[RationalParrot]

My feeders are visited most often by the savage mob of house sparrows in residence nearby (said with affection, of course. The little guys are savage in an endearing way). Some house finches, gold finches, cardinals, mourning doves, and a red bellied woodpecker are all frequent visitors. All of the above species will hang out together with other species on the feeders.

Blue Jays, though, clear everyone out. A BJ shows up, and all the sparrows take off. Even the doves-- usually possessed of great equanimity-- won't stay. A pair of Blue Jays get the feeders all to themselves, as long as they want it.

The woodpecker is the same size as the Blue Jay, but the sparrows will feed alongside the woodpecker. So it's not the size of the Jay that scares everyone else off. It must be some tendency to aggression toward other species, yes? So, how bad is that tendency? Have any of you observed BJ violence toward other adult birds? Presumably the birds know from whom they have something to fear, but I'm curious as to how nasty the BJ really is.

[Tammie]

Hi,
I don't know much about blue jays but the gray jays I have here have the same effect of clearing feeders in one swoop. I've never seen or heard of them going after other birds but most times, they'll even clear out the hairy woodpeckers... most times but not always. Sometimes the hairies hold their ground but they are the only ones who'll take on the jays. I wonder if maybe just their size and attitude are intimidating?

[steve_nova]

I think most of the crow family have this tendency to a greater or lesser degree. Bold, assertive, aggressive, inquisitive and mischievous are are all epithets that this group of bird wear pretty well. I suppose thats part of their success.

[Beverlybaynes]

I've certainly seen jays clear a feeder in a heartbeat -- but I have a sneaking suspicion that the other birds are glad to let them do it. After all, that loud brassy squawk of theirs is the perfect warning of predators in the area.

Don't know about vicious, per se, but did see one this past spring beating the bejesus out of a small frog on a tree limb!

[icansprint]

This is an interesting topic. :) I've been feeding birds for a couple of years now and Blue Jays are constant visitors. I had a problem with the squirrels for a while but never the Blue Jays. I have a couple of feeders set up for the larger birds and a couple set up for the smaller birds. When I throw feed on the ground they all feed together. The little birds squabble with each other over the small bird feeders but they all seem to get their turn. The small birds also take their turns at the big feeders. I’ve seen Gold Finches lined up all the way around the larger bird feeders.

When the crows come, everything but the squirrels and Blue Jays leave. But, the crows are very skittish and don’t stay long. There is a pecking order but it all seems to work out ok in my yard.

Bill

[Larry Lade]

At my bird feeders whenever the Blue Jays come swooping in everyone makes for the nearest cover, except the "meek and mild" Mourning Dove. They will not be intimidated by the "bully" Blue Jay. I have repeatedlly seen the dove make the jay back down. I though this a little surprising given the dove's peaceful and serene nature.

[DoveKeeper]

I too have seen this phenomenon. We have a lot of mourning doves. I have atributed it to the bluejays are well known egg stealers and it wouldn't suprise me to find out that the doves eggs are a top of the list delicassy. And I think it's just second nature that the doves become offensive in close quarters with the Jay.

[bolton45]

In a clearing in our local wood that I go to the Jays rule, that is until the Magpies arrive. But the Bluetits, and chaffinchs, still manage to sneak in and grab some feed from under these fellows.

[seb_seb]

Round here the coal tit rules(slight exaggeration).....he gets bored of waiting for the greenfinches to finish on the feeders so dives at them and steals the perches!!

[seb_seb]

Actually its the mistle thrush....saw one the other day chasing a rook!!!

[Joe A.]

The jays clear out my feeders, too, but while they're in the trees breaking open the seeds, other birds, mostly small, quicker ones such as chickadees and house finch will rush in for a quck bite. Cardinals come back after the jays have left.

[gthang]

any bird bigger than seven inches tends to clear my feeders. this includes blue jays, grackles, red-bellied woodpeckers, and brown-headed cowbirds.

The blue jays I have very very rarely actually land on the feeder, but the sight of such a huge bird, at least in the eyes of much smaller birds such as finches and sparrows, is enough to liken it to yelling "fire" in a crowded theater.

[Tero]

Someone tried to raise a Jay chick. It did survive and lived with the family. They were not dumb enough to put it in with their caged birds. But it killed one anyway, through the bars of the cage with one peck.

But it was a fun pet for a winter, apparently.

[gthang]

oh, boy, wonder how the family felt when they witnessed the "murder"... what's a group of jays called? I know a group of crows is called a "murder", and if the family had raised a crow instead of a jay, the incident would have fit in nicely with group name...

[Zulu Merula]

Originally Posted by seb_seb

Round here the coal tit rules(slight exaggeration).....he gets bored of waiting for the greenfinches to finish on the feeders so dives at them and steals the perches!!

Hehehe, coal tits do that in my garden too!
Feisty for such a little bird.

[Tero]

I noticed a group of Jays in the park yesterday. They looked fully grown, but several..apparently juveniles...seemed to be begging food from one. Is this consistent with Jays in August?

[shelley810]

I have regular Jay visits to my feeders. Whatever feeder the jay wants, the birds give way and go to another. They guzzle their food making pigs out of themselves then they are off. NOBODY but NOBODY wants them around when their nestlings or fleglings around. I had a pair of bluebirds that tolerated the backyard feeding, as they were nesting in the front, but once the babies fledged.....mom and dad took off after the jay....wouldn't let him anywhere near the backyard. Worse behavior by the tree swallows, they alarmed and dive bombed the jay from the nesting stage on.... the jay was annoyed but only on occasion did he relent and leave. I think it is because these "badasses" are known for being "badasses" and an egg stealer and chick killer, and these other birds know it! You fight him, or give way...
But they are fun to watch when all is calm!
Shelley

[Tero]

So you get a gang of Jays and their offspring too?

[Larry Lade]

Blue Jays can be (and often are!) quite intimidating. However, I have witnessed one bird which will NOT give place to the jay. It is the "peaceful" Mourning Dove. On several occasions I have seen the dove lower its head and spread it wings at the approach of a jay at the feeder. The confused jay generally leaves or just waits until the dove leaves when it is satisfied. I believe the dove is the only bird at our feeders that does not back down in the presence of the jay.

[amasara]

I wrote on another thread that I observe the indigo buntings ONLY after the Jays have gone to bed - in fact the one I saw the other evening looked almost black - I now believe that their blue truly is "reflected" light!! Jays are known to attack the smaller birds -in particular the buntings!