Raven's Roads Travel Adventures » Blog Archive

Blue birdMarch 16, 2008 00:13

This gorgeous chappie landed on a fence post only a few feet away for me. His feathers were quite iridescent and he seemed unfazed by my presence. Only when I started to move again did he take flight. I think this is a scrub jay (my friend Amber gave me a bird book–yay!).

Weaverville, CA

I think this is a scrub jay (my friend Amber gave me a bird book–yay!).

Linda R. Moore

Author, motorcyclist, RVer, petter of cats, mighty huntress of historical markers.

Tags: 200803_roadtrip, birds, brannan-island, critters, jays

5 Comments on "Blue bird"

1. pussreboots (159 comments.) | March 19, 2008

It’s either a scrub jay or a stellar jay.

2. Mary (23 comments.) | March 20, 2008

That’s a beautiful shot! I adore scrub jays, they’re so smart, and ubiquitous in many parts of California. Some people call them “blue jays,” but that’s a different species that doesn’t live this side of the Rocky Mountains, and doesn’t look the same. They are indeed both blue and both jays, though. :D

3. Mary (23 comments.) | March 20, 2008

@pussreboots:
The Steller’s is much darker — all blue, with the head nearly black, and some nearly hidden striping reminiscent of the blue jay — and looks like this:
http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/id/framlst/i4780id.html

Steller’s and scrub jays can have similar-looking habitat on the map, but Steller’s like trees and cover, and scrubs like open area. I have scrubs in my yard, but two miles away, at our dog park, which is surrounded by trees, there are Steller’s jays instead.

Both are very smart, and very bold, and very beautiful.

4. Linda R. Moore | March 23, 2008

PR: The stellar seemed to have a tuft on its head in the book, so I plumped for scrub. :)

5. Linda R. Moore | March 23, 2008

I think we get bluejays–the real kind–in Europe. It really was a gorgeous little thing :)