Appearance:

Unmistakable if seen well. Corvoid-like at a distance, and may be mistaken for Jay if no plumage characters are visible. Tail is however quite a bit shorter, and wings slightly longer. Flight-feathers dark, contrasting with turquois coverts, both below and above. Underparts especially striking in flight, being pale blue (sometimes seemingly white) all over, except dark flight-feathers and base of tail. Bill heavy. Immature duller than adults with faint streaked breast and slightly rufous coverts. Wing-beats deep and regular. Flies mostly in a straight line. Migrating birds move in characteristic procession-like formations.

Sound:

Various dry rasping, sometimes mewing, sounds and short clicks: "ahrahrahrahrahrahrahr" or pulse of clicks: "trrrtrrrrtrr". Also a clearer raptor- or jay-like descending "piiuu".

Display calls:

Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

CC-sound:Jarek Matusiak, Licence,Link.

Appearance:

Largely unmistakable. Pale pinkish brown. Wings dark with white and blue patches. Tail black and rump white (conspicuous in flight). Crown speckled in black. Striking black moustache stripe. Flight pattern straight and fluttering like Nutcracker, but tail longer and bill shorter.

Sound:

Large repertoire. Most heard call a short, drawn and very hoarse, raspy sound, often given in quick successions. Also a Buzzard-like, mewing "peeeaaa" (more drawn and less full tone than Siberian Jay). Quiet and varied subsong with mimicry, resembling a small passerine heard from both sexes. Many other social sounds.

Alarm:

Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC