Species Spotlight: Blue Jay
Looks Like: Blue Jays provide a flash of bright color in forest-edge habitats. They have a large crest and rounded tail and are smaller than crows but larger than robins. Their color pattern is light gray underneath with blue, white and black above.
Lives In: Blue Jays live in forest edges and can be found across the eastern and central United States and into Canada.
Niche: They thrive on acorns, as well as other foods including seeds, nuts and sometimes insects, and sometimes store food for later in caches or in throat pouches. Because of their fondness for acorns, Blue Jays are credited for helping to propagate oak trees.
Threats: Their migratory patterns may be affected by climate change.
Frequency: These larger woodland birds can be seen all year round, especially at feeders all winter, often aggressively preventing other birds from eating.
Reproduction: The nesting period for Blue Jays is from 17–21 days. They build their nests in the crotch or thick outer branches of trees, usually 10–25 feet above the ground. They will build their nests out of twigs, grass, and sometimes mud. Each clutch will contain 2–7 bluish or light- brown eggs with brown spots.
Fun Fact: Blue Jays use their crests for communication, in addition to a large aural vocabulary. Their loud, carrying, calls include the characteristic piercing “Jay, jay,” or “Thief, thief!” They can also mimics the calls of hawks. These calls may provide information to other jays that a hawk is around, or may be used to deceive other species into believing a hawk is present.
