Cyanocitta cristata
Copyright, Brian Small
Blue Jays are one of our
most easily recognized birds. They are bright blue with
black and white markings. They grow to about 12 inches long.
Blue Jays have a crest (pointy feathers on their
head). Blue Jays can be seen in
forests, parks, and yards. Basically, you see them anywhere
there are oak trees, since acorns
are their favorite food. Blue Jays
migrate
for the Winter, but we see them year-round in Virginia. Even
though our Summer Blue Jays fly south, new ones from the
North come in. The opposite is true in the
Spring. Copyright, Dan
DesJardin Washtenaw Audubon
Society Blue Jays build a nest in
a tree out of sticks, grass, lichens,
moss,
rootlets,
and paper. They seem to prefer nesting in pine trees.
Females lay four to six greenish eggs with brown
spots. The male Blue Jay feeds
the female while she sits on the eggs. When young Blue Jays
hatch, both parents feed them. Blue Jays
fledge
(leave the nest) after about three weeks. Nearctica.com
Copyright, R. W. Scott, Birds in Flight
Nearctica.com Blue Jays are
omnivorous,
which means they eat plants and animals. Their favorite food
is acorns from oak trees, but some other things they eat are
fruit, nuts, seeds, insects, mice, frogs, small birds, eggs,
beechnuts, and caterpillars. To eat a nut, a Blue Jay
holds it with its feet while it cracks it open with its
bill. Blue Jays do not like to
share. They will chase other birds away from food sources,
and they will carry food off and hide it. Many times they do
not find their food again later, and this helps new plants
grow from the nuts and seeds they lost.
Copyright, Dan Sudia