A huge number of birds with beautiful plumage and unusual habits inhabit our planet. Today we will introduce you to a loud, noisy, but very careful bird with blue wings. The name of this feathered simulator is well known to ornithologists and bird lovers.
This is jay. Her bright outfit is not inferior in beauty to the plumage of many exotic birds, and in her skill to imitate the different sounds of this forest mockingbird there are no equal.
Description and Features
You have already familiarized yourself with the photo and name of the bird with blue wings. It looks like a cuckoo. People who are poorly versed in birds often confuse them, although they vary significantly in size. Her body is 15 cm long. Therefore, she is much larger than a cuckoo. And if you take into account the length of the impressive tail, the size of the bird grows twice.
The average weight of this bird with blue wings is about 175 grams, which can be compared with the mass of two cuckoos. You can recognize the jay by the feathers of the white overhead, which turn into a black tail. The plumage of these birds is friable and fluffy. The outfit of this bird is distinguished by its original color scheme. Ornithologists believe that the name originates from the old Russian verb "soy", meaning "to shine." It is interesting that the “radiance” of these birds — refraction in the grooves smeared with rays of light and the violet-blue hue of feathers — is not due to the presence of a special pigment in the plumage.
Some of the many varieties of jays can be yellow and white. Discreet gray birds with blue wings are also found. On a rather large head there is a pointed short beak, with the upper beak being much larger than the lower. Long legs, tenacious fingers end with small claws. Dimorphism (external sexual differences) of these birds is weakly expressed and consists only in larger sizes of the male.
Young individuals are also distinguished by a dark brown iris, and in adults - eyes of a light blue color. Perhaps a change in the iris is a signal to partners about their readiness for mating. Extraordinary vocal characteristics distinguish these birds. They are famous for the complexity and variety of "repertoire". Most often, their voice sounds like squealing and crackling. Occasionally, it resembles a nasal cry.
Types of Jays
These birds with blue wings belong to the family of corvids, are close relatives of the ravens. The genus of jays is widely and numerously represented in its order; it includes about 44 species. Ornithologists suggest that there are also undescribed species that live in areas difficult to research. Within Europe, these birds are combined into one genus, divided into three species. They are divided, in turn, into subspecies. We will introduce you to some of them.
Jay
A reddish-brown bird with blue wings, widespread in the forests of Eurasia, is also found in the northwestern regions of Africa. It is considered the largest - in size it can be compared with a daw. Its plumage from afar seems gray, but if you look at the bird closer, you can see black and white wings with a blue stripe. You can consider the features of the appearance of this bird with blue wings in the photo below.
This variety is called Eurasian, or kareza. One more feature of this bird should be mentioned - a crest of black-and-white feathers on the head, which can rise when the animal is frightened.
Decorated jay
This bird is distinguished by a black-violet color of its head, a dark blue back and elytra, chestnut feathers with a purple hue on the rest of the body. Decorated jay is common only on the Japanese islands.
Himalayan Jay
About where this species lives, you can understand from its name. The plumage of these birds is very beautiful. Mostly cold tones stand out in it.
American blue jay
This bird with blue wings can be found in the central regions of the United States. It inhabits mixed, pine, beech and oak forests. Sometimes they settle near human housing, where they feed on food waste in addition to basic food. The main tone of the feather in these birds is bluish-blue, with a black stripe on the neck and white dots located throughout the body. The nests of these jays are very strong and neat structures that birds build from branches and pieces of lichen. Inside they are covered with wool, fortified with earth and wet clay.
Black-headed Magpie Jay
These birds are found in Mexico. The structure of the sharp and long tail, they really resemble forty. When excited or frightened, their crest bends. The color of this bird is spectacular: wings with blue feathers above and white below, the head and neck are black. The beak of these juices is very strong, which helps the birds to get food. It is interesting to observe how these birds eat while holding food with the fingers of one of their legs. They stand on the other during a meal.
Yucatan Jay
Very rare variety. These birds are so shy that little is known to ornithologists about them. Settled in the ruins of the Mayan cities. The plumage is black in front and blue in the back.
Blue shrub jay
This species can only be found in the forests of Florida. The wings, head and tail of these birds are blue, and the bottom is light gray. Due to the rarity of the species, shrubbery jay has been taken under protection.
Lifestyle & Habitat
Even such a bright plumage, as well as a daytime lifestyle, do not often allow you to see jays in natural conditions. Birds are sensitive to the slightest movement and rustling nearby. They instantly hide in dense branches, alerting the alarming cries of other relatives about the threat. The loud sounds made by the jays accompany the object that alarmed them for a long time. For such vigilance they are called forest guards.
Jays can be settled birds or nomads, in rare cases - migratory. It depends on the chosen habitat and climatic conditions. The range of such birds is extensive, they are found in many places on our planet. Close relatives of such birds are pine nut, walnut, and crow. As we have said, most varieties of jays are very shy. It is especially difficult for birds with blue wings to live in the winter. Foliage falls, and it becomes more difficult for them to hide in the crowns of trees.
They try not to catch the eye of people. And this trait is fully justified: their life is full of dangers. Common jays prefer to settle in forests: coniferous, deciduous and mixed. They are found in parks if they have a lot of vegetation. Sometimes, however, infrequently, jays appear in human settlements. They mislead people with their concerts, imitating many sounds heard near dwellings.
Sometimes these birds steal food from people, for example potato tubers, laid out for drying. One more funny feature of the behavior of these birds with blue wings should be told. Jays like to sit on an ant hill. They patiently carry insects on their body and their bites. Ornithologists consider this a peculiar therapy: formic acid protects birds from parasites. Jays remaining to winter in their native lands, choose a shelter from the weather in dry stumps, wood crevices, as well as in the roots and cracks of tree bark.
Nutrition
These birds are happy to eat plant foods: nuts, berries and seeds. Subspecies living in Europe do not mind eating acorns. They store them in huge quantities - one jay can prepare up to 4 kg, transferring their trophies over a long distance. Often birds forget about their pantries. Thanks to their thrifty oak groves grow. In the same way they carry seeds of other trees - bird cherry, mountain ash.
Enemies of Jays
These birds have a lot: it’s easy to take such bright birds “at gunpoint”. Of the feathered birds, danger is represented by goshawks, eagle owls. Of animals, jays should beware of the cunning marten.
Benefits of Jays
These birds feed nestlings with caterpillars of insects, including harmful ones. For example, other birds prefer not to touch the pine barbel, and the jays can easily cope with it, for which naturalists call them the orderlies of the forest.
Breeding
In spring, the time for mating is beginning at the jays. In search of a chosen one and an attempt to please her, the male jays coo, make noise, straighten their crests. As a rule, by the onset of summer, the selection of partners in safe habitable areas is completed. Then the couples begin to prepare for the appearance of offspring.
And above all, they need to build nests. They are usually located on tree branches at a height of one and a half meters. Jays construct them from stems and twigs, wool and grass. Shortly after the dwelling is built, greenish-yellow spotted eggs appear in it. There can be up to seven pieces. During this crucial period, jays are especially shy and cautious. Therefore, ornithologists find it difficult to say which of the parents hatches the chicks. Presumably, the main role in this process is assigned to the female.
Two and a half weeks later, helpless and completely dependent on their parents chicks appear, which are rapidly developing. In just 20 days, they become independent. After a year, the youngsters themselves become parents.
Life expectancy of jays
On average, these blue-winged birds live under natural conditions for seven years, but in some cases, under favorable conditions, can survive up to fifteen.
At home, caring for jays is uncomplicated: they are unpretentious, understanding and well trained. The birds are very active, it is interesting to watch them. Surprisingly, despite natural shyness, quite often they become attached to a person. Of course, it is impossible to compare their ability to reproduce human speech with the amazing talents of parrots, for example. But with proper care and a caring attitude, these birds delight their owners for a long time and can live up to 22 years.