Wyoming · Year-round resident

Woodhouse's Scrub-Jays in Wyoming

When Woodhouse's scrub-jays are present in Wyoming, when they nest, which native Wyoming plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 3a–5b yard.

Crows and jays (Corvidae)Woodhouse's Scrub-JayAphelocoma woodhouseii

Status in Wyoming: Year-round resident
Nesting window: May–June
Broods: 1 per season
Hardiness zones: USDA 3a–5b

When to expect Woodhouse's scrub-jays in Wyoming

Woodhouse's Scrub-Jays live in Wyoming all year. Cold, very windy winters. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward cached piñon nuts and acorns.

Semi-arid high plains and basins with major mountain ranges; most towns lie above 5,000 ft.

Nesting in Wyoming

Across Wyoming, Woodhouse's scrub-jays typically nest from May–June. Nest site: twig cup in junipers and oaks. Females lay 2–7 eggs, incubate for 15–17 days, and young leave the nest after 18 days.

Short, warm summers with cool nights.

Woodhouse's Scrub-Jays don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as bur oak, rocky mountain juniper, ponderosa pine for nest sites.
Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after June.

Native Wyoming plants that attract Woodhouse's scrub-jays

Of the regional native plants we track for Wyoming, these 6 provide food or cover Woodhouse's scrub-jays use:

Bur oak

Quercus macrocarpa · Tree

Drought-hardy prairie oak with large acorns and a heavy insect load.

Rocky Mountain juniper

Juniperus scopulorum · Tree

Berry-like cones feed bluebirds, solitaires and waxwings in winter.

Ponderosa pine

Pinus ponderosa · Tree

Seeds and bark insects; pygmy nuthatch and woodpecker habitat.

Gambel oak

Quercus gambelii · Tree

Acorns for jays and woodpeckers across the southern Rockies.

Douglas fir

Pseudotsuga menziesii · Tree

Seed for crossbills, siskins and chickadees.

White spruce

Picea glauca · Tree

Cone crops drive winter irruptions of finches and crossbills.

Feeding Woodhouse's scrub-jays through the Wyoming year

A bird of piñon-juniper and oak scrub; common in Great Basin and Southwest yards.

Best foods: Peanuts, Sunflower.
In Wyoming's winter: Cold, very windy winters.

Full diet breakdown for Woodhouse's scrub-jays · Best feeder for Woodhouse's scrub-jays

Frequently asked

Are Woodhouse's scrub-jays in Wyoming year-round?

Yes. Woodhouse's Scrub-Jays are year-round residents in Wyoming.

When do Woodhouse's scrub-jays nest in Wyoming?

Nesting in Wyoming typically runs May–June, with 1 per season. Clutches are 2–7 eggs, incubated for 15–17 days.

What native plants attract Woodhouse's scrub-jays in Wyoming?

Bur oak, Rocky Mountain juniper, Ponderosa pine, Gambel oak, Douglas fir, White spruce are native plants in Wyoming that provide food or cover for Woodhouse's scrub-jays.

Woodhouse's Scrub-Jays in other regions

Arizona Colorado Idaho Nevada New Mexico Oklahoma Oregon Texas Utah

Other backyard birds in Wyoming

Black-capped Chickadee Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker American Goldfinch White-breasted Nuthatch House Wren Blue Jay House Finch Mourning Dove American Robin Dark-eyed Junco Song Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Northern Flicker Red-headed Woodpecker Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown Creeper Common Grackle Red-winged Blackbird Evening Grosbeak Pine Siskin Common Redpoll Gray Catbird Brown Thrasher Cedar Waxwing Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Yellow-rumped Warbler Eastern Screech-Owl Eastern Kingbird American Tree Sparrow House Sparrow European Starling Steller's Jay Black-billed Magpie Canada Jay Mountain Chickadee Bushtit Juniper Titmouse Pygmy Nuthatch Black-chinned Hummingbird Broad-tailed Hummingbird Lesser Goldfinch Cassin's Finch Spotted Towhee Mountain Bluebird Say's Phoebe White-crowned Sparrow Fox Sparrow Violet-green Swallow Black-headed Grosbeak Lazuli Bunting Bullock's Oriole Eurasian Collared-Dove

Sources

Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.