~Birding in Madera Canyon – January 2023
Leaving Catalina State Park in Oro Valley, AZ last January we traveled to Amado, AZ and stayed at a private RV park called DeAnza RV Resort. The reason we stayed in Amado was to travel to Madera Canyon.
Madera Canyon is a birders paradise. Here is a quick link if you might be interested in traveling to this gorgeous area. https://friendsofmaderacanyon.org
One of the common birds seen in this area is the Mexican Jay. I first saw this Jay on December 29, 2020 and was number 398 on my birding list. They are fun to photograph and it is fun to just sit and watch their interactions with each other.
The soft-blue and gray Mexican Jay looks like a duskier version of other scrub-jays (whose genus they share) but has a smaller black bill and lacks a blue necklace. Its range extends from Mexico into pine-oak-juniper woodlands of the southwestern U.S.
Mexican Jays live in family groups of up to 25 individuals and may have several active nests in one territory. All group members share the responsibility of feeding young. They rarely disperse and stay with their groups throughout their lives.
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