California Scrub-Jays in California

California Scrub-Jays live in California all year. Wet, mild winters are the green season — the busiest time at coastal feeders as sparrows and hummingbirds settle in. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward cached acorns.

Mediterranean along the coast and Central Valley, alpine in the Sierra Nevada, and desert in the southeast.

Across California, California scrub-jays typically nest from February–June. Nest site: twig cup in oaks or shrubs 3–30 ft up. Females lay 3–6 eggs, incubate for 15–17 days, and young leave the nest after 18–19 days.

Dry summers with little rain from May to October; water and summer-blooming natives matter more than extra seed.

• California Scrub-Jays don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as coast live oak, oregon white oak for nest sites.
• Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after June.

Of the regional native plants we track for California, these 2 provide food or cover California scrub-jays use:

Scrub-jays bury thousands of acorns each fall and remember where most of them are.

• Best foods: Peanuts, Sunflower, Suet.
• In California's winter: Wet, mild winters are the green season — the busiest time at coastal feeders as sparrows and hummingbirds settle in.

Full diet breakdown for California scrub-jays · Best feeder for California scrub-jays