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Sunday 20th June 2004, 04:56
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#1 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Savannah, GA
Posts: 4
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Male or Female Blue Jay?!
Is there a visual way to tell the difference between a male and female blue jay?
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Sunday 20th June 2004, 06:21
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#2 |
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BF member
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Normally it isn't possible to tell the female from the male Blue Jay just by the looks of it. Can't remember if there's a minute difference in average size, though.
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Sunday 20th June 2004, 12:49
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#3 |
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conehead
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: .
Posts: 6,794
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Hi Kinte,
Welcome to BirdForum! A behavioural difference: generally, only the female incubates the eggs (males have been known to do a spell, but only rarely). So if you see one incubating, it is likely a female, if you see one carrying food to a sitting bird, that's the male. But both parents feed the chicks, so once they've hatched the eggs, no way of telling. Michael |
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Sunday 20th June 2004, 13:13
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#4 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Savannah, GA
Posts: 4
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Well we have a a baby Blue Jay that we are in the process of rehablilitating, is there a way we can tell if it is male of female?
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Sunday 20th June 2004, 13:29
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#5 |
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conehead
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: .
Posts: 6,794
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Probably not now - a licensed bird bander would be able to tell in spring, when it will show a cloacal protuberance (male) or not (female)
Michael |
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Sunday 20th June 2004, 13:38
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#6 | |
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Savannah, GA
Posts: 4
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Quote:
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Sunday 20th June 2004, 13:42
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#7 |
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conehead
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: .
Posts: 6,794
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Sorry - it is something that birds have in the spring, for transferring sperm from male to female . . . not quite the same as what mammals have, but the same function
 It is something that can only be seen by examining the bird in the hand (by gently blowing the feathers apart under the tail, to see the skin) - which is why only a trained & licensed bird bander can do it Michael |
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Sunday 20th June 2004, 13:44
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#8 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Savannah, GA
Posts: 4
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i figured is was something like that but i wasnt sure, thanks
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Sunday 20th June 2004, 16:32
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#9 | |
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Senior Moment
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Plymouth, Devon
Posts: 6,409
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Quote:
Did you just know that, or have you got a reference book? If so, which one? - it sounds worth getting.
__________________
Jason Come doleful owl, the messenger of woe, Melancholy's bird, companion of Despair, Sorrow's best friend and Mirth's professed foe The chief discourser that delights sad Care. O come, poor owl, and tell thy woes to me. Which having heard, I'll do the like for thee. (Anon c.1607) |
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Sunday 20th June 2004, 17:47
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#10 | |
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conehead
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: .
Posts: 6,794
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Quote:
From Crows & Jays (Madge & Burn, Helm 1993) Michael |
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