Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus
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In 3 days <5%
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 Yosemite National Park on a given day, based on 6 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 164th most-seen of the 169 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, if each day is a fresh chance.
Any time of year
In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Pinyon Jay in Yosemite National Park on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.
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.
6th of 7
Of the 7 parks where we can rate Pinyon Jay sightings, Yosemite National Park ranks 6th 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 Yosemite National Park (family Corvidae, Crows, Jays, and Magpies) are Steller's Jay (about 80%), Common Raven (about 80%) and Clark's Nutcracker (about 20%), 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 Yosemite National Park (6 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.
