J is for Jay … Blue Jay
that is!
The blue jay
is a passerine blue in the family Corvidae, native to North America. It is
resident through most of the eastern and central United States, although western
populations may be migratory.
A song bird
familiar to many people, with its perky blue, white and black plumage; and
noisy calls. Blue Jays are known for their intelligence and complex social
systems with tight family bonds. Their fondness for acorns is credited with
helping spread oak trees after the last glacial period.
Blue Jays
make a large variety of calls that carry long distances Most calls produced
while the jay s perched within a tree. Usually flies across open areas
silently, especially during migration. Stuffs food items in throat pouch to
cache elsewhere; when eating, holds seed or nut in feet and pecks it open.
Blue jays are
birds of forest edges. They are often found near oaks in forests, woodlots,
towns, cities, and parks
A bold and
curious bird, the Florida Scrub-Jay can become hand-tame in areas where it
comes in contact with people. Unfortunately, it is restricted to the rare oak
scrub community of Florida, a habitat under constant threat of development and
us classified as Threatened under the Endangered Species Act.
The Western
Scrub Jay combines deep azure blue with dusty gray-brown and white. The rounded,
crestless head immediately sets it apart from Blue Jays and Steller Jays. These
birds are a fixture of dry shrublands, oak woodlands, and pinyon pine-juniper
forests, as well as conspicuous visitors to backyards.
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