Sisters Country birds

That raucous chatter heard often in neighborhoods across Oregon is what I refer to as the Western Blue-Jay [Aphelocoma californica]. Originally referred to as a "scrub" jay, they now have a larger population within forests and towns. This blue-with-a-gray-back jay inhabits residential areas in large numbers, gleaning food from backyard feeders and trees. Insects, nuts, snails, berries, and bees make up their main diet.

Photo by Douglas Beall

Western Blue-Jay.

A six-inch nest is built within tree branches, where two to seven pale green splotched eggs are hatched in 15-17 days. Another 19 days are required before the chicks leave the nest. They are fed by the parents for another month as the real squawking begins when the young beg for food.

These jays will plan for the colder months and cache thousands of acorns, peanuts, and other seeds secretly around their territories. When the Steller's Jays are about they defer to the Scrub Jay. Only 30 percent of the buried food is used during the winter, so in spring many of these seeds will sprout and beget new plants. A group of jays are known as a "party," a "scold," a "band," or a "cast" of jays.

To view more images of the Western Blue-Jay, visit http://abirdsingsbecauseithasasong.com.