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· A blue jay will scream like a hawk to scatter birds from a feeder and then move in to eat.
· It can put its head crest up or put it down flat against its head.
· Blue jays steal other birds’ eggs and their young.
· They make their nests of twigs and weeds. Sometimes they weave in strings or cloth.
· They hide food away to eat later.
THE BLUE JAY The blue jay is a beautiful blue, black and white bird. It is medium sized. It is 10 to 12 inches long. Its wingspread is 15 to 17 inches. It has black eyes. It has a short crest, long claws and a sharp beak. It is a noisy bird. It has bars of color on its wings. Unlike many other birds, the male and female look very much alike. Blue jays live in the eastern United States. They live in backyards, woodlands and city parks. They nest in pine trees. Their nests are 5 to 45 feet above the ground. The nest is made of twigs, weeds, string and cloth. The nest is cup shaped. Blue jays eat sunflower seeds, cracked corn, acorns, fruit, nuts, insects and other birds' eggs. They are attracted to seed feeders. Blue jays will store food and come back for it later when they are hungry.
Blue jays nest in April or May. They build a cup-shaped nest. The female lays 4 to 5 eggs. She may have one or two broods of babies a year. Blue jay eggs are green and blue with brown markings on them. The female sits on the eggs 16 to 18 days to keep them warm. The mama and papa feed the babies for 17 to 21 days. Blue jays stay in the same area unless they can't find food. Blue jays are interesting birds. They can move their crests down, flat on their heads or leave them up. Blue jays will scream like hawks to scatter other birds from feeders and then move in to eat. They are pretty birds so they are fun to watch.
By Nena and Stacia
