Eurasian Jay
Buckpool and Fens Pool Local Nature Reserve
What3Words
///thin.spill.bravo
The Eurasian jay (Garrulus glandarius) is a highly intelligent, colorful member of the crow family (Corvidae) known for its crucial role in oak forest regeneration by burying acorns for later consumption. Shy and often heard before seen, it is widespread across Europe, Asia, and parts of North Africa.
Key Characteristics
Appearance:
The Eurasian jay has distinctive pale pinkish-brown plumage, a black-streaked white crown, a black "moustache" stripe on its white throat, a white rump, and a black tail. Its most striking feature is a prominent panel of bright, electric-blue feathers on its wings, barred with fine black lines.
Size:
It is a medium-sized passerine bird, similar in size to a jackdaw, with a length of around 34–35 cm (13–14 in) and a wingspan of 52–58 cm (20–23 in).
Vocalization:
Jays are known for their loud, harsh, rasping 'kschaach' alarm call, which alerts other animals to the presence of predators. They are also skilled mimics, capable of imitating the calls of other birds, including birds of prey, and even man-made sounds like a dripping tap or a jackhammer.
Habitat and Diet
Habitat:
Eurasian jays primarily inhabit broadleaf and mixed woodlands, especially those with oak trees, due to their reliance on acorns. They can also be found in coniferous forests, parks, orchards, and large gardens and are increasingly moving into urban areas. They tend to avoid large, open areas where they are more vulnerable to predators.
Diet: They are omnivorous, with a diet that changes seasonally.
Main diet:
Acorns, nuts, seeds, fruits (such as blackberries and rowan berries), and a wide range of invertebrates.
Occasional diet:
They are known to occasionally eat the eggs and young of other birds, as well as small mammals like bats and rodents.
Behavior and Reproduction
Behavior:
These birds are highly intelligent, display complex social behavior, and are known for planning for future needs. In autumn, they engage in a behavior called "caching," where a single bird might bury thousands of acorns to retrieve during the winter and spring. Many of these unrecovered acorns germinate, leading to their reputation as "nature's gardeners" and key players in forest regeneration.
Reproduction:
They form monogamous, long-lasting pair bonds and typically raise one brood per year.
Breeding occurs from late March through June.
Both parents build the nest, which is a cup of twigs lined with softer materials like hair and roots, usually located in a tree or large bush.
The female lays 4 to 6 pale green to olive eggs, which she incubates for 16-19 days while the male brings her food. Both parents feed the young until they are independent, about 6-8 weeks after fledging.
Lifespan:
The average lifespan in the wild is 4 years, though the oldest recorded individual lived to be nearly 17 years old.
Eurasian Jay
Buckpool and Fens Pool Local Nature Reserve
What3Words
///thin.spill.bravo
The Eurasian jay (Garrulus glandarius) is a highly intelligent, colorful member of the crow family (Corvidae) known for its crucial role in oak forest regeneration by burying acorns for later consumption. Shy and often heard before seen, it is widespread across Europe, Asia, and parts of North Africa.
Key Characteristics
Appearance:
The Eurasian jay has distinctive pale pinkish-brown plumage, a black-streaked white crown, a black "moustache" stripe on its white throat, a white rump, and a black tail. Its most striking feature is a prominent panel of bright, electric-blue feathers on its wings, barred with fine black lines.
Size:
It is a medium-sized passerine bird, similar in size to a jackdaw, with a length of around 34–35 cm (13–14 in) and a wingspan of 52–58 cm (20–23 in).
Vocalization:
Jays are known for their loud, harsh, rasping 'kschaach' alarm call, which alerts other animals to the presence of predators. They are also skilled mimics, capable of imitating the calls of other birds, including birds of prey, and even man-made sounds like a dripping tap or a jackhammer.
Habitat and Diet
Habitat:
Eurasian jays primarily inhabit broadleaf and mixed woodlands, especially those with oak trees, due to their reliance on acorns. They can also be found in coniferous forests, parks, orchards, and large gardens and are increasingly moving into urban areas. They tend to avoid large, open areas where they are more vulnerable to predators.
Diet: They are omnivorous, with a diet that changes seasonally.
Main diet:
Acorns, nuts, seeds, fruits (such as blackberries and rowan berries), and a wide range of invertebrates.
Occasional diet:
They are known to occasionally eat the eggs and young of other birds, as well as small mammals like bats and rodents.
Behavior and Reproduction
Behavior:
These birds are highly intelligent, display complex social behavior, and are known for planning for future needs. In autumn, they engage in a behavior called "caching," where a single bird might bury thousands of acorns to retrieve during the winter and spring. Many of these unrecovered acorns germinate, leading to their reputation as "nature's gardeners" and key players in forest regeneration.
Reproduction:
They form monogamous, long-lasting pair bonds and typically raise one brood per year.
Breeding occurs from late March through June.
Both parents build the nest, which is a cup of twigs lined with softer materials like hair and roots, usually located in a tree or large bush.
The female lays 4 to 6 pale green to olive eggs, which she incubates for 16-19 days while the male brings her food. Both parents feed the young until they are independent, about 6-8 weeks after fledging.
Lifespan:
The average lifespan in the wild is 4 years, though the oldest recorded individual lived to be nearly 17 years old.