Blue Jay / Cyanocitta cristata

The Blue Jay

Beautifully coloured and with a strident call, blue jays are most common in backyards and forests of much of North America.

Blue jays are sometimes known to eat eggs or nestlings, and it is this practice that has tarnished their reputation. In fact, they are largely vegetarian birds. Most of their diet is composed of acorns, nuts, and seeds—though they also eat small creatures such as caterpillars, grasshoppers, and beetles, so now they are known as omnivores.

Most northern birds head south for the winter and join in large flocks of up to 250 birds to make the long journey. However, this migration is a bit of a mystery to scientists.

Size relative to a regular sized tea cup:

The blue jay's "Jay! Jay!" call is only one of a wide variety of sounds the bird employs—including excellent imitations of several hawk calls