Steller's Jay

Steller's Jays are frequent scavengers in picnic areas and campgrounds in the northwest forests and central mountains from Alaska to Arizona and New Mexico. These noisy, social birds (12-13.5 in long) have a charcoal head and a blue body, wings, and tail. The tail is long, and they have a large triangular crest on top of their head.

Steller's Jays live in flocks except when nesting. They can be seen hopping on the ground or on tree branches, stopping frequently to cock their heads and look around them. They eat pine seeds, nuts, berries, insects, and occasionally spiders, small rodents, or lizards.

Could it be? Blue Jays are bright blue all over, including their head. Scrub-Jays, Pinyon Jays, and Mexican Jays don't have a crested black head.

Did you know? Steller's Jays are well known for mobbing predators - aggressively harassing, dive-bombing, even defecating on intruders, especially when protecting their young.

See Also: Blue Jay, Canada Jay

Easy - numerous and usually easy to spot in the habitats listed at the appropriate time of year.

Forests are large areas of trees growing close together.

Mountains are very high areas of land with steep sides leading to a peak. They are often connected to other mountains as part of a mountain range.