Blue jay, this beautiful bird is native to North America, and it can also be found through the eastern and central parts of the United States, and some of these birds are known to be migratory, and
the blue jay is a forest inhabitant and adaptable to high temperatures, in addition to being An intelligent bird by nature, it is known to be able to mimic the sounds of a hawk, and is particularly famous for its jay-jay call.
Description and behavior of the blue jay
As the name suggests, this bird is blue in color, however, the color comes from a brown pigment present in its plumage.
The height of the blue jay is about 9 to 12 inches, and the weight is about 2.5-3.5 ounces.
The top of the bird's head is blue while the fur changes color to gray.
Or white towards the bird's throat, and this gray or white coat continues until its chest and then to its stomach.
The blue jay has a crest on top of its head in blue-gray, and the bird has black and white hair on its tail and wings, which makes it uniquely distinctive.
A black stripe that looks like a knot runs across its throat.
Lower.
Behaviorally, the blue jay is known as an aggressive creature and it is a territorial bird.
These birds are not shy about attacking any potential intruders or predators they feel threatened by.
Although the blue jay is aggressive, it is social and usually exists in groups.
This bird is also known to be very noisy and often makes different sounds in order to communicate.
It is particularly famous for its jay-jay call which also gives it its name as the blue jay. Some of the other sounds this bird makes include chirping, chattering and whistles.
Where does the blue jay live
The blue jay is most commonly found in the eastern and central parts of North America, however, it is also known to extend its range to the northwest, as it prefers coniferous forests and can also
be found in southern Canada along with parts of the United States.
Usually, it is found The blue jay is found in low forest areas.
This bird loves to live in beech and oak trees.
It can be found regularly in city parks and can be easily recognized because it is one of the most colorful and loudest birds.
It is also very common to spot birds in dense residential areas.
Blue jay diet
The blue jay is a largely plant-eating animal, and usually feeds on nuts, acorns, and seeds.
However, its diet also includes beetles, grasshoppers, and caterpillars.
Besides, these birds are also known to eat eggs and chicks, and this makes them omnivorous as well. .
The most important threats to the blue jay bird
Like any other animal or bird, these birds are an important part of the ecosystem, so that many predators within the bird family pose a threat to
the existence of the blue jay, some of which include hawks, falcons, and owls, and crows, cats, squirrels, raccoons, and other birds feed on small blue jays Other dangers that threaten the blue jay include man-made structures that these birds can collide with.
At the same time, some viral and bacterial diseases can also be the cause of the death of these birds. However, the International Union for Conservation of Nature placed these birds in the category of least. worried.
Blue jay mating
It is known that blue jays are mating birds that mate for life until they die and show ideal partnership skills in raising their young children.
Female blue jays usually choose male partners to mate with. The process begins around late winter, and after giving birth to a baby blue jay, the The pair builds several partially completed nests for
the unborn offspring, and after building a few nests, the pair usually settles in one place, and the nests are finally equipped with the help of moss, twigs, foliage, leaves, and bark.
The female blue jay lays three to five eggs, after which she sits on them to incubate them for a little over two weeks. After the eggs hatch and the new young are welcomed into the world, they remain in the nest for two months.
After that, the parents and the young go to stay with the rest of the family for a while, and during this time, the male and female together bear. Usually, the blue jay lives for an average of seven years, however, it has been known to live for about 17 to 26 years in captivity.
Blue jay population
However, blue jay populations declined by about 28% between the 1960s and 2015. About 87% of blue jays are known to live in the United States while 13% live in Canada.
The migratory habits of the blue jay bring it up and down the Atlantic coast (along with the Great Lakes), but little is known about where it goes.