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WILDLIFE
Meet a colourful woodland mimic – a beauty amongst beasts
THE jay is member of the crow, or corvid family, and it is often called the beauty amongst the beasts. The European jay is classed as smallBy CHRIS sized, measuring SPERRING MBE around 58cms headto-tail, which puts it near to the size of a jackdaw. It is seemingly more colourful than the others, but I would definitely say to anyone who thinks the magpie is dull, they have never seen one close up. The plumage of the jay is unmistakable with its light brown, to what some call a pinkie-brown, body which fades to white near the rump, whilst the lighter-coloured throat gives way to two prominent black moustachial streaks below the beak. The upper wings are striking and include black and white bars and very prominent blue feathers which are intermixed. The call of the jay, a harsh rasping, is again unique and couldn’t possibly be that of another bird species, although it does have a song of sorts as when near each other, quieter and gentler rasping can be heard. But beware, the jay is a mimic! Have you ever heard tawny owls calling in the daytime? Well, I have and though some will be tawny owls I just wonder how many are, actually, jays? I have been fooled many times thinking
The jay’s call is harsh and rasping, but can be quieter and gentler when they are together
I’m following the daytime activity of a tawny to then come across a jay doing the most amazing tawny owl call. Jays can mimic a whole host of other birds as well and, so I’ve been told, they are very good at mimicking cats and car horns. Like other members of the crow family, jays can eat a wide variety of food, from insects through to small mammals, berries and, of course, what they are famous for: tree seeds. Jays are noted for and responsible for the planting of real natural woodland because of their habit of caching food or burying things like acorns underground for use during the harshest parts of winter. But many of The jay – a beauty amongst the beasts with its distinctive markings
these cached tree seeds get forgotten or are not needed and from them come new natural woodlands that don’t seem to need plastic guards and do very well. The jay is well distributed across the UK; its numbers will suddenly rise and fall throughout the year because, during autumn and winter, jays from colder parts of Europe will come to us for the milder climate. It’s a classic woodland bird and can seem very shy compared to the other members of family, but you can encourage them into your garden by placing nuts out on a board or tree stump. Both males and females build a simple cup-shaped nest of sticks at the end of March and beginning of April. Around two to six eggs can be laid with incubation lasting around 19 days. Both parents help raise the young which are fully independent within eight to ten weeks of being hatched. Only one brood is thought to be raised during the nesting period. Whilst out on your April walks, look out for and listen out for jays, as well as enjoying the rest of the spring flora and fauna. l I will be leading the Hawk and Owl Trust monthly walk on Friday, April 8th at the trust’s Shapwick Moor nature reserve from 10am-midday. The focus this month will be on bird song. To book visit: https://hawkandowltrust.org/reserves/shap wick/shapwick-events
Chris Sperring is Conservation Officer for the Hawk and Owl Trust Contact him on 07799 413918 or via Chris.Sperring@hawkandowltrsut.org.uk
MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2022 • PAGE 57
