White-tailed Jay
VU

White-tailed Jay

Cyanocorax mystacalis

Unknown

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White-tailed_jay

Overview

A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.

The White-tailed Jay faces severe pressure from rapid deforestation and agricultural expansion throughout its restricted range in the Tumbes region of northwestern Peru and southwestern Ecuador. Habitat fragmentation isolates populations and reduces breeding success, while cattle ranching and shrimp farming have converted critical lowland forests. Climate change poses additional risks by altering the dry forest ecosystems this species depends upon for nesting and foraging.

Threat summary

Habitat

The White-tailed Jay inhabits dry deciduous forests, gallery forests, and woodland edges in the Tumbes-Chocó bioregion. It prefers areas with dense canopy cover and is particularly associated with riparian forests along seasonal watercourses.

Other threatened species in Corvidae

Flores CrowEN

Flores Crow

Corvus florensis

Unknown
RookVU

Rook

Corvus frugilegus

Unknown
Beautiful JayVU

Beautiful Jay

Cyanolyca pulchra

Unknown
Black-collared JayVU

Black-collared Jay

Cyanolyca armillata

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is White-tailed Jay classified as Vulnerable?
White-tailed Jay is classified as Vulnerable because the population is declining and the species faces a high risk of extinction in the medium-term future if current pressures continue. The White-tailed Jay faces severe pressure from rapid deforestation and agricultural expansion throughout its restricted range in the Tumbes region of northwestern Peru and southwestern Ecuador. Habitat fragmentation isolates populations and reduces breeding success, while cattle ranching and shrimp farming have converted critical lowland forests. Climate change poses additional risks by altering the dry forest ecosystems this species depends upon for nesting and foraging.
Where does White-tailed Jay live?
White-tailed Jay occurs in across multiple regions. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to White-tailed Jay?
The main threats to White-tailed Jay are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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