Identification
Rather large, blue-and-gray jay of highland pine and pine-oak forest endemic to highlands of central Mexico; occurs in transvolcanic belt from Volcánes de Colima in the west to Volcán Orizaba in the east. Typically travels in wide-ranging flocks of 5–25 birds, mainly at middle to upper levels in trees. Appreciably larger and broader-winged than Woodhouse's Scrub-Jays, with plainer plumage (lacks dark mask, whitish eyebrow, and partial dark collar of Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay). Noisy calls carry well.