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Bird

Blue Jay

Cyanocitta cristata

Lives in Florida all year and nests here. Found in all 67 counties, across 13 habitats.

Here
All year
Nesting
Nests here
Range
All 67 counties
Habitats
13

At a glance

Group
Birds
Here
All year
Nesting
Nests here
Range
All 67 counties
Habitats
13
Habitat models
Year-round

Where it lives

The places its habitat model includes. It is not found everywhere a habitat occurs.

Habitats in Florida 13

Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

1 of 13

Forest edges and thickets

Wooded scene looking out over partially open fields
Year-roundDisturbed/Successional - Shrub Regeneration; Harvested Forest - Shrub RegenerationNamed place / source context. Shown: Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, Georgia and Tennessee; which part is not recorded, a neighboring state.Wooded scene looking out over partially open fields, Richard Schlecht, undated. Public domain. Source record.

Swamps

Loblolly bay in a coastal swamp
Year-roundSouthern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Taxodium Modifier; Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Bay/Gum Modifier; Southern Coastal Plain Seepage Swamp and Baygall; East Gulf Coastal Plain Tidal Wooded Swamp; Atlantic Coastal Plain Streamhead Seepage Swamp - Pocosin - and Baygall; Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Tidal Wooded Swamp; South Florida Bayhead Swamp; Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp; South Florida Cypress Dome; Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Cypress DomeRegional / representative. Shown: Southern coastal swamps, Florida to Virginia; state not identified, a neighboring state.Loblolly bay in a coastal swamp, Marian Ellis Rowan, 1901. Public domain. Source record.

Coastal Plain hammocks

Dense, evergreen groves of live oak, magnolia and other hardwoods in the southern Coastal Plain, from dry oak domes to wet hydric hammocks and south Florida's tropical hammocks; salt-shaped maritime hammocks are maritime forests.

Year-roundSouth Florida Hardwood Hammock; Southern Coastal Plain Oak Dome and Hammock; Southern Coastal Plain Hydric Hammock

Dry forests and woodlands

Forests and open woodlands on dry ridges and slopes, often oak or pine.

Year-roundSouthern Coastal Plain Dry Upland Hardwood Forest

Floodplain and bottomland forests

Forests on low ground beside rivers and streams that flood from time to time.

Year-roundAtlantic Coastal Plain Blackwater Stream Floodplain Forest - Forest Modifier; East Gulf Coastal Plain Large River Floodplain Forest - Forest Modifier; Atlantic Coastal Plain Small Blackwater River Floodplain Forest; East Gulf Coastal Plain Small Stream and River Floodplain Forest; Southern Coastal Plain Blackwater River Floodplain Forest

Florida scrub

Evergreen scrub oaks, sand pine and rosemary on deep, white, drought-prone sand ridges, burned rarely but intensely; distinct from the longleaf and turkey oak sandhills.

Year-round

Maritime forests and thickets

Salt-pruned forests and shrub thickets behind coastal dunes.

Year-roundSouthwest Florida Coastal Strand and Maritime Hammock; Southeast Florida Coastal Strand and Maritime Hammock; East Gulf Coastal Plain Maritime Forest; Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Maritime Forest

Moist forests

Forests on moist but not wet ground, such as rich slopes and ravines.

Year-roundEast Gulf Coastal Plain Southern Mesic Slope Forest

Pine flatwoods

Flat, sandy Coastal Plain pine woodlands, wetter than sandhills and denser than savannas.

Year-roundEast Gulf Coastal Plain Near-Coast Pine Flatwoods - Open Understory Modifier; East Gulf Coastal Plain Near-Coast Pine Flatwoods - Scrub/Shrub Understory Modifier; South Florida Pine Flatwoods; Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Wet Pine Savanna and Flatwoods; Central Florida Pine Flatwoods; East Gulf Coastal Plain Near-Coast Pine Flatwoods

Pine savannas

Open, fire-kept longleaf pine stands over grasses and wildflowers on wet to moist sandy soil.

Year-roundAtlantic Coastal Plain Southern Wet Pine Savanna and Flatwoods

Pocosins and bay forests

Dense evergreen shrub wetlands and bay forests on wet, acid peat of the Coastal Plain.

Year-roundAtlantic Coastal Plain Streamhead Seepage Swamp - Pocosin - and Baygall

Sandhills

Dry, deep-sand ridges with longleaf pine and turkey oak, kept open by fire.

Year-roundFlorida Longleaf Pine Sandhill - Open Understory Modifier

Tree plantations and managed pine

Planted or intensively managed stands of pine or hardwoods grown for timber; a land use rather than a natural community.

Year-roundDeciduous Plantation; Evergreen Plantation or Managed Pine; Managed Tree Plantation
Other habitats in its models (147)

Land cover, or classes with no habitat page in Florida.

  • Developed, Low Intensity Year-round.
  • Developed, Medium Intensity Year-round.
  • Central and Southern Appalachian Northern Hardwood Forest Year-round.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Limestone Forest Year-round.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Loess Plain Oak-Hickory Upland - Hardwood Modifier Year-round.
  • Northeastern Interior Dry Oak Forest-Hardwood Modifier Year-round.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Loess Plain Oak-Hickory Upland - Juniper Modifier Year-round.
  • Northeastern Interior Dry Oak Forest - Mixed Modifier Year-round.
  • Ridge and Valley Calcareous Valley Bottom Glade and Woodland Year-round.
  • Southern and Central Appalachian Oak Forest - Xeric Year-round.
  • Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Year-round.
  • Ozark-Ouachita Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Year-round.
  • Southern Interior Low Plateau Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Year-round.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Dry Upland Hardwood Forest Year-round.
  • Crosstimbers Oak Forest and Woodland Year-round.
  • North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland Year-round.
  • North-Central Interior Dry Oak Forest and Woodland Year-round.
  • Ouachita Montane Oak Forest Year-round.
  • North-Central Interior Beech-Maple Forest Year-round.
  • North-Central Interior Maple-Basswood Forest Year-round.
  • Southern and Central Appalachian Oak Forest Year-round.
  • Allegheny-Cumberland Dry Oak Forest and Woodland - Hardwood Year-round.
  • Central and Southern Appalachian Montane Oak Forest Year-round.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Loess Bluff Forest Year-round.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Southern Loess Bluff Forest Year-round.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Dry and Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Year-round.
  • Central and South Texas Coastal Fringe Forest and Woodland Year-round.
  • West Gulf Coastal Plain Chenier and Upper Texas Coastal Fringe Forest and Woodland Year-round.
  • Mississippi River Alluvial Plain Dry-Mesic Loess Slope Forest Year-round.
  • East-Central Texas Plains Post Oak Savanna and Woodland Year-round.
  • East-Central Texas Plains Riparian Forest Year-round.
  • South Florida Pine Rockland Year-round.
  • Ozark-Ouachita Dry Oak Woodland Year-round.
  • Lower Mississippi River Dune Woodland and Forest Year-round.
  • Edwards Plateau Limestone Savanna and Woodland Year-round.
  • Mississippi Delta Maritime Forest Year-round.
  • Western Great Plains Wooded Draw and Ravine Year-round.
  • Southern Piedmont Mesic Forest Year-round.
  • Southern Crowley's Ridge Mesic Loess Slope Forest Year-round.
  • West Gulf Coastal Plain Mesic Hardwood Forest Year-round.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Mesic Hardwood Forest Year-round.
  • Ozark-Ouachita Mesic Hardwood Forest Year-round.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Central Maritime Forest Year-round.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Northern Maritime Forest Year-round.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Shortleaf Pine-Oak Forest - Hardwood Modifier Year-round.
  • Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest - Hardwood Modifier Year-round.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Black Belt Calcareous Prairie and Woodland - Woodland Modifier Year-round.
  • Northeastern Interior Dry Oak Forest - Virginia/Pitch Pine Modifier Year-round.
  • Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest - Loblolly Pine Modifier Year-round.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Dry Upland Hardwood Forest - Offsite Pine Modifier Year-round.
  • Allegheny-Cumberland Dry Oak Forest and Woodland - Pine Modifier Year-round.
  • Southern Ridge and Valley Dry Calcareous Forest - Pine modifier Year-round.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Shortleaf Pine-Oak Forest - Mixed Modifier Year-round.
  • Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest - Mixed Modifier Year-round.
  • Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-Heath Forest - Mixed Modifier Year-round.
  • Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Dry Hardwood Forest Year-round.
  • Appalachian Shale Barrens Year-round.
  • West Gulf Coastal Plain Upland Longleaf Pine Forest and Woodland Year-round.
  • Southeastern Interior Longleaf Pine Woodland Year-round.
  • Central Interior Highlands Dry Acidic Glade and Barrens Year-round.
  • Ozark-Ouachita Shortleaf Pine-Oak Forest and Woodland Year-round.
  • Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest Year-round.
  • Central Appalachian Oak and Pine Forest Year-round.
  • Appalachian Hemlock-Hardwood Forest Year-round.
  • West Gulf Coastal Plain Pine-Hardwood Forest Year-round.
  • Acadian Low-Elevation Spruce-Fir-Hardwood Forest Year-round.
  • Southern Ridge and Valley Dry Calcareous Forest Year-round.
  • Central Appalachian Pine-Oak Rocky Woodland Year-round.
  • West Gulf Coastal Plain Sandhill Oak and Shortleaf Pine Forest and Woodland Year-round.
  • Northern Crowley's Ridge Sand Forest Year-round.
  • Southern and Central Appalachian Cove Forest Year-round.
  • South-Central Interior Mesophytic Forest Year-round.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Mesic Hardwood and Mixed Forest Year-round.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland - Offsite Hardwood Modifier Year-round.
  • Florida Longleaf Pine Sandhill - Scrub/Shrub Understory Modifier Year-round.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-Line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland - Loblolly Modifier Year-round.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland - Open Understory Modifier Year-round.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland - Scrub/Shrub Understory Modifier Year-round.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland - Loblolly Modifier Year-round.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland - Open Understory Modifier Year-round.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland - Scrub/Shrub Modifier Year-round.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland Year-round.
  • Southern Appalachian Montane Pine Forest and Woodland Year-round.
  • Southern Appalachian Low Mountain Pine Forest Year-round.
  • Northeastern Interior Pine Barrens Year-round.
  • East-Central Texas Plains Pine Forest and Woodland Year-round.
  • Ozark-Ouachita Shortleaf Pine-Bluestem Woodland Year-round.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland - Offsite Hardwood Modifier Year-round.
  • Central and Southern Appalachian Spruce-Fir Forest Year-round.
  • North-Central Interior Oak Savanna Year-round.
  • North-Central Oak Barrens Year-round.
  • Southern Piedmont Glade and Barrens Year-round.
  • Nashville Basin Limestone Glade Year-round.
  • Cumberland Sandstone Glade and Barrens Year-round.
  • Central Appalachian Alkaline Glade and Woodland Year-round.
  • Central Interior Highlands Calcareous Glade and Barrens Year-round.
  • Southern Appalachian Grass and Shrub Bald - Shrub Modifier Year-round.
  • Recently Burned Shrubland Year-round.
  • Introduced Upland Vegetation - Treed Year-round.
  • Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Pine Modifier Year-round.
  • Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Clethra Modifier Year-round.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Peatland Pocosin Year-round.
  • West Gulf Coastal Plain Seepage Swamp and Baygall Year-round.
  • Central Interior and Appalachian Swamp Systems Year-round.
  • Central Interior and Appalachian Shrub-Herbaceous Wetland Systems Year-round.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Northern Tidal Wooded Swamp Year-round.
  • West Gulf Coastal Plain Near-Coast Large River Swamp Year-round.
  • Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Basin Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest Year-round.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Nonriverine Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest - Taxodium/Nyssa Modifier Year-round.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Nonriverine Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest - Oak Dominated Modifier Year-round.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Clay-Based Carolina Bay Forested Wetland Year-round.
  • South Florida Dwarf Cypress Savanna Year-round.
  • Southern and Central Appalachian Bog and Fen Year-round.
  • Lower Mississippi River Bottomland Depressions - Forest Modifier Year-round.
  • Southern Piedmont/Ridge and Valley Upland Depression Swamp Year-round.
  • Mississippi River Bottomland Depression Year-round.
  • Central Appalachian Riparian - Forest Modifier Year-round.
  • South-Central Interior Large Floodplain - Forest Modifier Year-round.
  • Southern Piedmont Large Floodplain Forest - Forest Modifier Year-round.
  • Western Great Plains Floodplain Systems Year-round.
  • Eastern Great Plains Floodplain Systems Year-round.
  • Central Interior and Appalachian Floodplain Systems Year-round.
  • Central Interior and Appalachian Riparian Systems Year-round.
  • Tamaulipan Riparian Systems Year-round.
  • Mississippi River Riparian Forest Year-round.
  • Cumberland Riverscour Year-round.
  • Mississippi River Low Floodplain (Bottomland) Forest Year-round.
  • West Gulf Coastal Plain Small Stream and River Forest Year-round.
  • West Gulf Coastal Plain Large River Floodplain Forest Year-round.
  • Southern Piedmont Small Floodplain and Riparian Forest Year-round.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Small Brownwater River Floodplain Forest Year-round.
  • Red River Large Floodplain Forest Year-round.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Brownwater Stream Floodplain Forest Year-round.
  • South-Central Interior Small Stream and Riparian Year-round.
  • Mississippi River Floodplain and Riparian Forest Year-round.
  • South-Central Interior Large Floodplain Year-round.
  • Ozark-Ouachita Riparian Year-round.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Jackson Plain Dry Flatwoods - Open Understory Modifier Year-round.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Near-Coast Pine Flatwoods - Offsite Hardwood Modifier Year-round.
  • Central Atlantic Coastal Plain Wet Longleaf Pine Savanna and Flatwoods Year-round.
  • West Gulf Coastal Plain Wet Longleaf Pine Savanna and Flatwoods Year-round.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Southern Loblolly-Hardwood Flatwoods Year-round.
  • South-Central Interior / Upper Coastal Plain Wet Flatwoods Year-round.
  • West Gulf Coastal Plain Pine-Hardwood Flatwoods Year-round.
  • North-Central Interior Wet Flatwoods Year-round.
  • Lower Mississippi River Flatwoods Year-round.
  • West Gulf Coastal Plain Nonriverine Wet Hardwood Flatwoods Year-round.

All habitats

Seasons in Florida

  • Year-round: nests here, in all 67 counties.

Also found in this habitat

Plants 947

Plants named in NatureServe descriptions of these habitats that grow in Florida. Shared habitat, not food.

Wildlife 229

Other animals whose habitat models include the same habitats in Florida. Not sighting records.

NatureServe Explorer, CC BY 4.0. USGS Gap Analysis Project habitat models.

Sources