WESTERN SCRUB JAY  "It Takes A Thief To Know a Thief!" Not Such a Bird Brain After AllThey might not pay into savings accounts or keep
diaries, but western scrub-jays (Aphelocoma californica) can anticipate
and plan for the future, as shown in published scientific research. What the birds do in the evening depends on
how they might feel the next morning. They can anticipate, for example, how
much food, and of what type, will be available in different locations, and
store away the right amount, in the right place, for breakfast.
Knowledge of and planning for the future is a complex skill
that is considered by many to be uniquely human. We are not born with it;
children develop a sense of the future at around the age of two and some
planning ability by only the age of four to five. However, the actions of the Scrub Jay shows surprising abilities
in connection with this behavior. The
scrub jay, a Californian cousin of the blue jay, is a bird that gets some of
its food by stealing from its fellow scrub jays. As a result, they also hide or
"cache" their own food to protect it from their thieving
species-mates.
The Western Scrub engages in tactics to minimize the
chance that their own caches will be stolen. Studies have shown that
scrub-jays remember which individual watched them during particular
caching events and will return and re-hide the food accordingly. They do not usually re-hide their cache if
the initial hiding was done in the presence of a non-thieving bird, or in
private. It might be said that "It takes a thief to know a thief". And these thieving scrub jays surely seem to
do just that. Perhaps the nickname of "Bird Brain" should be taken as quite a
compliment! The Western Scrub Jay is fun to attract and amazing to watch. They like peanuts in the shell and will work hard to free one from a good in-shell peanut feeder , all the time hanging on, spinning and perching in energetic antics. They can be coaxed to hand feed and will return time and time again, scolding if food source is not available. This persistent and "sociable" backyard bird will take the peanuts and store them elsewhere for another time. Peanuts can be found all over the yard, hidden under bark, leaves and plants.
 Western Scrub Jay Description
- Large songbird.
- Blue head, wings, and tail.
- Gray-brown back.
- Grayish underparts.
- Whitish throat with blue necklace.
- Size: 28-30 cm (11-12 in)
- Wingspan: 39 cm (15 in)
- Weight: 70-100 g (2.47-3.53 ounces)
A bold and familiar jay of the American West, the Western
Scrub-Jay is common throughout much of the western lowlands, especially in
areas with oaks and pinyon pines. It has adapted well to suburbs and comes
readily to bird feeders.
Robin-sized,
but large strong bill and long tail make it appear larger. Head, wings, and
tail blue (conspicuous when it glides in a long, undulating flight).
Sex
Differences
Sexes
look alike.
Sound
Calls
harsh and scratchy. Territory 
Scrub Jay
Facts
The
Western Scrub-Jay feeds on parasites on the body of mule deer, hopping over the
body and head of the deer to get them. The deer often help the jays by standing
still and holding their ears up.
Western
Scrub-Jays in areas where acorns are abundant have deep, stout, slightly hooked
bills. Those in areas with lots of pinyon pine have long, shallow, pointed
bills. The shape of the bill helps the jays open their preferred foods: a stout
bill is good for hammering open acorns and the hook helps rip off the shell; a
thinner, more pointed bill can get in between pine cone scales to get at the
pine seeds.
The
species formerly known as "Scrub Jay" has been broken into three
separate species: The Florida Scrub-Jay, the Island Scrub-Jay, and the Western
Scrub-Jay. The Western Scrub-Jay can be divided into three forms, each of which
may or may not be a separate species. The California Scrub-Jay of the Pacific
coast has contrasting dark blue-and-white plumage, with a prominent blue
necklace on a streaked white throat. The Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay of the Great
Basin and eastward is duller and less well-marked, with little or no necklace.
Sumichrast's Scrub-Jay of central Mexico has whiter underparts and little or no
necklace.
The
Western Scrub-Jay has been used in laboratory studies of its ability to hide
(cache) and remember seeds. Jays that had stolen the caches of other jays
noticed if other jays were watching them hide food. If they had been observed,
they would dig up and hide their food again. Jays that had never stolen food
did not pay any attention to whether other jays were watching them hide their
food.
Like
all jays, this species may be secretive and silent around its nest or while
perching in a treetop in early morning but is frequently noisy and conspicuous.
Scrub jays often eat the eggs or young of other birds, but in summer they are
mainly insectivorous. These birds also eat acorns and have been described as
"uphill planters," counter-balancing the tendency of acorns to bounce
or roll downhill. The jays bury many more acorns than they consume and help
regenerate oak forests that have been destroyed by fire or drought. Resources: Scientific Studies done by Dr. Nicky Clayton, Experimental Psychology and Director of Studies in Nature Science - Clare College, Cambridge University.
Cornell
Lab of Ornithology, and Curry,
Peterson, 2002. Western Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma californica). In
The Birds of North America Photos by Ted Steinke. HOMEPAGE for BackyardBirdsandGardens.com
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