I'm not thrilled with blue jays. They are up there on the list of fragmentation related increased levels of predation of birds nests, yes, they do go after other birds eggs and babies. I had a devil of a time with them last summer particularly when nestlings fledged. I had about 5-6 box nesters last summer and warred with the jays over all of them - worse with the ground nesters. They went after the babies every single time. They seem to have some sort of radar for the event. Fortunately I work from home and it's a racket when happening, but I scared the Mom bird just as badly.

I have bird feeders and I do my best not to supply what they like for food, such as peanuts and corn in my case. I do have a nut feeder but it's one they can't use. However, jays are also attracted to water so at bird baths which is important to have for all birds. Not much you can do about them, suburban gardens are perfect habitat. Try and provide thickets and dense shrubs to protect smaller birds is about all you can do. Make sure your bluebird box is somewhere near a thick shrubby area, the babies can fly to it when they leave the box.

Other people really like the jays. It's humans that have created a better situation for them to hunt in, so not their fault, but dang it stinks to see them going after baby wrens.

I try to stay out of the food chain wars though I sometimes enjoy watching: the whole flock of mallards that came running and surrounded the babies to protect them from the hawk or the mother squirrel who faced down a hawk to protect her young.

I've worked in wildlife rehab, and blue jays, though pretty, can be some mean little guys. I had one that would fly at my face everytime i put the feeding tray in the bird sanctuary. I think he was trying to peck my eye out.
I didn't know they ate the eggs of and young of other birds!!!! im horrified because i have one or two hanging around, and a robins nest in a pine tree nearby.
Even the mockingbirds, notorious for their aggressive behavior, dont mess with the blue jays. Wonder how to discourage the blue jays from hanging around my house?

Apparently good work, Rhizo. I didn't see the post you commented on, and it's clearly gone, so thanks for helping to keep the forums pleasant for everyone.

Martha

Yay! I'm so glad he's gone.

I'm so sad.. i had for the first time some lovely cardinals nesting, i used to heard them calling each other and used to see how they feed, but yesterday that i came home the nest was in a bad shape and i fund an egg in the floor..i swear i wanted to cry :( i have no idea what it was... but i suppose a blue jay because of the hole in the egg. What can i do to help them if they ever decide they want to build another nest

Cardinals are pretty private and skittish. I attempted to prune a Taxus and didn't realize they were nesting in the other side of it, until I was half done with the pruning. They abandoned that nest, luckily it was early in the season and they had not played any eggs yet. But I'll avoid a suspected nest the next time.