18 Beautiful Blue Jay Photos You Need to See

Blue jays add beauty to the backyard. Marvel at these gorgeous blue jay photos in all seasons, from warm summer days to snowy winter scenes.

blue jay
Courtesy Cheryl Colgan

Beautiful Blue Jay Photo

“I was sitting on my porch enjoying my morning coffee, a hot summer day ahead, when out of the corner of my eye I spotted this blue jay on the berry bush. I grabbed my camera and snapped away! To my amazement when scrolling through the camera roll, I found this photo of the blue jay looking right at me, with berry in beak!” says Cheryl Colgan. Learn how to identify and attract blue jays.

Bnbbyc16 John Pizniur 001
Courtesy John Pizniur

Looking for the Perfect Peanut

“This blue jay was in my backyard getting some peanuts for breakfast. For sure, he will come back later for more. I’m very excited to have blue jays around my house making lots of noise,” says John Pizniur. Check out the best bird feeders for blue jays.

snowy blue jay
Courtesy Brenda Doherty

Snowy Blue Jay

“On a cold winter day at my home in Ontario, snow gently fluttered around. I like the way this blue jay is looking at me,” says Brenda Doherty. Learn what foods blue jays eat.

blue jay
Courtesy Lorraine Lynch

Posing Blue Jay

“I was so pleased with this blue jay photo as it was one of the best images I took, and being so close. I took several pictures of this handsome bird,” says Lorraine Lynch. Learn how to tell the difference between bluebirds vs blue jays.

Blue jay on peanut bird, attract blue jays
Courtesy John Pizniur

Backyard Blue Jay

John Pizniur says the blue jays love to visit his peanut bird feeders. Attract more backyard birds by feeding peanuts.

blue jay eating insect
Courtesy Deborah Morrison

Catching a Bug

“For this blue jay photo, I had the bird in focus and was waiting for it to fly. When I saw it lean forward I started shooting. I was very excited when I saw that it was catching a bug,” says Deborah Morrison. Meet the Steller’s jay: clever black and blue birds.

leucistic blue jay
Courtesy John Schatz

White Blue Jay Photo

“This beautiful bird was eating from a friend’s bird feeder. She contacted me and gave me the honor of photographing it,” says John Schatz. Check out more photos of white and leucistic birds.

blue jay photo
Courtesy Dawn Weingartner

Tree Topper

“While in North Carolina I saw more blue jays than I ever had before. When I noticed this colorful blue jay perched on a branch, I observed him before taking the picture. Each time I think of or look at this blue jay photo, I see the graceful, beautiful and intelligent bird that I had the great pleasure of photographing,” says Dawn Weingartner. Which species are America’s smartest birds?

blue jay photo
Courtesy Bonnie Schnabl

Elusive Blue Jay

“This blue jay had been eluding me all summer. Well, he didn’t this time,” says Bonnie Schnabl. Don’t miss 50 stunning summer bird photos.

blue jay photo
Courtesy Mary Jo Kaup

Hungry Blue Jays

“I like this blue jay photo because it looks like the bird on the left is getting a scolding! This was taken in my backyard where the jays come everyday for the seed,” says Mary Jo Kaup. Check out the best-selling bird feeders of 2021.

juvenile blue jay
Courtesy Cathy Mcelwee

Baby Blue Jay Photo

“This juvenile blue jay appeared in my walnut tree calling to the adults who were pulling peanuts from the feeder,” says Cathy McElwee. We found even more pictures of super cute baby birds.

blue jay photo
Courtesy Gary Hale

Blue Jay in Flight

” I love sitting outside in the morning. Birds are active. This blue jay photo was taken with the sun at a perfect angle to capture the wonderful colors,” says Gary Hale. Look for California scrub-jays on the west coast.

blue jay photo
Courtesy Michael French

Gather Together

“I love this image because it appears like the boss blue jay stopped the action to have a meeting,” says Michael French. See even more photos of breathtaking blue colored birds.

blue jay photo
Courtesy Christine Kempe

Snowy Winter Day

“The birds were having a field day at the big tray feeder despite the cold and snow. This blue jay posed long enough to get a good photo of him framed by the gray and white,” says Christine Kempe. Check out 50 beautiful winter pictures across America.

Blue Jay In My Backyard Getting Some Peanuts.
Courtesy John Pizniur

Blue Jay and Blooms

“I spotted this blue jay in my backyard, taking a break before getting some more peanuts,” says John Pizniur. Can birds eat peanut butter?

blue jay photo
Courtesy Vickie Mcentire

Autumn Blue Jay

“It was our first autumn in our new home. Early on a Saturday morning, I took a few shots of all the birds congregating just feet from our back patio. I was shocked to see a blue jay stop on the empty birdbath,” says Vickie McEntire. Here’s how to create the ultimate backyard wildlife habitat.

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Courtesy Steve Henderson

Snacking on Sunflowers

“We planted some sunflowers seeds in our garden for the birds and bees, not expecting to see this blue jay. As I was turning the corner of my garage, I spooked it but I could hear it still near by. I went back inside my house to grab my camera, hoping for it to come back. I waited right before the corner, peeking around at times and sure enough, it came back on the sunflower,” says Steve Henderson.

blue jay photo
Courtesy Jim Ervin

Quiet Moment

“While sitting in my recliner, I spotted this blue jay showing off its color and a perfect pose,” says Jim Ervin. Learn how to attract birds to use a birdbath.

Next, check out these funny bird pictures that will make you squawk with laughter.

Lori Vanover
Lori has 20 years of experience writing and editing home, garden, birding and lifestyle content for several publishers. As Birds & Blooms senior digital editor, she leads a team of writers and editors sharing birding tips and expert gardening advice. Since joining Trusted Media Brands 13 years ago, she has held roles in digital and print, editing magazines and books, curating special interest publications, managing social media accounts, creating digital content and newsletters, and working with the Field Editors—Birds & Blooms network of more than 50 backyard birders. Passionate about animals and nature, Lori has a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural and Environmental Communications from the University of Illinois. In 2023, she became certified as a Wisconsin Extension Master Gardener, and she is a member of the Wisconsin Society for Ornithology and sits on the organization's Publications Advisory Committee. She frequently checks on her bird feeders while working from home and tests new varieties of perennials, herbs and vegetable plants in her ever-growing backyard gardens.