Captive Blue Jays sometimes learn to imitate human speech and meowing cats. It was an interesting experience. Eggs are laid and incubated for 2 to 3 weeks and fledge for 17 to 21 days. The first time it happened, I was actually trying to throw it to a squirrel, so it caught me off guard! Blue jays are large for songbirds, typically measuring between 9 and 12 inches long, and weighing between 2.5 and 3.5 ounces. Blue jays have been tarred with a dirty brush for many years, accused of robbing other nests, of murdering and eating baby birds, of hogging the feeder and of stealing shiny things from your yard. Some blue jays are permanent residents of their range, but others will form into flocks ranging between 5 and 250 in order to migrate southwards. The most often heard is a loud jeer, Also makes clear whistled notes and gurgling sounds. Adult Blue Jays are preyed on by owls, cats, and hawks, but baby Blue Jays are preyed on by snakes, raccoons, opossums, crows, and squirrels. You must be a true bird lover, and a kindred spirit ;). What interesting birds. I can always tell when that one is coming close. They also have their own form of insect control. do not have true crops. Alternatively, you can put some seed on the ground in order to attract them. I didn't know the birds could mimic other ones so well! Its also called the Indian roller and though beautiful, it is different from the blue jay you have pictured. Red Dead Redemption 2 Small bird farming spot Cardinals, woodpeckers, sparrows, songbirds, bluejays. Thanks again for all the neat info. It was fun and fascinating to watch. Your supportive comments and votes are so very much appreciated. At first I was stumped. Some people have theorized that blue jays may migrate if their winter food sources become scarce, or if weather conditions are harsh. They have fooled me more than once with their clever impersonations. Thanks for writing and share with us. Blue Jays can imitate the sounds in their environments, and one thing they mimic is hawk calls. Jays are corvids – members of the crow family. The blue jays eggs are 1.8 – 2.2 cm (0.7 – 0.9 inches) wide. Hmm. What we do know about their vocalizations, however, is very interesting. It is a very unique sound. However, Blue Jays don't shy away from using this ability to their advantage. I love my blue jays, and they are indeed beautiful birds. Their distinctive blue crest will give a hint as to what they are feeling. or to scare away predators or people that approach their nests. On the other hand, Blue Jays do indeed cause problems for eggs and nestlings of other birds. So I'm quite sure they were females. You can attract Blue Jays with eggshells. Peggy Woods from Houston, Texas on March 06, 2013: We have the pleasure of seeing Blue Jays bathing in our birdbath in our backyard on a daily basis year round here in Houston. Shop for Wild Bird gifts in our wildlife store. In addition to raptors, blue jays may attack other animals, including humans, which come too close to their nests. Just this morning as I was adding bird seed and a mixture of fruit and nuts to one of the feeders, a blue jay landed within inches of me! Blue jays most often have a monogamous breeding partner for life. Blue Jays are clever birds! Here in North Texas I've discovered that one of our blue jays imitates the calls of crows and grackles. During the latter part of the winter, you may be lucky enough to hear their song, which comprises squeaky, clucking sounds. We also have the cardinals, doves and many other birds. Most people don't realize that it is a myth about human scent, bird nests and baby birds. There were several at the feeder off and on the other day as I watched them gobbling down the pieces of stale crackers I had provided. Make sure there is a source of water nearby for the birds to drink and bathe in. Blue jays are occasionally known to attack other birds that are smaller in size. Your comments and vote are so very much appreciated. calls but also other familiar oddball noises that resemble gurgles, rattles, and squeaky gates. Blue jays normally fly at speeds of 20-25 miles per hour. This makes them both very interesting and hard to capture and study (Kroodsma, 2005). I figure it's all part of the natural order of things. The blue jay's coloration is due to the inner structure of its feathers, which refracts light. The jay is also known to imitate hawk calls. He would pick one up and then put it down and then move to the next. They mimic hawks to scare away other birds. I loved your article and the photos were supurb. When the crest is erected, making a prominent peak, the bird is excited, surprised, or aggressive. Both birds are larger and more agrressive than the jays. Their loudness led the parents back and they fed and cared for them till they flew away. The oldest known blue jay lived to be 17 and a half years old. Thank you so much. I have a few around the house here from time to time. Presumably they are using the insects to catch and remove lice and other irritating parasites. Many a birder has been fooled into thinking a hawk was around, and discovers a blue jay instead. Its similarly hued cousin on the West Coast, the California Scrub-Jay, is also common and only slightly less abrasive. With their pinkish plumage, and characteristic flash of blue, they will be familiar to many people as woodland birds that are increasingly seen in gardens, even in cities. Blue jays are highly beneficial to other flora and fauna in their ecosystem: their characteristic 'jay' call warns other birds of predators, and their fondness of acorns is credited with spreading oak forests across North America. All three flew off together to another spot in the woods to repeat the same dance. This gives them the freedom to dine at their leisure with little to no competition. The first theory is the mimicry serves as a warning to other jays about any lurking hawks. Male and female blue jays are nearly identical. Sheila Brown from Southern Oklahoma on March 07, 2013: I too, love to watch the beautiful blue jays. I was reminded of how talented this bird is just the other day. Sometimes I can distinguish the males from the females, but not always. jay! It has been found that younger blue jays are more likely to migrate than adults, however it could be that the jays most likely to survive to older age are those that don't migrate as frequently. While talking with my coworker about Blue Jays, I became curious about these fascinating birds. I made a nest in an empty plant container and hung it in the tree. I suspected they could, as I'm pretty sure I heard back from 1 of the 3 in my new area,. When blue jays have lots of natural food available, they go for that before they head for the feeders. Thanks so much for sharing. One particular area was my favorite. However, they are prone to hawks and eagles, especially when … torrilynn, so glad you stopped by! I know that jays are long-lived, and my phone dialer is the proof! If you’re concerned that the scrub-jays have driven off the other birds, there are things you can do. When flying alone, blue jays are subject to predation by hawks, eagles, and other raptors, however when in groups they will 'mob' much larger birds in order to fight them off. There are four subspecies of blue jays; the coastal blue jays, the northern blue jays, the interior blue jays, and the Florida blue jay which is the smallest subspecies. How prevalent is this? Look for this birds narrow necklace of black feathers across thethroat and around the head. Maybe more over in the mountains there are some. Once the wings and muscles are developed, the birds stay together until the winter when the young leave to avoid competing for food. This gives them the freedom to dine at their leisure with little to no competition. Will share this nice hub with my followers. I heard back sounds I had made to them last week or more. Adult Blue Jays are k… I occasionally add peanuts as a treat for them. Aren't they just the most beautiful shades of blue?! Their calls include loud, strident “do-it” or “jaaaay” sounds as well as warbling chirps. Blue Jays have an impressive vocal repertoire that includes not only many sounds beyond their raucous jay! These mountains are full. Blue Jays can be very aggressive to other birds; they sometimes raid nests, and they have decapitated other birds. They have an easy time foraging for food where we live. On the other hand, if they are in an aggressive mood, the crest will be pointed forward. Thank you for sharing. Blue jays are especially fond of acorns, peanuts, corn, and black oil sunflower seeds. Blue jay eggs may be predated by squirrel, cats, crows, snakes, raccoons, possums, hawks, and various raptors and mammals. The other morning I followed the sound of what I thought to be a baby hawk, possibly in distress. Even though they are a bit aggressive at the feeders, I love their beautiful colors and their mimicry. I have photographed the blue Jay in my place too in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India. I often make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for them with the 2 end crusts of bread. I hope the recent storms have moved away from your area, and that you enjoy a wonderful upcoming weekend ;) Pearl. I'm gad I did! Did you know that blue jays often comb their feathers with ants? Blue jays love bread, crackers, any day-old bakery items! I have one that visits now and then that is almost an aqua color. They also have their own form of insect control. Blue jays typically fly at speeds of 20-25 miles per hour. I enjoyed it. The Blue Jay is known as a loud and aggressive bird. calls, Blue Jays make a variety of musical sounds, and they can do a remarkable imitation of the scream of a Red-shouldered Hawk. I am glad they find our yards appealing and useful. Why he does that is a mystery. Apostle Jack from Atlanta Ga on January 06, 2012: Your story bring to my thoughts about the blue jay that comes to a place in my yard where I feed the birds and squirrels and such,and they are a wonderful sight.They eat a little and then get a mouthful and take off in the woods.They return again and again,as do the red bird and the sparrow.The baby birds are a greater amazement to me because of their small intellect. That's a wonderful study. It is so nice to see their beautiful blue coloring against the white snow. Placing a feeder near shrubbery where birds can seek cover, or a tree where they can sit while they eat, will make the birds feel safer and more comfortable using your feeder. — L. Mann, Dexter, Michigan. But now that it is cold and snowy, they are at the feeders daily. They are also fond of other birds’ eggs, so it is a good idea to provide protection in the way of bird houses and nesting boxes. I can only imagine how long it took that female to finally decide which male blue jay was to be her mate. They also can be found in parks and suburban residential areas, and are frequent guests of backyard bird feeders. I have to find him again and study him. Guess this one was extra hungry! So nice to see you Eddy as always! My blue jays were decidedly absent most of the milder part of the winter this year. Much of blue jay migratory behavior remains a mystery - some blue jays may migrate one year, then stay in their home range the next, then migrate another year. I learned something from you--I had no idea that blue jays would catch food in midair! I didn't know about the Indian blue jay. This is for a simple reason, since acorns are not present all year-round, blue jays have to store them for later feeding. I remember when I first a Blue Jay hopping from peanut to peanut on the deck rail. Try watching from a window instead of sitting next to the feeder. I have seen you on Bill's site (billybuc), as well as Joe's, so I decided to see some of your bird posts. There will be as few as three or as many as seven olive-green eggs covered with brown spots. It builds an open cup nest in the branches of a tree; both sexes participate. They will also occasionally use these calls to scare other birds away from food sources that the blue jays have come … Connie Smith (author) from Southern Tier New York State on March 07, 2013: So glad to see you sg! I saw many blue jays when I lived in PA, however I have not seen any here where I live in NC. Blue Jays frequently mimic hawks, especially Red-shouldered Hawks. Blue jays also imitate the two-syllable scream of the red-tailed hawk. Blue Jays can imitate calls of their predators, especially hawks, and may use these calls to test whether or not these predators are in the area. The blue jays often live in small flocks and aggressively protect their nesting site. Their wings and tail have black, sky-blue, and white bars. The pair gently floated downwards in a spiral of unfurled wings, landing on the ground and then retreating to separate branches. Last year's batch of blue jays yielded a bird that I call my 'whistling jay'. I am so glad you stopped by and commented. Blue jays prefer to nest in evergreen trees and shrubs 10 to 35 feet off the ground. Blue Jays really are clever birds aren't they. Voted up and awesome. Make sure to clean bird feeders often to avoid spreading disease or having the food become unappealing due to mold and clumping. I am touched that these are some of your favorites--we share a love of nature and birds and all things of this Earth and Beyond. They use alternate routes and decoy locations so that no predator can easily follow them to the nesting site. Voted up! I'm pleased you enjoyed this and learned some new things about these beautiful birds. However, much to my surprise it was not a red-shouldered hawk that flew out of the tree, but a blue jay uttering the same shrill but nasal ‘keyeer, keeyeer’! Additionally they like to eat corn, grains, berries, seeds, insects, and peanuts. For at least 15 years now, every Spring there is a very special blue jay that comes to my feeder. Blue jay nests incorporate bits of thread, and all kinds of found objects. Compare the Blue Jay's many calls below. Blue jays typically form monogamous pairs and stay together for life. Acorns disappear typically in late summer. Here it is often thought of as a 'bully bird' partly because of its size. 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