These past few days, a cheerful chatter has been floating through the trees in Plaza Danta and along the edge of Playa Danta, and it doesn’t just come from all the people visiting Town.
It comes from a bird that’s hard to miss: the white-throated magpie-jay, or Urraca Hermosa Cariblanca in Spanish, though most people simply call it Urraca.
With their tall feathered crests and long flowing tails, magpie-jays look almost like little characters from a storybook. They’re quite large for a bird, and their shade of blue is unlike any other. It feels royal and elegant.
They move in curious and noisy groups, hopping between branches and flying low over the paths as they search for something to eat. Magpie-jays are omnivores, meaning they eat a bit of everything: fruits, insects, seeds, and sometimes even small reptiles or eggs. This wide-ranging diet helps explain their restless energy as they explore the canopy of the Almendro trees and the edges of Plaza Danta, sometimes even perching on the Santarena chairs and over the trees' lamps, calling out to one another as they forage.
Their presence is especially noticeable now as August falls within their post-breeding season. During this time, family groups stay close together and young birds begin to explore more freely. That may be why they seem particularly active and vocal these days, chatting, fluttering, and filling the canopy with their playful voices.
Magpie-jays are clever and social, but also beautiful and full of personality. Their calls can be surprisingly varied. Some even sound like laughter, the kind that might make you laugh a little too if you catch them at the right moment.
So next time you're walking near Playa Danta or through Town, listen closely. You just might find yourself smiling back.