In this quick tutorial you'll learn how to draw a Jay in 9 easy steps - great for kids and novice artists.
The images above represent how your finished drawing is going to look and the steps involved.
Below are the individual steps - you can click on each one for a High Resolution printable PDF version.
At the bottom you can read some interesting facts about the Jay.
Make sure you also check out any of the hundreds of drawing tutorials grouped by category.
How to Draw a Jay - Step-by-Step Tutorial
Step 1: Let's draw a Jay bird! A very common bird found in the U.S. Start with a curved line along the top with bumps along it for feathers. Next, add a few pointed lines for the beak.
Step 2: For the eye, draw a circle with another dot inside for the pupil. Now add, a few wavy lines around inside the face for the pattern.
Step 3: For the body, draw a round curve along the bottom for the chest and belly. Next, add a line with an indent for the back of the body.
Step 4: Now, add the wing. Draw a round shape that is pointed at the left end.
Step 5: For the lower wing, draw a few straight lines down at an angle ending at some points for the feather tips.
Step 6: Add a few small curved lines inside the wing pattern to add detail.
Step 7: For the tail, add some straight lines out from the back and end them at some rounded points.
Step 8: Next, add the first leg, draw two lines coming down at an angle with a few toes that curl around into points.
Step 9: Draw the other leg to match the first one. You can color your Jay brown with blue along the wing tips.
Interesting Facts about the JAY
The Jay is a member of the bird family and the scientific term for them is Garrulus glandarius. The name comes from the animal’s tendency to be vocally loud. There are many different types of this medium-sized bird, and most are colorful and noisy. “Jay” is slang for a person who chatters like a fool. They therefore seem to have a foolish nature, and so a person crossing the street carelessly in an unofficial location, is said to be “jaywalking.”
Did you know?
- The animal was first documented in 1758.
- This species has babies that stay in the nest for up to 23 days.
- They can reach up to more than 1 foot in length.
- The bird has up to 6 eggs.
- They have babies that can hatch after 16 days.
Another common name for this species is the Magpie. It’s native to Europe and Asia. They’re passerine types like most birds are, having three toes facing forward and one backward. These animals are also in the crow family. Both parents help to care for the babies. There are not many of these creatures, but they are the least concern for a possibility of extinction.
How to Draw a Jay – Step-By-Step Tutorial