The male feeds the female while she is brooding the eggs. Both sexes build the nest and rear the young, though only the female broods them. It is cup-shaped and composed of twigs, small roots, bark strips, moss, other plant material, cloth, paper, and feathers, with occasional mud added to the cup. The nest is usually built at a height in the trees of 3-10 m (9.8-32.8 ft). If no suitable tree or large bush, they will even use places like large mailboxes or occupy nests of other mid-sized songbirds as long as these are placed in suitable spots. Blue jays are not very picky about nesting locations. The breeding season begins in mid-March, peaks in mid-April to May, and extends into July. Blue jays will use these calls to band together to mob potential predators such as hawks and drive them away from the jays' nests.īlue jays form monogamous pair bonds for life. There is also a high-pitched 'jayer-jayer' call that increases in speed as the bird becomes more agitated. Their most commonly recognized sound is the alarm call, which is a loud, almost gull-like scream. Blue jays can make a large variety of sounds, and individuals may vary in their calling style. Some individuals migrate south one year, stay north the next winter, and then migrate south again the next year. Young birds may be more likely to migrate than adults, but many adults also migrate. Blue jays usually migrate during the day, in loose flocks of 5 to 250 birds.
Some are present throughout winter in all parts of their range while the northernmost populations are migratory.
Much about the migratory behavior of Blue jays remains a mystery. They feed both on the ground and in trees and will sometimes cache food to eat later. Blue jays have strong black bills which they use for cracking nuts, usually while holding them with their feet, and for eating corn, grains, and seeds. When they are alarmed or angry, the blue crest atop their head will rise and it will lower when the birds are relaxed or calm. Additionally, Blue jays may raid other birds' nests, stealing eggs and chicks. They are very territorial and will chase others from a feeder for an easier meal.
Blue jays are noisy, bold, and aggressive birds.
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