Category: Behavior

The sentinel scrub-jay is tasked with the duty of keeping a lookout for predators while other birds forage for food or perform other daily tasks. There is no one bird slated for this task. They take turns doing it. It is an understood duty among the group that one bird must be on point in… Continue reading The Sentinel

I am lucky to live near several locations where scrub-jays live. One of the locations is a sanctuary and all the jays there have been banded and are tracked. It is a relatively small location and they run into a lot of people on a daily basis. It is surrounded by houses which I am… Continue reading Are Wild Scrub-Jays as Friendly as Tame Ones?

Today, I was at the edge of some scrub right where nature meets human habitat. The birds were eating and stashing nuts as usual but they were acting jumpy, almost frenzied. I couldn’t figure out what was up. One female sat on a fence (pictured) and went through her calls like she was rehearsing. They… Continue reading Scrub-jays Were in a Frenzy Today

It only makes sense that you tend to see less scrub-jays on very windy days. They probably don’t feel like battling the elements and for the most part will stay tucked away in the scrub. The bird isn’t the lightest or the most aerodynamic of the flying animal world. Many journals describe their flight as… Continue reading No Scrub Jays on Windy Days

Yesterday I was explaining to a friend of mine a peculiar behavior I witnessed among a small group of Scrub Jays several weeks ago. Part of the reason I started this blog is because I couldn’t find this particular behavior documented anywhere online in regard to the Florida Scrub Jay. The dominant male of the… Continue reading Submissive Behavior