Blue Jay Habits

Description

The wing and tail feathers are bright blue with white and black bands. Look for this birds narrow necklace of black feathers across the throat and around the head.

The upper parts are bluish gray and brightest on the rump.

The lower breast, belly, and vent area are off-white. The bill, legs, feet, and eyes, are black. These birds have the ability to raise and lower their crest.

Feeding Habits/What They Eat

Peanut Feeder

Their winter diet consist mostly of vegetable matter, acorns, beechnuts, seeds and berries. Othertimes they will feed on larger insects, grasshoppers, caterpillars, mice, bird eggs, and baby birds. Although known to rob nest of eggs and baby birds, only a very small percentage of their diet comes from these sources.

Typically, these birds are vegetarians and can be attracted to bird feeders with black oil sunflower seed or peanuts.

Peanut Feeders

When feeding birds I like to offer food types that are preferred by each individual species. They seem to prefer peanuts and are more likely to eat them than fighting for a single seed from the sunflower feeders. I place peanuts (with shell) on a platform feeder to keep these birds happy and makes it easier for the smaller birds to feed from their feeders at the same time.

Watch them to see as they hold the nuts with their feet and then crack the shell with their bill.

Often they'll cache their food. I was watching one day as the bird came for one peanut after another from the feeder in the backyard just to hide them in my front lawn. I have to admit I stopped feeding peanuts for a few days and started placing fewer in the feeder when I started feeding again. I didn't want five pounds of peanuts in my lawn.

Courtship-Mating

When the female flies off, the males will follow and land near her. Bobbing their heads up and down and displaying for her.

The female will eventually select a mate from this group and the nesting cycle will follow.

Nesting Habits

You can try attracting these birds to nest in your backyard by placing a nesting shelf in a tree, or on the side of a garage or shed overlooking both open spaces and foliage.

Place the nesting shelf 10 to 12 feet above ground. Choose a location that provides protection from predators, elements, access, visibility, and varying sunlight.

The female lays 3 to 7 greenish buff, blue, or yellow eggs with brown or grey spots. Incubation last 17 to 18 days and is done primarily by the female although the male sometimes helps. The young will leave the nest in about 17 to 21 days after hatching. Both parents share in feeding the young birds.

1 - 2 broods raised each season.

After the nesting season in late summer and early fall these birds will travel in small flocks and family groups.

Although only partially migratory (mainly a permanent resident) sometimes flocks numbering over 100 can be spotted moving south.

Interesting Behaviors

The best thing is to try and stay out of the area for a few days if possible. Otherwise just limit the time you spend near their nest site or their young.

You also may be standing near their newly fledge young so be aware of your surroundings and act accordingly. They are just protecting their young and their food territories. Don't make a big deal about this as you may never even see this behavior.

Another interesting thing these birds can do is imitate the sound of a Red-shouldered hawk. They'll do this to scare other songbirds from feeders just as they come flying in to feed.

Mainly found east of the Rocky Mountains, these birds have been declining in numbers, due in part from the reductions in forest and woodlands. Specifically oak trees, which provide the acorns Blue Jays prefer to eat. So do what you can to help this bird thrive by providing food and water all year long. It's a little thing but it can make a big difference.

This video shows the bird eating seeds of a Bradford Pear tree.

Back to top Blue Jay

Back to List of Birds