General Description: Black-throated Magpie Jays (Calocitta colliei) are large, magnificent birds with extremely long tail feathers. They are blue on the back, white under, and have a large black crest and black throat.

Taxonomy: Passeriformes, Corvidae. Formerly Calocitta formosa.

Favored Habitat: Arid lowlands, open woods.

Where to Find: Around Las Vegas, we used to look for a Magpie Jay named Elvis out at Red Rocks in the town of Blue Diamond, just down the road from Wheeler Camp Spring. This bird lived in Blue Diamond for several years, and it sometimes flew up to the Spring Mountain Ranch State Park. Magpie Jays are native to Mexico and points south. This black-throated form is native to northwestern Mexico.

Comments: I first photographed this bird in January 2008 when it already had been a Blue Diamond resident for few years. The most recent sighting I know of was in May 2014 at Spring Mountain Ranch State Park.

Blue Diamond residents refer to this splendid bird as "Elvis." Unfortunately, Elvis has left the building.