Look for the Steller’s jay and western scrub-jay in the West, the green jay in south Texas and the Florida scrub-jay in Florida.
THE SUBJECT
Blue jays are some of the biggest, brassiest and most colorful backyard songbirds in North America. They’re also part of the corvid (crow) family, so they’re very smart, too. Though some people find them too bold and loud, many more welcome any sighting of this beautiful flyer. Most of the Eastern half of the U.S. sees blue jays.
THE MARKINGS
At 11 to 12 inches and sporting bright blue feathers, jays are hard to miss when they pass through your yard. Males and females are difficult to tell apart, so you might want to refrain from calling the blue jay hanging out in your tree a “he.” The species is distinguished by a prominent crest and noticeable white and black patterns throughout the predominant blue.
BACKYARD FAVORITES
For attracting blue jays, you can’t go wrong with peanuts, either in or out of the shell. Some people put them out on a tray feeder, though this will make them easy pickings for squirrels. You can also invest in a feeder made just for peanuts. One more idea: Blue jays love acorns, so on your next fall walk, gather some up and offer them at your feeder.
NESTING HABITS
Both parents take part in nest building, with males usually doing more of the gathering and females specializing in construction, typically in the crook of a tree. It’s not uncommon for jays to start building more than one nest; if they detect a predator, they’ll move right away. Females lay up to seven eggs. Once they hatch, young fledge at between two and three weeks old.
FASCINATING FACTS
Blue jays are typically considered year-round residents, but they will migrate in large groups—sometimes by the hundreds—from one spot to another. The next time you notice a flock of migrants, look up to see if they’re blue jays.
DID YOU KNOW?
Jon says
One summer I watched from my porch as a pair of black-capped chickadees built a nest in a wren house I had hanging from a nearby limb. One day, shortly after the eggs hatched, I heard some commotion and looked up to see the chickadees, along with a robin, trying to keep a bluejay away from the nest, but it was no use. I watched in horror as the bluejay stuck his head in, grabbed a newborn chickadee and flew off with it. I can’t share your praise off bluejays.
Ellen Ellis says
Many birds need a source of protein. I keep a feeder supplied with dry cat food. It is much in demand by Blue Jays, Crows, Red Bellied
Woodpeckers, Catbirds and even Carolina Wrens.
jgirl33062 says
I’m interested in your dry cat food idea, but will the Jays still eat the cat food if it gets wet? Or wouldn’t something less easily degradable be better?
VJP01906 says
No it is not a pleasant sight but Blue Jays will do whatBlue Jays will do to survive just as a lion or tiger, et al will kill a variety of animals deemed defenseless so they can survive. All I’m saying it’s nature at work, both the beauty and the cruel. I can’t penalize never mind hate a Blue Jay for doing what they do to survive no matter how sad.
ellen johnson says
so how do you get rid of them??? the big jays hang off our bird feeders and scare the little birds away
Northwoods Caribou says
Jon, Blue Jays have to eat, too. I agree it’s heart-rending to see any predator pluck a young bird out of a nest; but, it’s the natural order of things.
Here in Eau Claire, WI, we encourage BJs & Crows with shelled corn, mixed (lightly) with cracked corn & sunflower seeds. In addition, we have three various-sized suet feeders blended with berries, peanut chunks and other “goodies.” Lotsa feeders for goldfinches, chickadees, house finches, redpolls, WB nuthatches [plus one RB nuthatch!] and a passel of juncos feeding on niger on the ground. Oh, did we mention the mourning doves? Last year we must have had a minimum of two dozen of them!!
Barb Mcgovern says
The Blue Jay was just doing what nature intended. I don’t like it either, but I think like a human & not a bird. Unfortunately, it is part of the food chain. Many birds will do this if given the opportunity. It’s too bad you had to see it! I would not have liked to see it either. What works for me is putting predator determents on the entrance holes to your bird houses. I made my own from one inch thick wood, based on the measurements for whatever bird I am trying to attract to my houses. B&B can help with the measurements. Good luck!
Linda Beckman says
I love blue jays and they’re welcome to my platform feeder. I love their many calls, sometimes like that of a hawk. They’re such handsome birds!
Donna E says
I noticed this summer that the blue jays were imitating the sound of the broad-winged hawks that were summer residents. Seemed like they are pretty smart to me. They also eat any seed that is out in the feeders. I have a family group of 6 hanging around.
Diane N Lopez says
I put my seeds on a flat box on the floor on my balcony, one morning it was a nice warm morning I opened the door to the balcony and sat down on my couch and a blue jay get on the floor to get the seeds on the floor not the ones in the box and he turns and stares at me and he starts screeching at me he starteled me cause I had no idea they were so loud. He pecked for seeds stops and screeches at me again. I’m scared and fascinated at the same time. I’m thinking I hope he doesn’t attack me or flys in. What will I do? I don’t see him for a week. He does the same thing again. He seemed like a very smart bird.
jgirl33062 says
Yikes! That would scare me too! I wish I had an answer for you.
Maralyn Chandler says
My Blue jays seem to think I must keep their feeder tray filled with dried eggshells or they will fuss loud and clear over and over until I bring more out.
I keep only BOILED egg shells and crush them before serving them.
Lynn R says
Thanks for this tip! I was saving shells and didn’t even think about sterilizing them first.
Jeff says
I was a bit surprised to see an article on how to attract blue jays. It’s much easier than peanuts….sunflower seeds. If that doesn’t get them to your feeder, chances are there aren’t any around. And why you would want to “attract” them is beyond me. They can clean out a feeder in no time. And can chase other birds away. I would like to see an article on how to deter them….other than not feeding the birds at all. When I had peanuts trying to feed the squirrels, there would be some 10 blue jays waiting. And if there were not any peanuts, they’d flock to the feeder for sunflower seeds. I had to have things to throw at them, or a pellet gun to hit the baffle on the feeder to scare them away. But they’d be right back a minute later.
cindy simons says
I have a peanut wreath, throw out peanuts and have suet feeders so they don’t bother the feeders.
jgirl33062 says
“A peanut wreath.” Thanks for the idea! (I’m new to this!)
cindy simons says
We had a bad winter so I broke up suet cakes and put them in a peanut wreath so I didn’t have to go out so often [health problems].
Bev says
My mother had a pet bluejay. found him when he was young. he would eat spaghetti from her fork, sit on her shoulder and sip some of her alcoholic drink. Parents kept a cut window screen as a door for him to fly in and out of. He always came back even after his vacation 15 miles away. They named him Jay-Jay
Amy says
I keep a bowl of cat food on my back steps for a stray cat in my neighborhood.
I catch quite a few Blue Jays munching on it.
I think they eat more of the cat food then the cat does!
Dave Varin says
Thanks for the great tip.Let’s Go Blue Jays!
RobertAR says
I live in a RV park that used to be a viable pecan orchard. The pecans on the ground get runover and stepped on. The birds and squirrels are fun to watch chase each other off. Bluejays Cardinals and squirrels seem to hate each other.