Cyanocitta stelleri Annectens, C. S. MACROLOPHA
Status: Uncommon casual irruptive winter visitor statewide.
Documentation: annectens: specimen UNSM ZM7630, Oct 1916 Mitchell, Scotts Bluff Co. macrolopha: photograph: 30 Nov 2022 Carter Canyon, Scotts Bluff Co.
Taxonomy: There are 13-17 subspecies recognized by various authors (Phillips 1986, Gill et al 2022, Pyle 1997, Walker et al 2020). However, descriptions of the ranges of these subspecies vary among the various authors and are difficult to reconcile, especially those of annectens and macrolopha. In general, however, annectens breeds in the northern Rocky Mountains south to northwestern Wyoming, and macrolopha in the southern Rocky Mountains, from northeastern Utah and southeastern Wyoming southward (see map in Faulkner 2010). Breeders in northern Utah, between these ranges, are apparently intergrades (Phillips 1986). Reports of its breeding in the Black Hills of South Dakota are unsupported (Tallman et al 2002, Phillips 1986, Faulkner 2010). The specimen cited above (see Documentation) is labeled diademata, an epithet currently used for populations in the southwestern US (Phillips 1986, Walker et al 2020).
Evidence suggests that irruptions of multiple birds into Nebraska are likely of the eruptive northern Rocky Mountains subspecies annectens, possibly including intergrades with macrolopha, from higher elevations in northwest Wyoming while single birds and perhaps duos in the North Platte River Valley may be from the nearby sedentary subspecies macrolopha in eastern Wyoming.
Photographs of a Steller’s Jay at a Scotts Bluff Co feeder 8 Oct 2018-31 Mar 2019 and one of two in Carter Canyon 30 Nov 2022 (eBird.org, accessed Nov 2023) show low contrast between black head and gray back and minimal white on the throat and appear to be macrolopha (Steven Mlodinow, personal communication).
Early Nebraska ornithologists seemed uncertain about subspecies assignment of the available Nebraska specimens and personal sightings; annectens, diademata, and macrolopha; were all invoked (Bruner et al 1904, Swenk 1918, Tout 1947, Rapp et al 1958). It is not known which Nebraska specimens were examined by Phillips (1986), who revised the ranges of the various Interior subspecies. Although the nearest Wyoming population is in the Guernsey State Park area (Faulkner 2010), only about 30 miles from Nebraska, these are of the subspecies macrolopha. Most available evidence suggests that Nebraska birds are annectens; Phillips (1986) assigned Nebraska specimens to this subspecies, which breeds south and east to northwest Wyoming and winters irregularly to northwest Nebraska. Photographs of several that appeared in Scotts Bluff Co during winter 2012-2013 were of the Rocky Mountain subspecies annectens and there are two specimens of annectens taken in northeastern Kansas (Thompson et al 2011). However, Walker et al (2020) pointed out that “During irruptions, flocks apparently are composed mainly of immatures, which may have originated from areas much farther north”.
Winter: There are about 43 reports of Steller’s Jay, about 34 of which are from the Platte River Valley, east to Lincoln Co, in the period 11 Aug-30 Apr. Of the remainder, two are from Lancaster and Nuckolls Cos in the east in years when the species was recorded in the west, three are from the Pine Ridge in Sioux and Dawes Cos, and four from the Sandhills.
This species apparently enters Nebraska via riparian corridors, primarily the North Platte River Valley, and is usually seen in towns or at feeders. The nearest Wyoming population is only about 30 miles from Nebraska; these are of the subspecies macrolopha (Faulkner 2010) which is as yet unconfirmed in Nebraska (see Taxonomy).
Platte River Valley reports of more than a single bird occurred during the winters of 1916-17, 1937-38, 1945-46, 1946-47, 1948-49, 1950-51, 1962-63, 1969-70, 1971-72, 1976-77, 1977-78, 1983-84, 1985-86, 1996-97, 2012-2013, 2013-2014, and 2022-2023.
Reports of single birds in winters other than those listed above are: 26 Sep 2020 Rock Creek SRA, Dundy Co, 15 Oct 1936 in Lincoln Co (Tout 1947), specimens HMM 2906, collected at Oshkosh, Garden Co 4 Dec 1918, and HMM 2799, collected at Kearney, Buffalo Co 13 Sep 1914 (Swenk Notes Before 1925), one at a Scotts Bluff Co feeder 8 Oct 2018-31 Mar 2019 (Brogie 2019, 2020), and two at Lake Ogallala, Keith Co 6-7 May 2000 (Brown and Brown 2001).
The largest number reported was a flock of about 35 birds in Scotts Bluff Co 1969-70, 12 of which were counted on the CBC 20 Dec 1969 (Cortelyou 1970). Multiple reports came in the winters of 1946-47, when flocks of up to seven were seen in Lincoln Co (Middleton 1947, Collister 1947) and one wintered as far east as Superior, Nuckolls Co (Day 1947), 1985-86, when several sightings were made in the Scottsbluff area, Scotts Bluff Co (Cortelyou 1986), and 11 Aug 1996-13 Apr 1997, when up to eight were reported at various locations in Scotts Bluff Co. In the winter of 1962-63 this species was reported in Lincoln Co in the period Nov-19 Apr, and as far east as Lancaster Co 6 Jan 1963. There was a localized irruption of up to eight into Scotts Bluff Co in winter 2012-2013; the only report away from there was one at a feeder at Lake McConaughy, Keith Co 8-17 Nov (Brogie 2013). A repeat irruption was noted in winter 2013-2014, as up to seven were found in fall (Brogie 2014), at least three wintered, and the last one reported was seen 13 Mar. A small influx occurred in winter 2022-2023; one was easterly among Pinyon Jays at the Hoffman residence in Morrill Co 2 Nov, one was at Wildcat Hills NC, Scotts Bluff Co 17 Oct, up to four were at a nearby residential feeder 3 Dec, and two were at a Carter Canyon, Scotts Bluff Co residence around 1 Nov through at least 18 Feb.
There are two records of birds wintering at Pine Ridge feeders, and two sight reports there. One was at a Chadron, Dawes Co feeder 9 Nov 1973-8 Jan 1974 (Rosche 1982) and another wintered at a feeder in Sowbelly Canyon, Sioux Co 24 Nov 1989-13 Apr 1990 (Grzybowski 1990a, 1990b). One was seen Apr 1891 in the Timber Reserve west of Fort Robinson by Bruner (Bruner et al 1904), and another was seen by Bruner and Swenk in Warbonnet Canyon, Sioux Co 9 Aug 1905 (Swenk 1906). Steller’s Jay does not occur in the Black Hills; there are only three South Dakota records (Tallman et al 2002; eBird.org, accessed Nov 2023).
There are four additional reports, all from the Sandhills. These are from Antioch, Sheridan Co 15 Feb and 26 May 1931 (Swenk 1931a, 1931b, Rosche 1982), Sheridan (or Grant) Co 26 Apr 1936 (Swenk 1936), Sheridan Co 10 May 2009, and one reported in Logan Co with no date or details (Johnsgard 1980).
Images
Abbreviations
CBC: Christmas Bird Count
HMM: Hastings Municipal Museum
NC: Nature Center
SRA: State Recreation Area
UNSM: University of Nebraska State Museum
Literature Cited
Brogie, M.A. 2013. 2012 (24th) Report of the NOU Records Committee. NBR: 81: 120-130.
Brogie, M.A. 2014. 2013 (25th) Report of the NOU Records Committee. NBR 82: 131-146.
Brogie, M.A. 2019. 2018 (30th) Report of the NOU Records Committee. NBR 87: 96-109.
Brogie, M.A. 2020. 2019 (31st) Report of the NOU Records Committee. NBR 88: 124-134.
Brown, C.R., and M.B. Brown. 2001. Birds of the Cedar Point Biological Station. Occasional Papers of the Cedar Point Biological Station, No. 1.
Bruner, L., R.H. Wolcott, and M.H. Swenk. 1904. A preliminary review of the birds of Nebraska, with synopses. Klopp and Bartlett, Omaha, Nebraska, USA.
Cortelyou, R.G. 1970. 1969 Christmas Count. NBR 38: 1-15.
Cortelyou, R.G. 1986. 1985 (Twenty-eighth) Fall Occurrence Report. NBR 54: 7-25.
Collister, A. 1947. Long-crested Jay in Lincoln County. NBR 15: 18.
Day, M. 1947. The Long-crested Jay at Superior, Nuckolls County. NBR 15: 18.
Faulkner, D.W. 2010. Birds of Wyoming. Roberts and Company, Greenwood Village, Colorado, USA.
Gill, F., D. Donsker, and P. Rasmussen (Eds). 2022. IOC World Bird List (v 12.2). Doi 10.14344/IOC.ML.12.2. http://www.worldbirdnames.org/.
Grzybowski, J.A. 1990a. Southern Great Plains Region. American Birds 44: 114-117.
Grzybowski, J.A. 1990b. Southern Great Plains Region. American Birds 44: 454-457.
Johnsgard, P. A. 1980. A preliminary list of the birds of Nebraska and adjacent Great Plains states. Published by the author, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, USA.
Middleton, A.D. 1947. The Long-crested Jay in Lincoln County. NBR 15: 41.
Phillips, A.R. 1986. The known birds of North and Middle America. Part 1. Denver: Phillips.
Pyle, P. 1997. Identification Guide to North American Birds. Part I, Columbidae to Ploceidae. Slate Creek Press, Bolinas, California, USA.
Rapp, W.F. Jr., J.L.C. Rapp, H.E. Baumgarten, and R.A. Moser. 1958. Revised checklist of Nebraska birds. Occasional Papers 5, Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union, Crete, Nebraska, USA.
Rosche, R.C. 1982. Birds of northwestern Nebraska and southwestern South Dakota, an annotated checklist. Cottonwood Press, Crawford, Nebraska, USA.
Swenk, M.H. Notes before 1925. Bird notes from A.M. Brooking of Hastings, C.A. Black of Kearney, and B.J. Olson of Kearney, based chiefly on their collections, up to January 1, 1925. Typed manuscript in the Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union Archives, University of Nebraska State Museum, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA.
Swenk, M.H. 1906. Some Nebraska bird notes. Auk 23: 108-109.
Swenk, M.H. 1918. Revisory notes on the birds of Nebraska. Wilson Bulletin 30: 112-117.
Swenk, M.H. 1931a. Letters of Information 60: 9.
Swenk, M.H. 1931b. Letters of Information 61: 3.
Swenk, M.H. 1936. The 1936 Migration Season. NBR 4: 43-47.
Tallman, D.A., Swanson, D.L., and J.S. Palmer. 2002. Birds of South Dakota. Midstates/Quality Quick Print, Aberdeen, South Dakota, USA.
Thompson, M.C., C.A. Ely, B. Gress, C. Otte, S.T. Patti, D. Seibel, and E.A. Young. 2011. Birds of Kansas. University Press of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, USA.
Tout, W. 1947. Lincoln County birds. Published by the author, North Platte, NE.
Walker, L.E., P. Pyle, M.A. Patten, E. Greene, W. Davison, and V.R. Muehter. 2020. Steller’s Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (P. G. Rodewald, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.stejay.01.
Recommended Citation
Silcock, W.R., and J.G. Jorgensen. 2023. Steller’s Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri). In Birds of Nebraska — Online. www.BirdsofNebraska.org
Birds of Nebraska – Online
Updated 20 Nov 2023