, and “Ispida philippensis cristata” of Brisson 1760 (syn. Alcedo vintsioides).
● "44. PSITTACUS.  ...  cristatus.  16. P. brachyurus albus, crista dependente flava.  Psittacus albus cristatus. Aldr. ornith. l. 11. c. 4. Will. ornith. . . Raj. av. 30. Seb. mus. I. p. 94. t. 59. f. 1. Alb. av. 3. p. 12. t. 12. Edw. av. 160. t. 160. Frisch. av. 4. t. 50.  Habitat in China." (Linnaeus 1758) (syn. Cacatua alba).
● ex “Cariama” of Marcgrave 1648 (Cariama).
● ex “Coucou huppé de Madagascar” of Brisson 1760 (Coua).
● ex “Touraco géant” of Levaillant 1806 (Corythaeola).
● "48. CORVUS.  ...  cristatus.  8. C. tectricibus alarum lineis transversis nigris, corpore cæruleo, collari nigro.  Pica glandaria cærulea cristata. Catesb. car. p. 15. t. 15.  Habitat in America septentrionali. Præcedenti in multis assimilans." (Linnaeus 1758) (Cyanocitta).
● ex “Foulque de Madagascar” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 797, “Grande Foulque à crête” of de Buffon 1770-1783, and “Crested Coot” of Latham 1785 (Fulica).
● "93. ALAUDA.  ...  cristata.  6. A. rectricibus nigris: extimis duabus margine exteriori albis, capite cristato.  Alauda cristata major. Raj. av. 69. Will. orn. 151. t. 40. Olin. av. 13. Alb. av. 3. p. 48. t. 52. Aldr. orn. l. 18. c. 18.  Habitat in Europæ viis." (Linnaeus 1758) (Galerida).
● ex “Crested Gallinule” of Latham 1785 (syn. Gallicrex cinerea).
● ex “Phasianus cristatus Indicus” of Brisson 1760, and “Great Crowned Indian Pigeon” of Edwards 1761 (Goura).
● ex “Crestudo amarillo” of de Azara 1802-1805, no. 129 (Gubernatrix).
● ex “Crested Falcon” of Dillon 1780, and “Caracca Falcon” of Latham 1781 (syn. Harpia harpyja).
● ex “Hirondelle Huppé” of Levaillant 1807, pl. 247 (?syn. Hirundo sp.).
● ex “Crested Duck” of Latham 1785 (syn. Lophonetta specularioides).
● ex “Chouette à Aigrette Blanc” of Levaillant 1799, pl. 43 (Lophostrix).
● ex “Courlis huppé de Madagascar” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 841, and “Courlis huppé” of de Buffon 1770-1785 (Lophotibis).
● ex “Spatule huppée de l’isle de Luçon” of Sonnerat 1776 (syn. Platalea alba).
● ex “Rouloul de Malacca” of Sonnerat 1782, and “Lesser crowned Pigeon” of Latham 1783 (syn. Rollulus rouloul).
● ex “Muscicapa senegalensis cristata” of Brisson 1760, “Gobe-mouche huppé du Sénégal” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 573, fig. 2, and “Crested Senegal Fly-catcher” of Latham 1783 (syn. Terpsiphone viridis).
● "88. MELEAGRIS.  ...  cristata.  2. M. capite pennis erectis cristato, temporibus violaceis.  Quan s. Guan. Edw. av. 13. t. 13.  Jacupema. Marcgr. bras. 198.  Coxolitli. Hern. mex. . .  Phasianus brasiliensis. Raj. av. 56.  Habitat in America australi.  Gula caruncula compressa rubra ut in antecedente, capite supra crista oblonga pennacea." (Linnaeus 1758) (unident.; composite).
● "96. LOXIA.  ...  cristata.  7. L. albicans, fronte cristata, uropygio pedibusque rubris, rectricibus intermediis longissimis.  Habitat in Æthiopia. J. Burmannus.  Avis inter maximas sui generis. Crista Maris rubra, Feminæ alba. Pectus in mare rubrum. Rectrices cinereæ: intermediæ duæ duplo longiores." (Linnaeus 1758) (unident.; nom. dub.).
● ex “Bec-de-Fer” of Levaillant 1801, pl. 79 (Sparactes; artefact).
● see cristatus

Blue Jay (semplei)
SCI Name: Cyanocitta cristata semplei
semplei
John Bonner Semple (1869-1947) US businessman, sponsor, ornithologist, collector (subsp. Cyanocitta cristata, syn. Megascops asio mccallii).

Blue Jay (cyanotephra)
SCI Name: Cyanocitta cristata cyanotephra
cyanotephra
Gr. κυανος kuanos dark-blue; τεφρα tephra ashes.