Jay (Garrulus glandarius)
Jays are beautiful, colourful members of the crow family. Though they are widespread in UK woodlands, apart from Northern Scotland, they are quite shy and rarely visit gardens. We have been fortunate through the years to see them, usually in October, when they are foraging for food, particularly acorns. They cache their finds to provide food in leaner times, but do not always return for them, and that is how oak saplings can be found in unexpected places.
The last Ice Age, known as the Last Glacial Period, began about 100,000 years ago.
I grew up in Indiana with blue jays (cyanocitta cristata) and am now daily entertained by our ubiquitous Steller's jays (cyanocitta stelleri). Your jay pictured is quite different and strikingly beautiful. I suspect the term "garrulous" befits all three jays.
ReplyDeleteto look at but seem to share many of the same characteristics. As they're all corvids, that's not surprising. Birds are so entertaining.
DeleteThe first part of my reply went astray! I was saying that your blue jays look very different.
DeleteI meant to add that the Steller's jay lives in the western US.
ReplyDeleteSteller's jay has a prominent crest that makes it look quite surprised. 😃
DeleteHandsome creature.
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of a brown, black and white bird with a small, perfect strip of navy and white feathers on each side.
oops, sorry
DeleteHels
I think they're quite lovely.
DeleteI've seen several types of jays in my travels, but never knew about their propensity for burying acorns.
ReplyDeleteIt's surprising how many birds cache food.
Deletehttps://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/blue-jay This is our blue jay!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the link, Debby. The beautiful blues are almost electric in their vividness.
DeleteThey are loud and bossy, and like to yell a lot.
DeleteI knew Jays were part of the crow family but didn't know they are so pretty. I shall thank them virtually for the spread of oaks, one of my favourite trees. We don't have Jays in Australia.
ReplyDeleteThank goodness no-one imported them to Australia. Most introduced species do more harm than good.
DeletePretty birds. You're right we don't see jays in Northern Scotland. I wonder why. Colder weather? Lacking the right habitats?
ReplyDeleteApparently, it's a combination of climate and habitat. Jays prefer foraging in forests and are not suited to the open heath and moorlands.
DeleteThey are a lovely looking bird, and they mimic like our lyre birds. And, they are from the crow family, so I suppose corvids.
ReplyDeleteLyre birds are extraordinary, the males with their flamboyant tails, and their mimicry skills.
DeleteLyre birds are extraordinary, the males with their flamboyant tails, and their mimicry skills.
DeleteWe had jays in our garden down in Sussex but have not seen any since we moved up here. They are attractive birds.
ReplyDeleteThey do live on the Isle fo Man, so maybe one day they'll visit you.
DeleteWe saw our first ever jay at Kew Gardens the other week. One of our highlights of the day. (It was caching something.)
ReplyDeleteI do like Kew Gardens, an oasis in the suburbs.
ReplyDeleteYour jays are certainly not of the same personality is ours. Ours are more blue and they have a black ring around their neck. And not only are they allowed but they are extremely pushy about stealing food from the songbirds. I do love to see them but they can be rather aggressive. Yours is quite lovely looking. Of course I love all birds no matter what they're like.
ReplyDeleteThey certainly are the less forthcoming of the corvids.
DeleteWe had a Jay visit our garden last week. It is always a thrill to see them.
ReplyDeleteI feel that, too.
DeleteWe occasionally see one in our suburban garden. Are they your own photos ma'am? Really good.
ReplyDeleteYes, they are our own photos from a few years ago. I can't take the credit, though. Barry takes them and I merely catalogue them.
DeleteSo Barry married his secretary?
DeleteNot so far as I'm aware, though he did have some excellent secretaries/personal assistants. I'm *just* his wife. I don't think he's a bigamist, though I know he was offered a couple of wives . . . I was never offered a couple of husbands . . .
DeleteI didn't know about the Jays caching acorns, that would explain the random oak saplings in our garden.
ReplyDeleteI rather like them even though I know they can be aggressive towards other birds.
Alison in Wales x
In the bird world, it's each for their own.
DeleteIt's incredible to think that such a shy bird could be responsible for so much of the landscape we see today. Also, I had no idea jays were such skilled mimics! A fascinating post!
ReplyDeleteIt really does make you stop and think, doesn't it?
DeleteInteresting. We have a type of Jay, Bluejay. They are a brilliant shade of blue. Loud and bossy around the bird feeder - CJ
ReplyDeleteI really appreciate seeing them. Most of our birds are not very colourful.
DeleteLovely bird. Their diet has much in common with our Blue Jays, although their personalities seem to be quite opposite.
ReplyDeleteOur jays are not as bold as the rest of our corvids.
DeleteThat is a great contribution ....... a single bird might spread more than a thousand acorns annually.
ReplyDeleteIt's an extraordinary accomplishment. Just think what they might do if they put their minds to it. 😉
DeleteWhat a pretty bird.
ReplyDeleteI love to see them. We had one in the garden today.😀 Oh, joy!
DeleteLovely photographs of this attractive bird.
ReplyDeleteThere was great excitement last year as we had two who visited, unfortunately not seen them this year!
Many thanks to Barry for the photographs and to you for cataloguing them.
All the best Jan
He's the expert - I'm happy to file - each to their own.😃
DeleteWe have one type of jay in the Northeast United States where I live - the blue jay (Cyanocitta cristata). Both male and female are - well, mainly blue. I had never seen a picture of your Eurasian Jay and it's so different in looks but probably just as enjoyable to see. (Ours can be bullies at feeders, though. They don't like our small yard and I'm glad for it).
ReplyDeleteOur jay is not very bold at all, unlike his corvid cousins.
DeleteWe have blue jays here in Wisconsin. I suppose they are related in some way to the jays you wrote about, but they don't bear any resemblance that I can see.
ReplyDeleteI think they share the same caching characteristics.
Delete