Mountain views, with clouds scudding across blue skies.

Beautiful views from Arizona! #ArizonaPinyonJays

Walking down a dirt road thorugh pinyon-juniper, under cloudy skies.

In search of Pinyon Jays north of Flagstaff, AZ…. #ArizonaPinyonJays

Pinyon Jay nest

#PinyonJay colonies vary in structure and spacing. In a typical colony, there's only 1 nest per tree, with 30-50ish nests, overall. During the 2024-2025 Arizona surveys, fewer nests were clustered together but instead were scattered throughout the home range. #ArizonaPinyonJays #birds

Drainage through ponderosa pine habitat. Ground covered in orangey-brown pine needles, against a cloudy sky.

Pinyon Jays are known colony nesters, but there is still a lot to learn about the size and location of their colonies, especially in the southern part of their range. Pinyon Jays have been observed nesting in Ponderosa pine in northern Arizona. #ArizonaPinyonJays

trudging through snow-covered pinyon-juniper habitat, under a deep blue sky

Another snowy survey for our Arizona Pinyon Jay crew. Pinyon Jays are opportunistic and adaptable like many aspects of their biology. They will abandon nesting efforts in persistent inclement weather, delay in harsh winters, and begin early in favorable conditions. #ArizonaPinyonJays