Siberian Jay Perisoreus infaustus ranges Scandinavia to Sea of Okhotsk. In China, opicus in Altai Mountains in Xinjiang and maritimus northern Inner Mongolia and Heilongjiang. HABITAT & BEHAVIOR Coniferous forests in taiga zone. Eats insects and berries and stores balls of food in tree bark for consumption in winter. Shy. ID Small forest jay with fluffy plumage dark brown to greyish brown. Cap dusky brown. Wing-coverts, rump, and sides of tail rusty red. Greyish-brown plumage grades to rufous on flanks and undertail coverts. BARE PARTS Bill short, black, with buffy tuft at base. Feet black. VOICE Wide repertoire of calls, including whistles and mews; accomplished mimic. Song a quiet stream of whistles, mews, and twitters. — Craig Brelsford
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Daniel Bengtsson served as chief ornithological consultant for Craig Brelsford’s Photographic Field Guide to the Birds of China, from which this species description is drawn.
