Which Jay Was That?

BirdNote^® 
Which Jay Was That? 
Written by Ellen Blackstone

This is BirdNote.

          [Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat of the Steller’s Jay]

Hear this bird? It’s a jay … and it’s blue. But this is a Steller’s Jay, not a true Blue Jay with a capital “B.” The bona fide Blue Jay is primarily a bird of the East, or east of the Rocky Mountains at least. Of the many jays in the US, these are the only two that sport crests. 

          [Jay, jay call of the Blue Jay]

These jays have similar personalities. Both are raucous and have a bit of a reputation for being “bad boys.” Nineteenth-century observer, Thomas Nuttall, wrote of the Steller’s Jay that “they are as watchful as dogs,” and that “they neglect all other employment… to come round, follow, peep at and scold (you)”. 

          [Steller’s Jay]

Like their larger cousins, the crows and ravens and magpies, Blue Jays and Steller’s Jays are intelligent opportunists. Having adapted to the places where we live, they come readily to bird feeders and are bold about asking for handouts. Both imitate raptors, but their other calls are quite different. One more time here’s the Blue Jay… and the Stellar’s Jay.

          [Steller's Jay]

To compare photos of these two birds — and hear them again — come to our web site, BirdNote.org. I'm Michael Stein.

### 
Senior Producer: Mark Bramhill
Producer: Sam Johnson
Managing Producer: Jazzi Johnson
Managing Producer: Ariana Remmel
Content Director: Jonese Franklin

Bird sounds provided by The Macaulay Library at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. Steller's Jay [49534] recorded by L.J. PEYTON; Blue Jay [105451] recorded by G.A. Keller.
BirdNote’s theme music was composed and played by Nancy Rumbel and John Kessler.
© 2017 Tune In to Nature.org   November 2011 / 2017  August 2025 
Narrator: Michael Stein

ID# STJABLJA-01c-2010-11-29     STJABLJA-01c