Scientific Name:               Cyanocitta cristata
Common Name(s):         Blue Jay, Jay Birds

©Jim Ridley

Identification:

Blue jays are in the order Passeriformes, also called the perching birds, because their toe arrangement allows them to perch easily. Their toes are arranged with three toes pointed forward, and one pointed backward. Blue jays are in the family Corvidae, which is commonly known as the crow family and includes crows, ravens, and jays. Blue jays have four recognized subspecies based on genetics.

Blue jays are vibrant large songbirds with coloration that is mostly blue and sometimes grey. Blue jays’ chest plumage is white toward the tail and mostly grey toward the head. Their neck has a black U-shaped collar that extends behind their eyes. Blue jays have a crest of feathers that adorn their heads in a mohawk that is blue and black. The wingtips and tail feathers have lines of alternate blue and black and tipped with white. Males and females are similar in size and plumage.
Range:

Blue jays are native to the eastern half of North America. Blue jay migration patterns are a mystery and seem inconsistent to researchers. They sometimes migrate but may also overwinter in their summer habitat. Younger jays are more likely to migrate than adults. Some adults migrate consistently, while others may alternate migrating and overwintering.

Ecology:

Blue jays are very vocal and live in groups, like other members of the crow family. Their vocal nature is the origin of their name “Jay” or “Jaybird.” Interestingly, blue jays can imitate the scream of a red-shouldered hawk. Birds in the family Corvid are intelligent and adept at using tools. Blue jays in captivity have been observed using strips of newspaper to rake in food pellets from outside their cages.

Blue jays are omnivorous and forage in trees, shrubs, and on the ground. They are also known to rob food or eggs from the nests of other birds. Blue jays are primarily herbivorous, consuming acorns, beechnuts, seeds, grains, berries, and small fruits.  In fact, they are thought to have spread oak trees after the last glacial period because of their fondness for this food source. They are known to dig holes in the ground and store acorns. However, they also eat insects such as caterpillars, beetles, grasshoppers, snails, and spiders when available.

Special Notes:

Here in Bella Vista, you will see Blue Jays at backyard feeders. Blue Jays prefer tray and hopper feeders on a post and enjoy peanuts, sunflowers, and suet. They are also frequent visitors to bird baths. They especially like oak trees, as acorns are their most common food source. Blue Jays are social birds, so you will sometimes hear and see large groups in your oak trees, especially in the spring.