Cyanocorax affinis
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
The black-chested jay (Cyanocorax affinis) is a species of bird in the family Corvidae. Measuring 34 cm (13 in) long, this jay is easily recognized from its distinctive facial pattern and yellow eye. The head, face, and chest are mostly black with violet-blue spots above and below the eye, as well as a violet-blue malar stripe. The underparts are white as is the tip of the tail, while the upperparts and wings are mainly dark violet-blue. It does not exhibit sexual dimorphism.
It is found in Colombia, northwestern Venezuela, Panama and far eastern Costa Rica. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, and heavily degraded former forest.
Its population is stable. BirdLife species factsheet for Cyanocorax affinis "Cyanocorax affinis". Avibase. "Black-chested jay media". Internet Bird Collection. Black-chested jay photo gallery at VIREO (Drexel University)
Interactive range map of Cyanocorax affinis at IUCN Red List Audio recordings of Black-chested jay on Xeno-canto. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Utría National Natural Park | 🇨🇴 Colombia | |
| 2 | San Lorenzo Protected Forest | 🇵🇦 Panama | |
| 3 | Darién National Park | 🇵🇦 Panama | |
| 4 | Cahuita National Park | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | |
| 5 | Parque Natural Metropolitano | 🇵🇦 Panama | |
| 6 | Bastimentos Island National Marine Park | 🇵🇦 Panama | |
| 7 | La Amistad International Park (Panama) | 🇵🇦 Panama | |
| 8 | Tayrona National Natural Park | 🇨🇴 Colombia | |
| 9 | Soberanía National Park | 🇵🇦 Panama | |
| 10 | Chagres National Park | 🇵🇦 Panama | |
| 11 | Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | |
| 12 | Farallones de Cali National Natural Park | 🇨🇴 Colombia |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Medellín | 🇨🇴 Colombia |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aviario Nacional de Colombia | 🇨🇴 Colombia | |
| 2 | Monkeyland | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 3 | Birds of Eden | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 4 | zoologico de barranquilla | 🇨🇴 Colombia | |
| 5 | Dallas World Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Cali Zoo | 🇨🇴 Colombia |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Black-chested Jay sighting in La Amistad International Park (Panama) on a given day, based on 609 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 217th most-seen of the 657 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 40%, if each day is a fresh chance.
May and September–March
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Black-chested Jay in La Amistad International Park (Panama) on a given day, against under 5% in April and June–August, the lowest months.
Between 6 and 9 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Black-chested Jay sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
7th of 12
Of the 12 parks where we can rate Black-chested Jay sightings, La Amistad International Park (Panama) ranks 7th at about 10%. The best odds are in Utría National Natural Park (Colombia, about 30%), San Lorenzo Protected Forest (Panama, about 20%) and Darién National Park (Panama, about 20%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Black-chested Jay is recorded against all the birds logged in La Amistad International Park (Panama) (609 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
