Painted

1911

Published

1931

Volume

8

Plate

477

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Blue Jay

Cyanocitta cristata cristata

DESCRIPTION

Against snow-background these handsome rascals give a touch of life and color that makes us forget they are villains. Audacity, a devil-take-the-hindmost air and sky-tinted apparel often save their skins. Destruction of other bird-homes is done stealthily for courage is not in them. I have seen the Rubythroat Hummingbird drive them pellmell thru the brush and even gentle Thrushes defeat their evil intentions. Sharpshin Hawks will kill every bird in the vicinity of their nests but frequently BLUE JAYS will not destroy other homes near their own, going further afield for egg and young bird dainties.

They are clever imitators of many birdcalls and often deceive experienced ornithologists.

They are in our orchard while I write at the open window on this fine September morning, discussing the pay, pay, pay question quite in line with the rest of the world's depression.

Mark Twain's classic about the Jay which tried to fill a barn with acorns, thru a hole in the roof, discussing the futility of the attempt when he looked thru the open door, and the loud guffaws of watchers over the joke, contains some truth for Blue lays have a sense of humor. I have watched them play tag with small hawks and their notes of derision when a Hawk missed its swoop, were as close to laughter as birds can voice.

When nuts mature on two black walnut trees north of our house, red squirrels garner them, carrying the large green globes easily along the snake fence to a câche under the hemlocks. While thus engaged the Blue Jays do not bother them but let one of the rufuscoated imps slip along the grape arbor to the food shelf and Jays are after him instantly.

Whether birds and animals reason must remain debatable because of the indefinite line between instinct and reason. The Blue Jay's distinction between food they could or could not use is certainly reason. Their vocabulary is distinctive as their dress. Most of our birds sing a short while in Spring and then relapse into silence. Not so Mr. Jay. He talks thruout the year and every day, too. It is not all conventional conversation, either! Listen to some Jays baiting an Owl or Hawk and you will hear the choicest assortment of Billingsgate ever uttered in the woods. Swear? My word! No end!

One morning in late November when a gale was driving slants of rain thru the valley, I remembered a sledge I had left under a cliff in the woodlot. Glancing up at the squall-swept surface, I detected a fleck of blue. There were three Blue Jays snuggled in a niche thirty feet up, as comfortable as you please! There I left them three rollicking buccaneers tamed by the elements so they did not even scold me. After all, isn't it those who, like ancient Greeks, take life's storm and sunshine with a laugh, that we most admire?

BREEDING

NEST: a rather careless structure of twigs, leaves and grass, usually located in coniferous trees within 40 feet of the ground.
EGGS: 4 or 5; dull olive blotched with shades of lavender and pale browns.

RANGE

Eastern North America from central British provinces to Gulf States, except Florida. West to Nebraska, eastern Colorado and central Texas.

Swamp White Oak

Quercus platanoides

DESCRIPTION

A 60-foot tree distributed in moist soil from eastern Canada to Georgia. West to Mississippi Valley.

blue-jay
horned-lark
Horned Lark
474
pallid-horned-lark-prairie-horned-lark
Pallid Horned Lark, Prairie Horned Lark
474a-474b
desert-horned-lark-texas-horned-lark
Desert Horned Lark, Texas Horned Lark
474c-474d
california-horned-lark-ruddy-horned-lark
California Horned Lark, Ruddy Horned Lark
474e-474f
streaked-horned-lark-scorched-horned-lark
Streaked Horned Lark, Scorched Horned Lark
474g-474h
dusky-horned-lark-sonora-horned-lark
Dusky Horned Lark, Sonora Horned Lark
474i-474j
hoyt-horned-lark
Hoyt Horned Lark
474k
montezuma-horned-lark-island-horned-lark
Montezuma Horned Lark, Island Horned Lark
474l-474m
magpie
Magpie
475
yellowbill-magpie
Yellowbill Magpie
476
blue-jay
Blue Jay
477
florida-blue-jay
Florida Blue Jay
477a
steller-jay-bluefront-jay
Steller Jay, Bluefront Jay
478-478a
longcrest-jay-blackhead-jay
Longcrest Jay, Blackhead Jay
478b-478c
queen-charlotte-jay-coast-jay
Queen Charlotte Jay, Coast Jay
478d-478e
florida-jay
Florida Jay
479
woodhouse-jay
Woodhouse Jay
480
blule-ear-jay
Blue Ear Jay
480.1
california-jay
California Jay
481
santa-cruz-jay
Santa Cruz Jay
481.1
xantus-jay-belding-jay
Xantus Jay, Belding Jay
481a-481b
arizona-jay-couch-jay
Arizona Jay, Couch Jay
482-482a
green-jay
Green Jay
483
canada-jay-rocky-mountain-jay
Canada Jay, Rocky Mountain Jay
484-484a
alaska-jay-labrador-jay
Alaska Jay, Labrador Jay
484b-484c
oregon-jay-gray-jay
Oregon Jay, Gray Jay
485a
raven
Raven
486
northern-raven
Northern Raven
486a
whiteneck-raven
Whiteneck Raven
487
crow
Crow
488
florida-crow-western-crow
Florida Crow, Western Crow
488a-488b
northwest-crow
Northwest Crow
489
fish-crow
Fish Crow
490
clark-nutcracker
Clark Nutcracker
491
pinyon-jay
Pinyon Jay
492
bobolink
Bobolink
494
cowbird
Cowbird
495
dwarf-cowbird
Dwarf Cowbird
495a
bronze-cowbird
Bronze Cowbird
496
redeye-cowbird
Redeye Cowbird
496A
yellowhead-blackbird
Yellowhead Blackbird
497
redwing-blackbird
Redwing Blackbird
498
sonora-redwing-bahama-redwing-florida-redwing
Sonora Redwing, Bahama Redwing, Florida Redwing
498a-498b-498c
thickbill-redwing-san-diego-redwing
Thickbill Redwing, San Diego Redwing
498d-498e
northwest-redwing-vera-cruz-redwing
Northwest Redwing, Vera Cruz Redwing
498f-498g
bicolor-redwing
Bicolor Redwing
499
tricolor-redwing
Tricolor Redwing
500
meadowlark
Meadowlark
501
western-meadowlark
Western Meadowlark
501.1
rio-grande-southern-meadowlark
Rio Grande Meadowlark, Southern Meadowlark
501a-501c
audubon-oriole
Audubon Oriole
503
scott-oriole
Scott Oriole
504
sennett-oriole
Sennett Oriole
505
arizona-hood-oriole
Arizona Hood Oriole
505a
orchard-oriole
Orchard Oriole
506
baltimore-oriole
Baltimore Oriole
507
bullock-oriole
Bullock Oriole
508
rusty-blackbird
Rusty Blackbird
509
brewer-blackbird
Brewer Blackbird
510
purple-grackle
Purple Grackle
511
florida-grackle-bronze-grackle
Florida Grackle, Bronze Grackle
511a-511b
boattail-grackle
Boattail Grackle
513
great-tail-grackle
Great Tail Grackle
513a