Blue Jays are not that bad. Sure they can be bullys to other birds, and rarely they prey on eggs and nestlings of other birds, but they are beautiful and just doing what comes naturally to them. If you want to attract them to a feeder, there is nothing wrong with that at all. Personally, I love all the jays...they are intelligent beautiful Corvids (family including crows, ravens, magpies, etc) that are a delight to watch.

BN

i have had a pair of western scrub jays nest in the oak brush in my yard for last two years. this last years was great watching the jays take seeds and scraps and nuts to the young birds close by
and soon as they fledged the young ones would come often to the feeders and stumps to eat daily and i watched them grow all summer and fall. The older jays would delibertly swoop in and scare some of the other birds but never tried to harm them. And they raised a ruckus when a cat or dog came into the area and helped warn all the birds of strangers around. I live in the foothills about 6800 ft elevation and during the worst of winter the jays tend to leave for awhile till the beginnings of spring when they should be returning again. The jays ate from the ground or off the stumps and also from the feeders mostly nuts or cracked corn or table scraps and especially dry bread or chips or pieces of fruit and even veggies.

I agree with BN, bluejays get a bad rap. I have a dozen regulars at my feeders and they are not a big problem. In fact, the mourning doves will chase the bluejays from the platform feeder. Bluejays are great watchdogs for the hawks, they position themselves strategically around the yard and are the first to send out the alarm call when a predator is spotted and when they do, the other birds definitely pay attention.

Interesting. thank you for the feedback. Do you recommend keeping a platform feeder away from my tube feeder, or will it really make no difference?

I regularly have about six blue jays in my yard (sometimes more). They eat from the ground, from a platform feeder, from the suet, and even some of the hanging feeders if they can get a grasp. I do not try to keep them separated in any way, in fact, I often put out peanuts in the shell specifically for the jays.

When a jay shows up, the little birds *sometimes* scatter - but not always. And even when they do, they are back in moments. I have not seen any sort of problems with jays around my feeders scaring away the little guys.

actually i have all my feeders on a long branch in one tree close to my kitchen window. The jays or starlings do tend to boss the other birds but the jays don't stay long and the little birds just stay in the tree away from them and flock right back as soon as they leave. I scare the starlings off every time i see them and anymore i just move my hand and they disappear. I do put a seperate feeder in the spring at a different tree that the blackbirds flock to in the spring and summer. The blackbirds are even more of a pest than any others mainly because of their numbers.

Hi there! I personally love the Blue Jays here in NW GA. They are loud and raucous and fun to watch. We have a group of about 6 here that hang out between my yard and my neighbor's. I think that a platform feeder away from the other feeders is the best idea, and load it up with peanuts. That is what they always seem to go for here. Can be in the shell or out. Doesn't matter. Just get whatever is less expensive. If they can get their beloved peanuts at their own feeder, they will not be such a bother at the others.

Since last October I have been spending upwards of 8 to 10 hours a day sitting behind my camera and watching the bird activity at my feeders and I can only conclude that without question the Blue Jays have been given a bad rap.

All bird, even the tiny Finches and Chickadee's become very aggressive and territorial when their food supply is threatened, however, if you provide a selection of foods and presentation methods you will find that they seem to all get along fine, with the exception of Grackles and Starlings who in my opinion act like a hoodlum street gang.

By necessity the Blue Jays will go to feeders but as a rule they prefer to forage on the ground, as do Doves, Junco's, Sparrows and Cardinals. The problem for the Blue Jays is that as a rule people only put seed in the hanging feeders, therefore the only seed or foodstuffs on the ground is what gets dropped from the feeders. As a consequence the Blue Jay is often forced to go to the feeders and due to their relatively large size, they tend to scare the smaller birds away or they take up so much space on the feeder that their is no space for the smaller birds but as a rule, I see little evidence of them actually being aggressive towards the other birds.

When I fill my hoppers I make a point of scattering a 1/2 cup or so of feed on the ground underneath the hoppers. In addition, our local commercial bakery sells stale bread in their thrift store at 10 loaves for $1.25. When I scatter the feed on the ground I also scatter one or two loaves of stale bread, dinner rolls and especially flat pita bread and sometimes I toss in a couple baked potatoes, a few apple slices, orange peels and any leftover pasta that we may have.

Not only do the Blue Jays prefer feeding on the ground, to my complete delight, it appears that the Starlings and Sparrows also prefer the bread on the ground. Oh yes. and did I mention that since I began scattering the bread my friendly squirrel comes down and grabs a slice of bread and runs back up the tree, totally ignoring my bird feeders.

I just filled all my feeders about an hour ago and as I type this their is at least 200 birds of all local native species in my yard, all happily feeding together.

Personally I think the Blue Jay is a very magnificent bird and anyone who does not see them close up in missing a real treat, as the attached photos will show.

As a side note. If you will look at the photo I posted under the heading "Does anybody have any peanut butter" you will see the squirrel contentedly sitting on a limb eating bread about 6 feet from my bird feeders.

Nice photos, Lazypup!

I have several bluejays on a daily basis and have never seen then harass other birds. Not to say it hasn't ever happened but not that I've seen in the 10 years I've been hosting wild birds. I like them alot and they are the hands-down favorite of my pet lovebirds who can hear and see them from their bird room.

The only really pesky birds I have are Mockingbirds but I like them, too. :)

I never had a problem with Blue Jays. I put out whole peanuts in the shell to attract them. They seem to stop by everyday about the sametime and announce their presence. Come spring and summer, I have Robins and Grackles nest in the area and they will mob any Blue Jay that comes in the yard. At the end of summer, the Robins move on and the Jays will be back collecting peanuts.

In my previous house the Jays nest in the yard and they ruled the roost. They would mob my cat. The even attacked the neighbors cat when he caught a Blue Jay. The cause alot commotion wherever they go, but they are neat to have around. I also think they have one of the broadest range of calls of any bird. They make so many different vocalizations.

I also like to watch them take peanuts and cache them. Last fall, one would stuff peanuts in the grass in the middle of the yard, then take a leaf and put over top of it like he was hiding it. They can also hold alot in their mouth/throat. Here is one with 2 whole peanuts in its mouth.

I like and feed the blue jays too, with peanuts in the shell. I put them on a platform feeder and also scatter them on the ground. They seem to share the ones on the ground with the squirrels without any fuss. Once in the spring, I heard what sounded like a bird in great distress coming from behind my garage. I went back to investigate and help, if needed, and was rewarded by a peck on the head by one of the parent blue jays!!! They can certainly hold their own, that's for sure! They are beautiful birds and I love to see them along with the cardinals enjoying the seeds and nuts.

I'm glad to see others have peaceful Blue Jays. I always wondered why everyone said they were bullies & mine didn't act that way. I think it has to do with multiple feeders & plenty of room . The jays here serve as great warning systems for hawks, stray cats & black snakes. I put out peanuts in the shell for them & they also eat BOSS from the platform feeders & the ground. I love having them around!
Susan

I love them as well. Actually, I really would rather have blue jays and crows, than all the little "cuties". Not that I don't like small birds, but they nothing compared to intelligent corvids.

I like Blue jays, but there was a mob of 7-12 of them this winter - more than the previous 3 years I've been feeding the birds. In the past when there was only one or two, they seemed very skittish, but with "strength in numbers" they were bold and noisy. They seem to enjoy swooping into the feeding area or landing on the suet log and watching all the little birds scatter. They also hog the food if given the chance.

A couple years ago, I was raking in the front yard, tidying up the garden in preparation for hosting a plant swap. A Blue jay landed on the bird bath and it was so close I just about dropped the rake. Then I figured out it was a fledgling and that's why it wasn't scared. Luckily I had the camera in my pocket -

{{!gwi}}

Nice picture, terrene. Your garden is really beautiful. No wonder you get lots of birds. Thanks for sharing that.

Blue Jays may not bother the other birds at the feeders and be a great alarm system for hawks and other predators, but they also routinely prey on songbird nestlings and eggs, as do squirrels, Grackles, and crows. What they do in the woods is their business, but I do not encourage or feed songbird predators in my yard.

"I do not encourage or feed songbird predators in my yard."

Bluejays are also songbirds.

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Blue_jay/id

From the Birds of North America species account on Blue Jay diet.

"Omnivorous. Contents of 530 stomachs collected at "all times of year" from 30 states and Canada consisted of about 22% insects (Beal 1922). Lepidoptera larvae constituted about 10% of diet in Jul and Aug, grasshoppers nearly 20% of diet in Aug. In winter, eggs of tent caterpillar (see also Laskey 1954) and larvae of the brown-tailed moth "eagerly sought." Scarabaeid beetles, "ground beetles," click beetles, wireworms, hymenopterans, spiders, millipedes, mollusks, and crustaceans each made up As are most corvids, jays are omnivorous, and although they may prey on eggs and nestlings of birds, their role as insect predator and seed disperser is probably much more vital ecologically.

BN

I have not noticed that the blue jays are that much of a bully to the smaller song birds or not. I notice that the jays seem to be very elusive, only coming for the hardshell peanuts I put out for them everyday. They do announce their coming and I listen for their call when they come for the peanuts. Try peanuts! I never had blue jays come til I did the peanut thing. I don't think they particularly like to ground feed or feed from a bird feeder. Of course, it can be another story at someone else's house!

Blue Jays are great birds to have around. They pose some threat to other birds come nesting time but that is minimal compared to the Blue Jays being so good at warning other songbirds if a hawk is near. Blue Jays are always alerting my martins and tree swallows if a Cooper's or a Sharpie is on the prowl. All American songbirds can co-exist in peace and harmony when you view the overall big picture. They all are a part of a healthy native bird ecosystem and have existed here together for thousands of years.

Only when you bring the no good Starlings and House Sparrows into the picture does everything become upset as they drive away our native birds in several ways. The House Sparrows steal away BB Boxes from Bluebirds and Tree Swallows. They compete for winter food over native sparrows,finches,etc and wherever they become common the native birds decline. The starlings take over martin houses that are not protected with Starling resistent entrances. They drive out the Red Headed Woodpeckers and the Flickers and their huge,noisy flocks in the fall become a nuisance to so many cities and towns across this land. The starling introduced to this country was probably the greatest environmental mistake caused by man ever in history. Bootom line is this georgia kate..Love the Blue Jays and welcome them because they belong here. They are American Birds and they fit the picture. The invasive starlings and Hosue Sparrows however do not belong at all. They are the ones you should worry about..not the native Blue Jay,Cardinal,Crow,Woodpeckers of all kinds,etc,etc...Mike

This is ridiculous - bluesman brings his "sparrow/starling" subject even to topics that have nothing to do with it. Trolling continues :)

Seriously, he needs to get a life!!! Enough already!!!

I have said nothing here that is not true. It is a fact. People should know the truth about the invasive species and my life is dedicated to spreading it like a gospel. That is how much I love the American birds of all kinds. That is my life and it is also shared by many other here I see...Mike

I love Blue Jays..they crack me up!

Mike, bluesman, buddy, I agree that you are entitled to your viewpoint, just like everyone else. The problem for me, at least, is that you continue to ram it home multiple times on one thread. It gets old. How about if you state your facts once and then pay attention and comment on what others are saying?

My next project is to put up a blue jay feeder. Very few blue jay visit my yard, and they only do it when there are peanuts.

I have heard studies where Blue Jay appear in a flock which then muscle the other birds out at the feeder, but in general, I have not seen that this is the case. Often Blue Jay will show up screaming, which cause other birds to scattered. Following that, the birds immediately come back when they realized it's just a blue jay.

For a top bird, they are easily spooked. They usually notice when I am observing them. Their senses seemed to be better than the other birds and may warn other birds on the approach of hawks. They are also the most intelligent of birds.

Unlike lazypup, I can't scatter stuff on the ground. It'll just turn into squirrel fest. My plan is to setup a tray feeder with lots of peanut in the shell. It'll need to be away from the other feeder, be 10 feet from a tree and baffled, but have an open top.

Paul

"I have said nothing here that is not true. It is a fact."

Cats kill birds. That is true. It is a fact. Let's discuss it in the Blue Jay thread. After that we can move on to politics, etc.

Okay..

Let's see..The Blue jay is a wonderful bird. They are a joy to have around even though they on occasion can cause some minor issues for other native birds..Uhh..Blue Jays belong here and fit right in with our native birds which I think was the question first asked here in this post. That is all true..The fact that the only birds that pose a threat to many of our native species of birds are starlings and house sparrows..That is so true. Now that is all I am trying to get through to people. I attacked nobody..not like I have been attacked here but hey I can take it..I am a big boy and I will always defend our native American birds and tell it like it is..Always. Go ahead and love to starlings and the House Sparrows that don't belong here because if you do in the end the native birds will decline. It is a mathematical certainty.

Blue Jays,Hummingbirds,Eagles..it does not matter. The point is they belong in this country and they all deserve all of us pitching in to help them by trying in some way to correct the mistake made in the 1800's by doing all we can to eliminate the invasive species..Mike

bluesman,

I sympathize with your cause, but let's not get too carried away and insert "HOSP + starling" in other people's thread. While it's a free country to spout your viewpoint, it's also a free country to ignore. Do this too many times, and you'll just sound like a broken record. You'll end up marginalizing yourself as a source of reliable information which in the end, will not help your cause at all.

Paul

I too adore the beautiful Blue Jays,along with all Corvids, and greatly admire their intelligence. They are truly "The Einsteins of the bird world" and often perform as sintinels - loudly announcing the presence of a predator (i.e. hawk,cat, etc.) and warning of the impending danger! I provide whole raw peanuts in the shell as well as peanut 'seconds' or pieces in a hanging feeder, along with scattering them on a platform feeder for the Jays, Woodpeckers and others who find hanging feeders difficult to manage (Cardinals, etc.) I was a bit surprised to find that among the many fans of peanuts - The Tufted Titmouse proved to be a regular 'taker' - so cute to observe! If their nuts are unavailable, they will loudly 'page' me after dawn. : )

Both myself and my GF like the blue jay that's been coming to our yard this spring and have set up a feeder. I've decided to create something special for her using the tail feathers or wing feathers (ones found on the ground of course) and am seeking help from someone here. Does anyone have just one they'd part with? Feel free to email me, 7yph0on@gmail.com and am open to trade or?

Happy bird watching!

Jays co-exist well with other birds in my garden. The only other birds I have known them to harrass are the hawks, which they and the crows chase on a regular basis. I have more trouble with the mischievous robins than all the jays put together.
Blu3 j4y, be careful what you do with song bird feathers. It is illegal to possess them, sell them or use them as they are protected birds and if they are seen by a wildlife official it can mean a heavy fine.

Odd.. I see them for sale, whole blue jays (sorta made me sick) online from a big fishing place for tying flies. I wanted only naturally found ones but guess I'll have to just watch my feeder...

Nevermind then

t it is against the law. Read this explanation of the laws pertaining to keeping and collecting birds, feathers and other parts: not even moulted feathers. Don't know what site would sell bluejay feathers,etc but it must not have been a US company.

Here is a link that might be useful: Bird IQ

like i said.. Nevermind

I did not have the patience to read all the reviews above but I did get the gist in the first comment. I truly dislike blue jays no matter how pretty they are. They are almost as bad as parrots as far as being noisy. They are squawkers and very, very aggressive and territorial so much so I could not enjoy my yard. They would actually swoop down on me. It was a very big problem we had for a long time. On Mother's Day years ago, as we were trying to have a picnic dinner outside on our deck, my son got a bb gun and shot one. Then we all cried, including him. It was a terrible day we will never forget. Dee, in California

I love the blue jays. They have personality! They call me when a cat is around...really, I know their call..it is "Come get this dang cat!" and I go get the cat and put it in the house. Their babies are big and spend time on the ground learning to fly and the entire extended family watches over him. Years ago I had a white German Shepherd who would stand over the babies until I came and set it back up in a tree, so a cat wouldn't get them. There is one that comes to my porch every day to steal cat food right in front of the cat! I have tons of birds and never saw any aggressive behavior from the jays.

Our bluejays - or maybe it is just one - are very timid and can frequently be chased away by a cardinal or even a bunch of small birds! We have our feeder weighted such that large birds can't get in (to deter grackles), but one did try valiantly to get into our safflower seed one, then tried the thistle seed one.

Cardinals wish me luck

I need some help. I have 4 feeders on my back porch. I started out getting bluebirds then redbirds then a few small species and squirrels. Everyone ate nicely until the DOVES showed up. Bluebirds and squirrels are gone. How can I get them back?

frmbritt - it's best if you start a new post/thread. You'll get more responses.

Feeding birds can become a challenge when certain birds dominate your feeders. I struggle with this too (I get a lot of blackbirds). To prevent doves you need feeders they can't use. I could suggest a tube feeder with perches. The fat doves can't land on the perches. They also have tube feeders and suet feeders with cages around them. This prevents bigger birds from entering and allows smaller birds access (like a bluebird). The not so fun part is buying new/more feeders. I'm going thru this now.... Just when I thought I was good on feeders, now I'm buying caged feeders, and they aren't cheap.