The Blue Jay “the songbird”
By: Veronica Colombo
Blue Jay Scientific name: Cyanocitta cristata
• Large, perky crest • Broad, rounded tail • White or light gray plumage underneath • Blue, black and white plumage above • Noisy calls: HOW I SOUND!!
Video of me in a ction
Energy transfer: These animals like to prey on the blue jays’ eggs too!
The blue jay is considered omnivorous meaning they eat plants and animals such as seeds, fruits, caterpillars, acorns (their favorite), grains, mice, frogs, dead small birds, beechnuts and peanuts. Hide seeds and forget where They are so others eat them. This is how they contribute to Ecosystem by spreading oak tree population
Racoon squirrel ?!?! Blue jay eggs snake Other birds eggs are preyed upon by blue jays : / This gives them bad reputation‌
hawk
Subject to predation by hawks, eagles and other raptors
Ecology:
Blue jays live in mixed forests throughout the eastern and central areas of the U.S.
Habitat range starts in Southern Canada and stretches down to central U.S. and South Florida
Breeds in coniferous and deciduous forests
Living plants in coniferous forest: mosses, ferns, and forbs. Animals: mice, squirrels, deer
Living plants in deciduous forest: lichens, moss, ferns. Animals: cardinals, woodpeckers, owls
Can be found in towns, cities, parks, residential areas, forest edges, oak trees and
backyard bird feeders.
The blue jay is prey to hawks and owls due to its slow speed in flying.
fern forb
squirrel
moss woodpecker
owl
Evolution:
Adaptations include:
Alarm calling when danger is near making blue jay beneficial to smaller birds and themselves by keeping predators away especially when they are near their nests.
Thermal insulation: feathers grow close to skin to help them get by in cold weather.
Can store 2-3 acorn in their upper esophagus called “gular pouch” and store them for later feeding.
Use their beak to pry open seeds and their feet to latch on to things.
Fun Facts:
Main character depicted in The Regular Show (“Mordecai”)
Toronto Blue Jays mascot
Oldest known blue jay lived 17 years 6 months!!
There are 4 different subspecies of blue jays which include:
1.
Cyanocitta cristata bromia – Northern blue jay
2.
Cyanocitta cristata cristata – Coastal blue jay
3.
Cyanocitta cristata cyanotephra – Interior blue jay
4.
Cyanocitta cristata semplei – Florida blue jay
Official bird to Canadian province of Prince Edward Island
Resources:
http://thefabweb.com/81812/30-best-animal-pictures-of-the-week-feb-16th-to-feb-22nd-2013/
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/42784265183415892/
http://rebel--heart.deviantart.com/journal/Photography-Feature-Blue-Jays-350441019
http://birds-infoa2z.blogspot.com/2013/06/Blue-Jay-Bird-Information.html
https://youtu.be/T-- LnlE1nE8
http://www.xeno-canto.org/109601
https://www.pinterest.com/barrywingard/birds/
https://jpgenzostudio.com/collections/birds
http://fullhdpictures.com/acorn-hq-wallpapers.html/acorn
https://philipschwarzphotography.wordpress.com/category/monarch-caterpillar/
http://www.hww.ca/en/wildlife/birds/blue-jay.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/
http://www.clipartpanda.com/categories/snake-clipart
http://www.bootic.com/teesforall/apparel-and-accessories/clothing/shirts-and-tops/t-shirts/regular-show-mordecai-amp-rigby-panel
http://www.tradingcarddb.com/Gallery.cfm/sid/68378/2012-Swing-Into-Summer-Safety-Toronto-Blue-Jays
http://www.kidzone.ws/geography/pei /