Pinyon Jay
Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAves (Aus)
- OrderPasseriformes
- FamilyCorvidae (Còrvids)
- GenusGymnorhinus (Pinyon Jays)
- SpeciesGymnorhinus cyanocephalus (Pinyon Jay)
The pinyon jay (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus) is a species of jay, and is the only member of the genus Gymnorhinus. Native to Western North America, the species ranges from central Oregon to northern Baja California, and eastward as far as western Oklahoma, though wanderers are often sighted beyond this range. It is typically found within foothills, especially where pinyon pines (Pinus edulis and Pinus monophylla) occur. Wikipedia →
10–20% of wildlife watchers report a Pinyon Jay sighting in Grand Canyon National Park, based on 394 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Grand Canyon National Park
Common Raven
Corvus corax
Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay
Aphelocoma woodhouseii
Steller's Jay
Cyanocitta stelleri
American Crow
Corvus brachyrhynchos
Clark's Nutcracker
Nucifraga columbiana
Mountain Chickadee
Poecile gambeli
Dark-eyed Junco
Junco hyemalis
Western Bluebird
Sialia mexicana
White-breasted Nuthatch
Sitta carolinensis
Violet-green Swallow
Tachycineta thalassina
Spotted Towhee
Pipilo maculatus
Juniper Titmouse
Baeolophus ridgwayi
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grand Canyon National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Zion National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Joshua Tree National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Death Valley National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Yellowstone National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Yosemite National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Rocky Mountain National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | Badlands National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Guadalupe Mountains National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Pinyon Jay in Grand Canyon National Park?
About 17% of wildlife watchers report a Pinyon Jay sighting in Grand Canyon National Park, based on 394 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Pinyon Jay in Grand Canyon National Park?
September has the highest sighting rate for Pinyon Jay in Grand Canyon National Park in our monthly data.