Contents

Home Page
Foreword
Baltimore Oriole
Barn Swallow
Chickadee
Blue Bird
Blue Jay
Bobwhite
Brown Creeper
Brown Thrasher
Canada Goose
Cardinal
Catbird
Cedar Waxwing
Chimney Swift
Chipping Sparrow
Cowbird
Crow
Downy Woodpecker
Flicker
Goldfinch
Grackle
Green Heron
Herring Gull
House Sparrow
House Wren
Junco
Killdeer
Mallard
Mockingbird
Mourning Dove
Myrtle Warbler
Nighthawk
Pigeon
Purple Martin
Red-eyed Vireo
Red-headed WP
Red-winged BB
Robin
Hummingbird
Song Sparrow
Sparrow Hawk
Starling
Towhee
Tufted Titmouse
Turkey Vulture
White-breasted Nuthatch
White-crowned Sparrow
Wood Pewee
Wood Thrush
Yellowthroat
Yellow Warbler
Magic Cards

Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)

You either admire or hate this arrogant, foot-long hustler, easily identified by its brilliant colors. The blue jay is resident in the eastern United States and southern Canada, west into the Dakotas, Colorado, and Texas.

Like most insolent creatures, this jay has a dual nature. Cautious and silent in the vicinity of its nest, it is bold and noisy away from it. Sly in the commission of mischief, it is ever ready to scream "thief" at anything poaching on its domain. As usual in such cases, its epithet is applicable to none more than itself as neighboring nest holders know to their sorrow; for during the breeding season the joy lays heavy toll upon the eggs and young of other birds. But with all its sins of pride and lust, back yards are enlivened by the presence of blue jays.