Purplish-backed jay

The purplish-backed jay (Cyanocorax beecheii) is a bird of the crow family Corvidae, with purple feathers on its back, wings, and tail and black feathers elsewhere. It is endemic to northwestern Mexico, where its habitat is mainly dry deciduous forest. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed it as being a "species of least concern".

The purplish-backed jay is a purple and black bird with a powerful bill and a long tail. It varies in length between 35 and 41 cm (14 and 16 in), with males usually larger than females. The head, neck, upper mantle, and underparts are black, and there is a small ruffled erectile crest on the forehead. The underside of the wings and the tail are also blackish, while the remainder of the plumage is purplish-blue, being brightest on the lower part of the mantle and the rump. The bill is black, and the irises and legs are yellow.