Cardinals and Bluejays (1 Viewer)

[emc]

I've noticed that when one season I see a lot of cardinals there aren't very many bluejays but when there's a lot of bluejays I rarely see any cardinals. is this a coincidence or is there something to it. I know that a while back I use to see both the same amount of cardinals and bluejays but for the past couple of years that hasn't been the case, now it's mostly cardinals and I have yet to see a bluejay this year. I'm in the southern Ontario area in Canada.
----------------------------
Bird Mugs

 

[shelley810]

It could be what you are and not seeing are normal shifts in the local populations which would have to fluctuate with who got to what breeding territory first. Cardinals are more tolerant of overlapping same species territory during the nesting season then bluejays, so you would see more of them. Bluejays being far more aggressive and assertive will also move around an abundant food source, so during nesting, you wouln't see but a pair then offspring until later. Bluejays can be partial migrators, too.
I myself never noticed a corolation before between the two species, but someone more knowlegable would have a better idea.
shelley