The white-throated magpie-jay (Calocitta formosa), a large blue, black and white bird that sports jaunty black plume, is a large Central American species of magpie-jay. It ranges in Pacific-slope thorn forest from Jalisco, Mexico to Costa Rica. Unusually among birds, the female offspring stay in the group and help their parents raise future broods, while male offspring disperse. So groups generally consist of a dominant female, her lone social mate, and a number of retained female offspring who feed the dominant female, nestlings, and fledglings. However, dispersing males (floaters) have enter territories and accompany groups while foraging. Floaters may visit multiple groups in a day, and group males show little aggression to them unless the dominant female is fertile.
