Cooper,
Plenty of them here in east Tennessee. Year long bird for us, the little onesare getting a\"all grown up" now.

Bob

Bluejays are succeptible to West Nile Virus. They don't migrate but food availability will affect populations. Either way, it doesn't sound good!

I have seen more than ever here in Pa.

Hi Cooper,

We lost some around the neighborhood a few years back (to the West Nile Virus we think)... found a few dead along our walks. But they've recovered very well here since.

Jeanner is also right about them following the food. We saw a lot last year but they wouldn't come close enuf to photograph...
This year someone suggested offering them peanuts, and now we have them up close everyday :)
{{!gwi}}

Kenn

Here is a link that might be useful: Bluejays

I had about 8 blue jays vanish at one time from my feeders in GA. We have several different species of oaks, berries and plenty at feeders of course (not that this counts), so I was a bit confused. The jays were adapted to urban life. The beau asked me where they went. If it was sickness you would think it would be a slow process not all at once.

The number of Blue Jays here in Mass. at my feeders has stayed pretty consistent year round. There is usually a group of about 3-5 at any point.

According to the Cornell bird site, there has been a "slight but significant" decline in Blue Jay populations across the country. Also says that Blue jays are partially migratory. Perhaps this is tied to food sources.

"Although the migration of Blue Jays is an obvious phenomenon, with thousands moving past some points along the coast, much about it remains a mystery. Some jays are present throughout the winter in all parts of the range. Which jays move and which stay put? Although young jays may be more likely to migrate than adults, many adults do migrate. Some individual jays may migrate south in one year, stay north the next winter, and then migrate south again the next year."

I didn't know that bluejays would migrate - thanks for that info!

I had 14 last winter, a little too much of a good thing, I think. Maybe some of them were migrants, my high count so far this year is just 6.

Thanks so much for all the information and that great photo. I'm hoping the blue jays have moved farther south to find food and will return next year to annoy the deer hunters. They are gorgeous birds.
Cooper

I have only seen one Blue Jay in my backyard at the feeders and he's a pretty large bird, he goes to the feeder and it swings back and forth knocking all the other birds off of it, it's so funny to watch. I haven't seen any other Jays, just him/her and it's been around for a good while now. I am amazed at how large this Blue Jay is. I may try putting out some peanuts and see if that brings in anymore.

Linda

I have more than ever here in NY. I had to build them there own feeder this year with corn and sunflower seeds, because I have a group of 6 or 7.

I have three that always come as a group. Why 3 I wonder? This has remained steady for the past two years.
Manie

Cooper, I have the same problem down here in Central Texas...I haven't seen a blue jay at my feeders in three years! We used to have them regularly. I haven't seen a scrub jay this year either. Instead, this year, I have been tracking what I do have and I have noted a couple of species that are supposed to be farther west than I am, namely the Mexican jay and the pine siskin. I am concerned about this change at my feeders. What does it signify for the bigger picture?

Since 2007, I have lived in Charlotte N.C., Cocoa Beach Fl. and Montgomery Al. It has been at least twelve years since I have seen a Blue Jay. Here in central Alabama, I haven't seen "any" since we moved here in April of 2010.So the notion they moved south, has no merit. We have five acres and plenty of bird habitat. Many other species such as the Cardinal and Blue Bird are common here. Something is dreadfully wrong with the Blue Jay population! Growing up in Charlotte, they were numerous in number during the 1960's and 70's. I miss this beautiful bird with an attitude! I hope someone with the necessary training and education will accept the challenge to find out what has happened to this wonderful bird.

We have plenty of jays here in SW Missouri. I can't say I've noticed a change in the population one way or another, two or three pairs come to my feeders every day, and we have nesting pairs every year.

I've noticed no decline in the number of Jays here in southeast Tennessee. If you put out raw peanuts they appear like magic. I'll have a crowd of well over ten.

A Red Shouldered Hawk took a dove in the back yard back in Early January and it seemed as if the yard had 50 or more within a minute or so, all of them screaming at the top of their lungs.

I lived in Alabama in the early 50's about 45 miles SE of Birmingham. The air rang constantly with the calls of Blue Jays. It was a background noise you took for granted. Strange to hear that they have abandoned at least some areas there.

Since last posting on this thread a little over 2 years ago, I am still seeing about 3-6 Blue Jays at the feeders daily. There was a period last Spring when there were a couple groups of them cruising the neighborhood and squawking at each other, perhaps a resident flock and a migrating flock passing through?

They are beautiful birds, and more than welcome, but they are noisy, bossy, and like to hog the feeders, especially the suet nuggets. Sometimes it seems like they enjoy flying into a the middle of a group of little birds, just for the enjoyment of making them scatter! LOL Sometimes I wait until they've moved on to another part of the neighborhood, then put out some nuggets for Bluebirds.

that's really great news Terrene...But I feel as bird lovers we need to do take initiative from our end to save such species of birds from extinction whose populations is decreasing day by day.

Here is a link that might be useful: National Maritime Museum

Still lots of bluejays here this summer, but if the mothers don't take better care of their babies, there won't be. I keep finding babies that have fallen out of the nests (which are 30' up in the trees) and tho their parents scold loudly if you get close to them, the babies that are not fledged yet usually don't survive that kind of fall. Sad.