Thursday, February 19, 2015

Blue Jay Stumpers


photo by Alli Faricy

Take a look at a common bird and then ask, “How much do you know about the Blue Jay?”

Let me try to stump you!

What tree nut do they favor?  Acorns
What other bird do their calls mimic?  Hawks!  Is it for deception or a warning?
How old was the oldest wild banded Blue Jay?  17½ years
Do they mate for life?  Yes
Where are Blue Jays found?  At the edge of forests, where there are feeders and acorn trees.  At Camp Foley in the winter they compete with the squirrels and woodpeckers at our feeder.  Of course, there is a huge acorn tree within feet!
Do Blue Jays migrate?  The answer is “yes” and “no”!  “Thousands of Blue Jays migrate in flocks along the Great Lakes and Atlantic coasts, but much about their migration remains a mystery. Some are present throughout winter in all parts of their range. Young jays may be more likely to migrate than adults, but many adults also migrate. Some individual jays migrate south one year, stay north the next winter, and then migrate south again the next year. No one has worked out why they migrate when they do. “   Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Click here for more bird information.

For more pictures of Camp Wildlife (and animals from all over the world) follow @dr_earth on instagram and @TheDrEarth on twitter.

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