They are loud, brash, feathered felons, known to prey on bird feeders meant for other species when the opportunity arises. Larger than robins but smaller than crows, there are only two species of Jays in North America. Their thievery trumps some of the undeniable charm rendered by their physical beauty. These harbingers of winter are also unpleasantly flatulent; don’t get too close.

Blue jays are blessed with an innate intelligence, as indicated by the fact that they will immediately regurgitate poisonous material, and never touch it again. They are also capable of making off with a wasp nest, and perching in a tree with the nest held in one foot while their beak roots out the larvae inside (rather quickly, I might add).

The Blue Jay does have natural bird enemies, bent on a pretty brunch, including the Screech Owl, falcons and hawks. In a bizarre twist of Mother Nature’s whim, the blue jay has the ability to imitate the call of a hawk.

Still, pretty is as pretty does, and jays do have some redeeming qualities. Many experts believe that these birds helped to propagate the growth of oak trees after the last ice age, by burying acorns for later consumption, which then sprouted and helped the tree to move further from its origins.

I thought Johnny Appleseed did that.

Wrong tree, I guess.

Live and learn.

Do YOU know any blue jays?