0 the florida scrub-jay (aphelocoma coerulescens[a]) is one of the species of scrub-jay native to north america .
1  it is the only species of bird endemic to the u .
2 s .
3  state of florida .
4  because of this , it is heavily sought by birders who travel from across the country to observe this unique species .
5  it is known to have been present in florida as a recognizably distinct species since at least 2 mya (emslie , 1996 ); possibly it is derived from the ancestors of woodhouse's scrub-jay , the inland forms of the western scrub-jay (rice et al .
6  2003 ) .
7 it measures 23 to 28 cm (9.1 to 11.0 in) in length , and weighs from 66 to 92 g (2.3 to 3.2 oz), with an average 80.2 g (2.83 oz) .
8  the wingspan of the jay is 3336 cm (1314 in) .
9 [6][7] it has a strong black bill , blue head and nape without a crest , a whitish forehead and supercilium , blue bib , blue wings , grayish underparts , gray back , long blue tail , black legs and feet .
10 the florida scrub-jay is found only in florida scrub habitat , an ecosystem that exists only in central florida and is characterized by nutrient-poor soil , occasional drought and frequent wildfires .
11  because of its somewhat harsh weather pattern , this habitat is host to a small assortment of very specific plants , including sand pine , sand live oak , myrtle oak , chapman's oak , sandhill oak , florida rosemary and various other hardy plants such as eastern prickly pear .
12 florida scrub-jays are omnivorous , and eat a wide variety of acorns , seeds , peanuts , insects , tree frogs , turtles , snakes , lizards , and young mice .
13  florida scrub-jays have also been occasionally observed for hurting other birds of their eggs or nestlings , but this occurs rarely .
14 [10] they routinely cache thousands of acorns a year , burying them just beneath the surface of the the acorns are typically buried in the fall and consumed during the winter and spring .
15  those acorns not found germinate , making the florida scrub-jay a premier disperser for a variety of oak trees .
16 scrub-jays will also steal silverware and other shiny objects in a manner similar to the american crow .
17 florida scrub-jays are one of the few cooperative breeding birds in north america .
18  fledgling florida scrub-jays remain in their parents' habitat for several years and help to rear young , watch for predators , and defend territory against neighboring florida scrub-jay family groups .
19  these families can range in size from 2 to 8.after about 2 to 3 years , fledglings leave the group to form mating pairs of their own .
20  mating season ranges from march to june .
21  clutches usually contain about 3 to 4 eggs which are incubated in about 18 days .
22  fledging occurs in about 16 to 19 days .
23  fledglings can be distinguished from the adult birds due to the coloration of the feathers on their head , which are brown instead of blue , the brown feathers on the juvenile's head are slowly replaced by blue feathers as the bird matures into adulthood .
24 scrub habitat has dwindled considerably in the past several decades as florida has continued to develop .
25  wildfire suppression also leads to the natural succession of large oaks and trees which changes the habitat .
26  in recent years , environmental groups within the state have made a strong effort at preserving florida's remaining scrub through controlled burns and even clearing out areas of large trees to increase the size of a scrub habitat .
27  oscar scherer state park near sarasota has one of the larger habitats under state management .
28 the florida scrub-jay was officially listed as a threatened state species by florida fish and wildlife conservation commission in 1975 and it was listed as a threatened federal species by the united states fish and wildlife service in 1987.in 1993, there were estimated to be 4000 breeding pairs left in the wild .
29  despite the protections , the scrub-jay is still thought to be on the decline .
30  studies done in brevard county , once the most numerous florida county for scrub-jays , noted declines of about 33% since the 1993 census alone .
31 another attempt to conserve the bird is an ongoing campaign to name the florida scrub-jay the new state bird of florida .
32  the main argument for changing the state bird is that the current state bird (viz .
33  the northern mockingbird) is the state bird of several other states , while the scrub-jay is exclusive to florida .
34 in recent years there has been some debate about whether or not the florida scrub-jay should be officially listed as an endangered species because of the loss of homes .
35  however , environmentalists hope that current conservation efforts should help the species population to at least stabilize .
36 on the other hand , the iucn classifies this species as vulnerable to extinction vu b1ab(i ,ii ,iii ,iv ,v); c1+2a(i) (birdlife international 2004) .
37  this signifies that in 2004, the population was declining and no more than 10 subpopulations were known .
38  both the number of adult birds as well as amount and quality of habitat were in decline , and local subpopulations were in danger of disappearing altogether .
39  about 8000 mature birds were believed to exist  with no more than 1000 in any one subpopulation  and population numbers had dropped by about 10% over the last decade or so .
40 a long-term and ongoing study of the florida scrub-jay has been taking place at the archbold biological station at lake placid .
41 the florida scrub-jay was featured in episode 11, season 3 of the showtime television series penn & teller: bullshit! .
