From the Archives: Feathered Friday - The Steller’s Jay

by Rachel Ames

Lately, it seems like the wind makes the only sound in the Estes Valley. Another ubiquitous sound, however, is that of the Steller’s Jay. These social birds are masters of mimicry (ever thought you heard a Red-tailed Hawk only to discover that it was a Steller’s Jay?). At this time of year, Steller’s Jays are looking for possible nesting sites and searching for the food storage caches of their cousins, the Clark’s Nutcracker. Steller’s Jays are common in the western mountains and along the Pacific coast of the continental U.S. and Canada. They are unable to cool themselves efficiently, unlike their other cousins, the Scrub Jay, so thrive in humid or cooler environments. While there are over 15 subspecies of Steller’s Jays that differ in the darkness of the head feathers and coloring of the accent feathers, the macrolopha, or interior, subspecies is the one found in the Estes Valley. Steller’s Jays of the Rocky Mountains prefer Ponderosa Pine and mixed coniferous forests. They eat all sorts of animal and vegetable foods including arthropods, nuts, seeds, berries, fruits, and small vertebrates. Steller’s Jays are monogamous and both sexes are similar except that the males tend to be larger than the females. To hear their varied calls and squeaky, chaotic song go to: https://www.nps.gov/.../photosmult.../sounds-stellersjay.htm

Steller’s Jay. Note leg band.

Steller’s Jay. (Another banded bird).

Steller’s Jay gathering nest materials. Steller’s Jays raise and lower their crests depending on their level of arousal, stress or aggression.

Juvenile lacks white accents and has pink gape (the base of the beak)

Adult Steller’s Jay.