Twelve Jay Watch-monitored sites have had long-term stable or increasing populations. Kudos to the land stewards of these sites whose diligent habitat management has resulted in these positive trends over the years! 

Highlands Hammock State Park
Lake June-in-Winter Scrub Preserve
Rock Springs Run
Edward W. Chance Reserve at Gilley Creek
Moody Branch
Cross Florida Greenways Triangle
Jonathan Dickinson State Park
Savannahs Preserve State Park
Allen David Broussard Catfish Creek Preserve State Park
Saddle Blanket Scrub Preserve
Blue Spring State Park
Lyonia Preserve

Consistent management of scrub habitat has resulted in the success of these populations over the long term.

Many of our Jay Watch sites are small, isolated populations in fragmented habitat patches; 13 Jay Watch sites have three or fewer family groups. Unless these small sites are close enough to larger sites for the birds to move between them, they are likely to continue to decline and eventually disappear. Scrub-jays have disappeared from seven Jay Watch sites that used to have small populations, while 10 other Jay Watch sites have had population declines.

Article first appeared in the 2024 Jay Watch season summary.