Birds blue jay selective coloring. Blue jays usually congregate in groups of around three to ten individuals. Their fondness for acorns is credited with helping spread oak trees after the last glacial period. The blues seen in the feathers of indigo buntings mountain bluebirds and stellers jays are structural colors. Blue jay tn 7 january.
Its similarly hued cousin on the west coast the california scrub jay is also common and only slightly less abrasive. Download bluejay stock photos. This phenomenon became known as tyndall scattering and accounts for the skys blue color that is sometimes called tyndall blue in bluejays the color producing units are found in feather barbs. Theyre loud aggressive boisterous bullies who threaten smaller birds.
Unlike some other birds male and female blue jays usually form mating pairs that bond for life. The vibrant blue patterns on a blue jays feathers make them easy to spot. The blue jay is a bird youll come to either love or hate. They are loving mates and devoted.
Even if you dont see the blue. Theyre also beautiful and highly intelligent and their complicated behaviors may actually save other birds from predators. A colorless transparent horny outer layer covers box cells which cover a dark layer of melanin containing cells. Affordable and search from millions of royalty free images photos and vectors.
Next try back lighting the feather. Blue jays are known for their intelligence and complex social systems with tight family bonds. Blue jay identification all about birds cornell lab of ornithology. Perhaps one of the most recognizable birds in north america the blue jay is a familiar bird of the east and north.
These barbs consist of three layers. Continue reading about how to attract blue jays. One of the primary ways of identifying a female blue jay from a male blue jay is watching how the bird behaves during courtship. Ages and sexes are similar after the juvenile plumage is mostly replaced during the first fall and only in hand examination can reveal specific age classes.
A guide to blue jay birdhouses. Pair of blue jay birds at central park new york usa. If you find the feather of a blue jay or stellers jay you can see for yourself how this works.