STELLAR’S JAY

BY MELODY

Stellar’s Jay lives in forests and cities at high elevations. They eat many different types of animals, fruits, and seeds. The Stellar’s Jay is a very vocal and aggressive bird. They are a very dark colored bird and the only all dark jay with a crest. The Stellar’s Jay mates for life and is quiet during the nesting season.

The Stellar's Jay is the only crested jay to live west of the Rocky Mountains(Audubon 2019). It often lives in a mix of coniferous and mountain woods on the West Coast, Mexico, and Central America but can also extend into cities. The Stellar’s Jay lives in elevations of 3,000 ft-10,000 ft. They normally don’t migrate but may move to lower elevations during winter. 

The Stellar’s Jay is an omnivore, eating seeds, nuts, berries, pine needles, different types of insects, spiders, other birds’ eggs, nestlings, and even smaller species of birds. They are often found in picnic areas and campgrounds looking for food. Before winter, Stellar’s Jay will hide pine nuts and acorns for when there is less food during the winter(Alderfer 179).

Stellar’s Jays are common nest predators, stealing eggs and eating chicks from other species, and they frequently instigate the mobbing of predators (All About Birds 2015).

. They also have excellent memories, remembering where they stored nuts and seeds. They are very social birds, often flying in large groups or mixing with other groups of birds. They are very vocal birds and can mimic hawks(Alderfer 179).  

Stellars Stellar’s Jays are monogamous birds, meaning when they mate, they stay together year-round. When building the nest, the male and female gather the materials. The nest is held together with mud and is lined with moss and pine needles. A normally noisy bird, the Stellar’s Jay is quiet during nesting season. Once the female lays her eggs, the male will feed her. After the eggs hatch, both the male and female feed the nestlings, and the adults continue to feed the young for a week after fledging (American Bird Conservancy).

The Stellar’s Jay is the only dark-crested jay. They have white or blue spots on their forehead, depending on where they live, and have rounded wings. They can be 30-34 cm long. Stellar’s Jays have white-grey throat patches, dark blue wings, and dark blue, almost purple, tails.

Stellar’s Jay lives in high elevations. They are omnivores, eating many things. Stellar’s Jay is the only dark-crested jay(Alderfer 178). They are aggressive and vocal—Stellar’s Jay mates for life. 

Works Cited

Alderfer, Jonathan K, and National Geographic Society (U.S. Bird Guide of North America: The Best Birding Book for Kids from a National Geographic Bird Expert. Washington, D.C., National Geographic, 2018.

MTNHP. “Steller’s Jay - Montana Field Guide.” Mt.gov, Natural Heritage Program and Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, 2024, fieldguide.mt.gov/speciesDetail.aspx?elcode=ABPAV02010.

“Steller’s Jay.” American Bird Conservancy, abcbirds.org/bird/stellers-jay/.

“Steller’s Jay.” Audubon, 21 Mar. 2019, www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/stellers-jay.

“Steller’s Jay Life History, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology.” Allaboutbirds.org, 2015, www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Stellers_Jay/lifehistory.