Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
In 3 days <5% in a week ~10%
The pinyon jay (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus) is a species of jay, and is the only member of the genus Gymnorhinus. Native to Western North America, the species ranges from central Oregon to northern Baja California, and eastward as far as western Oklahoma, though wanderers are often sighted beyond this range. It is typically found within foothills, especially where pinyon pines (Pinus edulis and Pinus monophylla) occur.
The pinyon jay is a bluish-grey coloured bird with deeper head colouring and whitish throat with black bill, legs and feet. Roughly intermediate between the blue jay and the Eurasian jay in size, its overall proportions are similar to Clark's nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana) and this can be seen as convergent evolution, as both birds fill similar ecological niches. They were once known as "blue crows".
The pinyon jay was first collected, recorded, and first described as a species from a specimen shot along the Marias River in what is now northern Montana during the Prince Maximilian of Wied-Neuwied expedition to the interior of North America in 1833. A historical marker at LaHood Park on the Jefferson river in Montana, however, claims... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grand Canyon National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Joshua Tree National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Zion National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Death Valley National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Yellowstone National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Yosemite National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Rocky Mountain National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vancouver | 🇨🇦 Canada |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Pinyon Jay sighting in Yellowstone National Park on a given day, based on 40 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 153rd most-seen of the 197 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, and over a week to about 10%, if each day is a fresh chance.
March and April
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Pinyon Jay in Yellowstone National Park on a given day, against under 5% in May to February, the lowest months.
Between 10 am and 1 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Pinyon Jay sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
5th of 7
Of the 7 parks where we can rate Pinyon Jay sightings, Yellowstone National Park ranks 5th at under 5%. The best odds are in Grand Canyon National Park (United States, about 10%), Joshua Tree National Park (United States, about 10%) and Zion National Park (United States, about 10%).
Same family: Corvidae
The closest relatives of the Pinyon Jay that you can see in Yellowstone National Park (family Corvidae, Crows, Jays, and Magpies) are Common Raven (about 80%), Clark's Nutcracker (about 40%) and Black-billed Magpie (about 30%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Pinyon Jay is recorded against all the birds logged in Yellowstone National Park (40 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.
