Southern Illinois WInter Bird === Blue Jay

Backyard bird watching has been something that my mother did when I was a child. Having several bird feeders in her yard she was able to watch to her delight. The sport has become one of the most popular past times in the U.S. In addition, bird feeders, bird houses, water and wildlife friendly landscapes are often provided by those that love to watch the birds.

Birds benefit from trees, shrubs and flowers native to Illinois. My mother as well as other bird watchers often plant plants and flowers that provide food and a safe nesting place for the birds. Some of the many birds that can be seen in the state of Illinois in the winter time include:

Blue Jays use the flora and fauna found in their ecosystem. The large crested songbird has bright blue coloration and is native to North America.  have been known to carry acorns and helping to spread the oak forest across North America. Blue jays are very intelligent as well as a highly aggressive breed of bird.

These large size songbirds weigh around 2.5 to 3.5 ozs. and are between 9 to 12 inches in length. Blue jays also have a promoted blue crest on their heads that lowers or raises depending on mood and bristles out when the bird becomes aggressive or frightened. The blue jays face is white in color and also has an off white underbelly. The color black covers the birds neck and goes down th sides of their heads. The birds bill, legs and eyes are all black. The birds wings and tail are black, sky blue in color with white bars. No matter the sex of the bird they are both nearly identical.

Blue jays live in small flocks and are very protective of their nesting space. Predators such as hawks, eagles and raptors hunt on blue jays. Groups of blue jays will attack larger birds in order of protection. Another role of protection is to mimic the call of larger birds to see if any are in the area. The mimic calls are also used to scare other birds from a food source. In addition, blue jays have been known to attack humans when they come to near.

Did you know

• if the feather of a blue jay is crushed it will not stay blue 
• Blue jays breed from mid March to July
• Nests of blue jays are often found in evergreen trees and shrubs that are 10 to 35 feet off the ground.
• Blue jays pair up and stay together for life
• The flight speed of Blue Jay is between 20 to 25 miles per hour
• Blue Jays eat nuts, acorns, corn, berries, seeds, insects an peanuts
• Blue jays can bully smaller birds at the feeder but wait their turn with birds their own size. 

Want to Feed Blue Jays?? 

    Blue jays will eat feed from a bird feeder or off the ground. You will have to watch them eat from a far as they often do not approach if a human is near. Blue Jays also enjoy eating from suet feeders.


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