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Glite Dictionary
Canada jay

Canada jay

6.1
A bold grey-and-white bird with a black cap and no crest that lives in northern forests and steals food
  • noun
  • /ˈkænədə dʒeɪ/
  • US
translation icon : arrendajo canadiense
  • The Canada jay is often seen stealing food from hikers in the northern forests.

Examples

  • A fellow I know had seen a Canada jay in the woods around this little inn he'd stayed at over Christmas in one of the villages, or near one of the villages, north of Brattleboro.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • "I wanted to get out early and see what birds were around, see if the Canada jay was there."

    Fiction book (1993)

  • No Canada jay, but I thought I might have heard one.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • "'I'm looking for a Canada jay,' I said.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • I spotted a Canada jay while hiking in the mountains, and it boldly approached my picnic.

  • During my birdwatching trip, I was thrilled to catch a glimpse of a Canada jay soaring above the treetops.

Synonyms

camp robber
vsCanada jay
  • US
8.8

A bold gray bird that steals food from camps and picnics

is the standard common name rather than a slang or local camping name
gray jay
vsCanada jay
  • US
7.2

A bird from northern forests with a black head that boldly takes food from people

is the same bird but noted here as the particular common English term
Perisoreus canadensis
vsCanada jay
  • Specialized
9.9

A small gray bird found in northern forests that takes food from campsites

is the everyday English name rather than the formal scientific label
whisker jack
vsCanada jay
  • US
9.9

A bold jay from northern North America with a black cap that steals food

is the widely accepted common name rather than a less common variant
Rocky Mountain jay
vsCanada jay
  • US
7.7

A small gray bird with a white head that lives in Rocky Mountain forests

is the broader species concept not limited to the white-headed regional form
Perisoreus canadensis capitalis
vsCanada jay
  • Specialized
9.9

A small jay with a white head that lives in Rocky Mountain forests

is the full species as a whole rather than this specific subspecies

Surface Forms

Canada jay singular
Canada jays plural

Morphology

Canada + jay

This is a straightforward place-name + animal compound: a learner who knows 'Canada' (the country) and 'jay' (a type of bird) can infer it refers to the jay species associated with Canada. Such taxonomic naming patterns are compositional and common cross-linguistically, so the meaning is immediately derivable from the constituents.

Etymology

Canada jay gets its name because the bird is common across Canada and lives in northern forests. Its bold habit of walking into camps and taking food made people call it a 'camp robber', so the name helps you remember a fearless bird that will steal snacks.