Steller's Jay Sunbathing
by Kym Backland
Title
Steller's Jay Sunbathing
Artist
Kym Backland
Medium
Photograph
Description
This Steller's Jay is young. He enjoys sitting on the deck and doing a little sunbathing. You can tell he is young and not fully grown. His head is still brown, and he has the grey down feathers underneath his brightly blue striped tail feathers. His head will turn black and this blue feature will turn a more colbalt blue. They are sure clowns. Jumping and hopping around. I didn't realize they can mimic other birds! Like a Parrot.. This one's parent does an Eagle call exactly, and gets all the other birds to leave the suet or bird feeder, and he takes over. I was constantly looking for "The Eagle" when I didn't see the Eagle for an hour, but kept hearing the call, I started to investigate! I realize this Steller's Jay was copying the sound exactly. He mimics many calls of other birds around here. I'm wondering how many of you birders have heard or noticed this?
The Steller's Jay is a striking bird with deep blue and black plumage and a long, shaggy crest. The front of its body is black, and the rear is deep blue. The black extends midway down its back and down its breast. It has faint, dark barring on its wings. Adults have blue vertical 'eyebrows' above each eye. The juvenile appears similar to the adult, but has a slightly browner head and lacks the blue eyebrows of the adult. The inland form has a small white patch over the eye. Here is a little info about his habits and such.
Steller's Jays breed primarily in dense conifer forests, but they use a wider variety of forested habitats at other times of year. They can be found from low to moderate elevations. They are common in treed residential areas and agricultural areas with adjacent forests. They breed up to the tree line, particularly in open or fragmented forests, but are typically found at lower elevations than are Gray Jays.Steller's Jays form flocks outside of the nesting season and often fly across clearings in single file. They are highly vocal outside of the nesting season. When they are raising young or robbing nests, Steller's Jays become very quiet and inconspicuous. They are well known at feeders, picnic areas, and campgrounds where they beg boldly for handouts with loud, raspy calls. These intelligent and opportunistic birds are quick to take advantage of new food sources, including bird feeders, especially those full of peanuts. They cache extra nuts, making sure that the food is covered from all directions. They pound on hard nuts with their bills to break them open. They forage primarily in trees, but may forage lower at times. Steller's Jays have complex social hierarchies and dominance patterns.Steller's Jays are omnivores, and their diets are about 2/3 vegetable-matter and 1/3 animal-matter. The vegetable portion of their diet consists of seeds, nuts, berries, and fruits, and the animal-matter portion consists of bird eggs and nestlings, invertebrates, suet, small rodents, reptiles, and carrion. They eat almost any scraps that humans give them. They appear to be major predators of other species' eggs.Steller's Jays form monogamous, long-term pair bonds. They remain together year round. They typically nest in a conifer, and both members of the pair help build the nest. The nest is a bulky cup made of twigs, weeds, moss, and leaves, held together with mud. The nest is usually lined with rootlets, pine needles, and other fine material, often with bits of paper adorning the outside. The female typically incubates 4-5 eggs for 16-18 days. Both members of the pair feed the young, which leave the nest at about 16 days. They begin making short flights within a few days of fledging, and can make sustained flights by the age of 30 days, which is about when they begin to find their own food. The adults continue to provide some food for the fledglings for about a month after they fledge.
That's about all I know about this bird!
Uploaded
September 21st, 2012
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Viewed 1,108 Times - Last Visitor from New York, NY on 04/21/2024 at 4:13 PM
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Comments (41)
Kym Backland
DIGITAL DESIGNS "STEVE WALLACE", Thank you for the feature of my photo STELLER'S JAY SUNBATHING in your new and wonderful group FAA BIRD PORTRAITS. I appreciate it Steve. Lots of great bird photos there! I'm finding all new people and great photos!
I'ina Van Lawick
Great shot, Kym. The light is perfect. Our neighborhood has Scrub Jays. Have you seen any? i'ina
Kym Backland replied:
I'ina, No, we don't have the Scrub Jays, I hear you either have to be closer to Eastern Washington, or up higher in the mountains.. I'm not sure that is true, but I have never seen a Scrub Jay in my area.... I love your photos.. thanks for coming by today!
Peg Urban
Great shot of a beautiful bird-we certainly don't have them in Florida! v
Kym Backland replied:
Peg, I so enjoy your gallery these days! Or well, everyday... your pictures are really nice! Anyways, thanks for voting on this Steller's Jay...
Andee Photography
What a cool looking bird Kym! :)
Kym Backland replied:
Andee, Thanks! They really are trouble makers! But funny troublemakers! I appreciate you taking the time to make a comment!
Jeff Swanson
Great looking bluejay. They are a little different then what we see here in Nebraska. Any way great shot, Kym. Voted.
Kym Backland replied:
Jeff, Hey there! Happy Sunday to you! It's funny how birds look different in different parts of the country! Thanks for your vote today!
Shirley Sirois
I never saw a Steller's Jay, but hope to see one....v.
Kym Backland replied:
Shirley, Wow, and I hope to see a Cardinal someday too! Thanks for your votes today!
Kym Backland
ELLA, Thank you for the feature today of my photo STELLER'S JAY SUNBATHING in your group NATURE WILDLIFE SUNSETS AND SUNRISES... This group is growing very quickly!
Rona Black
Quite a beautiful bird -- well done, Kym.
Kym Backland replied:
Rona, Hello!! Wow, another comment I missed... thank you for stopping by, Sorry it took me so long to reply to your kind compliments! I hope your week turns out to be a wonderful and productive one Rona!
Jane Small
Kym,you don't seem to have had any "middle of the night " visitors lately! I check occasionally, and then noticed this Steller's Jay which is new to me as we only have the beautiful pinky ones and I'm not sure I've ever even seen one of those either!! Your photo of him is very lovely and he looks so exotic,as if he belongs somewhere tropical rather than a conifer forest! v/f
Kym Backland replied:
Jane, I'm sorry it took me so long to respond to this post! I seem to keep missing these posts for some reason! Anyways, I have had visitors in the night, I just haven't gotten out there to take their photos! Yes, you are correct, this Steller's Jay is one of the only birds that is "colorful" that stays here all year round! I've heard it said that they are the "Blue Cardinal" of the WEST... Thanks for your votes and clicking it as your favorite!
Yelena Rubin
Marvellous capture, as if it posed for you!
Kym Backland replied:
Yelena, Thanks for your lovely comments.. sorry it took me so long to give you a response... not sure how I keep missing these comments.. Thanks again for your compliments..
Kym Backland
NADINE AND BOB Thank you for the double feature of my bird photo STELLER'S JAY SUNBATHING in your group ALL NATURAL BEAUTY OF THINGS
Mariola Bitner
What an amazing capture Kym! Wow! Beautiful color and detail! V/F
Kym Backland replied:
Mariola, Thanks so much! You are kind to vote and promote and feature! I really do appreciate your time and efforts.. This Steller's Jay will get darker and more blue in color as he ages..
Oksana Semenchenko
Very nice blue bird. Great capture. f/w/v t g+
Kym Backland replied:
Oksana, Thanks again! They are beautiful birds, but they are like clowns, always in trouble doing something hyperactive! hehe..
Angela Stanton
Stunning photo and a most amazing looking bird. I wish we had these over here! v/f
Kym Backland replied:
Angela, Thank you! They sure are a vibrant "BLUE" aren't they.. I appreciate you taking the time to stop by and vote and favorite!
Kym Backland
Jill, Thanks so much! I think these guys get "bluer" as time goes on! Their vertical eyebrows crack me up..Anyways, thank you for taking the time to vote! Don't forget to spring your clock ahead tonight!
Svetlana Sewell
Beautiful capture!
Kym Backland replied:
Svetlana, Thank you for taking the time to drop by and leave a compliment! That's nice of you!
Ramona Matei
Really beautiful! The blue is just amazing. F/V
Kym Backland replied:
Ramona, Hello again! How's things? Thank you for taking the time to check out the Steller's Jay.. I appreciate you taking the time to vote and favorite too!
Julie Palencia
Beautifully captured, Kym, enjoyed your galleries. f/v
Kym Backland replied:
Julie, Thanks so much for coming by for a long visit! hehe.. I appreciate your vote and favor too! Nice to meet you!