Steller's jay facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Steller's jay |
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| Steller's jay in Flagstaff, Arizona, with white head-markings typical of eastern-variety birds (C. s. macrolopha) | |
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Cyanocitta
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stelleri
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The Steller's jay (Cyanocitta stelleri) is a beautiful bird that lives in western North America. It's a relative of the blue jay, but it has a cool black head and upper body. People sometimes call it the long-crested jay, mountain jay, or pine jay. It's special because it's the only crested jay found west of the Rocky Mountains. Even though some people in the Pacific Northwest call it a "blue jay," it's actually a different species from the blue jay (C. cristata) that lives in eastern North America.
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What Does a Steller's Jay Look Like?
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Steller's jays are about 30–34 cm (12–13 in) long. They usually weigh around 100–140 g (3.5–4.9 oz). These birds look a bit different depending on where they live. Birds from the north have a blackish-brown head, while those further south have bluer heads.
The Steller's jay has a thinner beak and longer legs than the blue jay. It also has a much bigger crest on its head. Its head can be blackish-brown, black, or dark blue, with lighter stripes on its forehead. This dark color changes to a shiny blue on its shoulders and lower chest. Its wing feathers and tail are a rich blue with darker stripes.
Birds living in the eastern part of their range, near the Great Divide, often have white marks on their heads, especially above their eyes. Birds further west have light blue marks. Those right along the Pacific Coast might have very small, faint, or no white or light marks at all.
Where Do Steller's Jays Live?
Steller's jays live in most of the forested areas of western North America. You can find them from southern Alaska all the way down to northern Nicaragua. They replace the blue jay in these areas. They are less common in the central Rocky Mountains and in desert areas.
Sometimes, Steller's jays and blue jays can have babies together where their homes meet, like in the eastern foothills of the Rocky Mountains, especially in Colorado. Steller's jays are also found in Mexico's highlands and in parts of south-central Guatemala, northern El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua.
Even though they mostly live in coniferous forests (forests with trees like pines and firs), they can live in other types of forests too. They are found from low to medium elevations, and sometimes even up near the tree line. You can often see Steller's jays in neighborhoods and farm areas if there are forests nearby.
What Do Steller's Jays Eat?
Steller's jays are omnivores, meaning they eat both plants and animals. About two-thirds of their diet is plant material, and one-third is animal matter. They find food both on the ground and in trees.
Their diet includes many kinds of seeds, nuts, berries, and other fruits. They also eat insects, small rodents, eggs, and baby birds from other nests. Sometimes, they even eat small reptiles like snakes and lizards.
During the non-breeding season, acorns and seeds from conifer trees are very important for them. They often hide these foods in the ground or in trees to eat later. Steller's jays are also good at finding food left by humans. They often scavenge at picnics and campsites, sometimes competing with the Canada jay for food.
These jays will visit bird feeders. They especially like black-oil sunflower seeds, white striped sunflower seeds, cracked corn, and shelled raw peanuts. They love whole raw peanuts! They also eat suet, mostly in the winter.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
Steller's jays form pairs and stay together for breeding. The female usually sits on the eggs to keep them warm for about 16 days. The male brings food to the female during this time. Even though jays are known for being loud, they are very quiet when they are nesting so they don't attract attention to their nest.
Their nest is usually built in a conifer tree. Sometimes, they build it in a hollow part of a tree or under the roof of a house. Their nests are similar to a blue jay's nest but a bit bigger, usually 25 to 43 cm (9.8 to 16.9 in) wide. They use natural materials and sometimes even trash, often mixing it with mud.
Females lay between two and six eggs during the breeding season. The eggs are oval-shaped and a little shiny. They are usually a pale greenish-blue color with brown or olive speckles.
How Do Steller's Jays Communicate?
Like other jays, Steller's jays make many different sounds. One common call sounds like a harsh SHACK-Sheck-sheck-sheck-sheck-sheck. Another call, skreeka! skreeka!, sounds a lot like an old-fashioned water pump. They also make a soft, breathy hoodle hoodle whistle. Their alarm call is a harsh, nasal wah. Some calls are different for males and females: females make a rattling sound, while males make a high-pitched gleep gleep.
Steller's jays are also great at copying sounds! They can imitate the calls of many other birds, other animals, and even sounds that aren't from animals. They often copy the calls of birds of prey, like the red-tailed hawk, red-shouldered hawk, and osprey. This makes other birds fly away and hide, leaving food areas clear for the jay!
Who is Steller's Jay Named After?
This bird is named after a German scientist named Georg Wilhelm Steller. He was the first European to write about them in 1741. Later, another scientist, Johann Friedrich Gmelin, officially named the species after Steller in a book published in 1788.
Provincial Bird
The Steller's jay is the official provincial bird of British Columbia, a province in Canada.
See also
In Spanish: Arrendajo de Steller para niños
