White-throated Magpie-Jay on an Iron Railing in Guanacaste

The white-throated magpie-jay is a large jay native to the Pacific slope of Central America, ranging from southern Mexico into northwestern Costa Rica. It's easily identified by its long, graduated tail, curled forward-facing crest feathers, and the blue-and-white plumage with a dark necklace marking across the chest. The species favors dry forest and scrubland, and it has adapted readily to gardens, farms, and developed areas within its range. Magpie-jays are highly social, often traveling and foraging in small family groups that cooperate in raising young from previous broods.