Blue Jay - Indiana Song Bird For The Garden © 2006

Blue Jay

Cyanocitta cristata

The Blue Jay is a large, raucous, aggressive bird, considered unwelcome by some backyard bird watchers because of the jay’s habit of tearing other birds nests apart, driving other birds away, and in general raising a ruckus. I kind of like them because they are colorful and have character. The bird is quite common here in Indiana.

They travel in flocks through the forest, raising a cry of warning when I venture close to where they are flocking. They prefer oak-hickory woodland, so the forested areas surrounding our home suit them just fine. A flock will consist of anywhere from five to thirty birds.

The Blue Jay has a varied diet. In other words, it will eat just about anything from weed seeds, acorns, small animals, scrap food left laying about, and bird seed from the feeder. They will also feast on the eggs and young of other species of birds. With its raucous jayer-jayer cry, the bird can’t be considered a song bird, as there is nothing melodious about its cry.

The Blue Jay will nest in small trees, brush, or other suitable spot. Both sexes feed the young, but the female only roosts on the eggs to hatch them. Blue Jays are monogamous for life.

The birds migrate, to an extent. In the southern part of their range, they will stay year round. Sometimes Blue Jays in the northern portions of their range will move south temporarily during periods of inclement weather. There are always blue jays in residence in the woodland here in southern Indiana. Whether they are the same ones in winter as we have in summer, I have no clue.

As a garden bird, the blue jay can be beneficial as they do eat weed seeds, insects and other small creatures which may become a nuisance. I enjoy watching their scolding behaviour as they flit among the trees near my Indiana garden.

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