A rare Jay spotted in Whitehorse. But was it a Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) or Steller's Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri)?

Observation by Tharian Botting: While driving home, around the corner from my street I saw a bird that looked exactly like a Blue Jay or Stellar Jay. Two days later, a neighbour posted on social media for our community that they also saw a blue jay for the first time ever in Whitehorse. Neither of us managed to get a picture of it.

LEO Network editor's comment: It is true that both of these species of Jay have bright blue plummage. Also that Whitehorse is outside of their normal range. In eBird the first report of a Steller's Jay in the Yukon Territory was on 1 Nov 1989 by Yukon Bird Club in the Tagish. The most recent sighting was by Julie-ann Bauer in Haines Junction, October 9, 2020. LEO Network encourages members to also post your unusual bird sightings to eBird. There are no reports of Blue Jay's in the Yukon Territory, and nothing further North then Fort Smith. You can learn more about Blue Jays here and Stellar's Jay here on eBird. Mike Brubaker