Black-headed Jay Garrulus lanceolatus Scientific name definitions

A common yet rather poorly known species, the Black-headed Jay is a familiar sight in the hills of the western and central Himalayas between 1,500 to 3,000 meters in elevation. Compared to the Eurasian Jay (Garrulus glandarius), with which it shares much of its range, the Black-headed Jay is more common and appears to be much bolder around human presence and activities. Although it is predominantly a forest bird, it doesn’t seem to mind degraded forests, forest edges, and scrub. This species is quite hard to miss, particularly in winter, when it aggregates into large raucous groups of 10-15 individuals and forages around villages, gardens, and agricultural fields. In the presence of predators, these groups can get especially noisy and aggressive. Black-headed Jays will actively mob large owls and hawks by raising their crests and flicking their wings and tails while making loud alarm calls. These behaviors are rather typical for species of the genus Garrulus, which in Latin means chattering, babbling, or noisy. Black-headed Jays also frequently associate with other corvids like the Eurasian Jay, Gray Treepie (Dendrocitta formosae), both Red-billed (Urocissa erythroryncha) and Yellow-billed Blue-Magpie (U. flavirostris), as well as a number of laughingthrushes, forming mixed hunting flocks in the forests.