Jay    Garrulus glandarius

Photo credit: Marek Szczepanek/GFDL

Size

Length = 34-35cm   Wingspan = 52-58cm

Physical description

A member of the crow family, none of which is so brightly coloured. The body tone is predominantly pink from a distance, but a close look reveals a mix of buff, grey and chestnut shades. White throat flanked by black moustachial stripes. Pale crown with dark streaks – these feathers can be raised to form a crown for displaying. Powerful beak, dark grey in colour. Wings are dark with a white wing-bar and a patch of azure blue, best seen when the bird is in flight. Also conspicuous in flight is the white rump. The male and female have a similar plumage.

The flight is undulating. Often seen hopping on the ground while hunting for acorns.

Voice

Call: a loud, harsh screech of ‘skairk’ which can carry a long way. Known to mimic other birds e.g. goshawk.

Song: rarely heard. A mixture of sounds which some do not consider to be a proper song.

Diet

Like other crows it is an omnivore.

Insects e.g. caterpillars and beetles; fruit, seeds and nuts, including acorns from winter to spring; takes eggs from the nests of other birds and the nestlings.

Lifespan

Up to 5 years.

Habitat

Woodland (coniferous and deciduous) and forests. Jays have overcome the decline of traditional woodlands by adapting to urban environments, and they are now seen in towns and cities. They also nest and feed in parks, cemeteries, orchards, farms, copses and large gardens with mature trees.

Geographic range

Present throughout the whole UK, except the uplands of Scotland.

Migration

Jays in the UK do not usually migrate to other areas, and it is thought they spend their lives within a radius of 50 kms. Jays from continental Europe move west when supplies of acorns are low; the number moving can sometimes be very high.

Conservation status

Secure.

Related species

None in the UK.

Where can I see this bird in Northwood / Medham?

Several places. Look for one flying between the trees around Medham Farm, or Trafford Farm. Jays are shy and difficult to approach: any movement or noise is likely to make them fly away.

Why is this bird worth seeing?

Autumn is the best time of year to look for these beautifully coloured birds, as they are actively seeking acorns which have fallen from trees onto the ground. They carry them in their beak or throat pouch to store them in tree crevices or holes in damp ground hidden under leaves. Acorns are nutritious but relatively scarce: because they keep for some time jays will hide them and return to them throughout the cold winter months, digging through snow to retrieve them if necessary. Inevitably some are never found and may grow where they are hidden, leading some people to credit jays with maintaining the distribution of oak trees. Jays don’t have a wholly positive reputation however; they do raid nests and take eggs and newly hatched birds. For this they have been persecuted by gamekeepers. So jays have an ambiguity about them: they are beautiful to look at but people do not approve of their nest-raiding habits. Perhaps we should except that jays are doing what is natural to them: when we start to judge birds by human standards of behaviour we are liable to act in ways which are detrimental to their needs.

Binoculars needed?

Useful for getting a closer look, especially as the bird is wary of human contact.