
Here's how to safely attract more blue jays this fall and winter
Turn your garden into a blue jay hot spot.
Blue Jay fever isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, with the Toronto Blue Jays heading to the World Series for the first time since 1993.
And the bird that bears the team’s namesake likely won’t be going anywhere either: In many Canadian communities, the blue jay stays close to home during winter.
If you’d like to see more blue jays (the birds, not the baseball players) in your yard this fall and winter, here are some safe ways to attract them.
Safety first
We say it every spring and fall: Window collisions are a enormous threat to birds, especially during migration season. One paper estimates around 25 million birds are killed annually in Canada due to window collisions.
If you want to attract more birds, it’s imperative you create a safe space for them.
Here are some tips:
Treat your windows so birds won’t try to fly through them. Consider adding decals to your windows, but make sure they are installed correctly: Studies have shown this tactic is only effective if the decals are properly installed.
It may seem counterintuitive, but experts recommend placing bird feeders close to your window —- less than a metre away, or, better yet, affixed directly to the window. The reasoning is that if a bird takes flight, it will not have time to build up sufficient speed to injure itself if it flies into the window.
Move indoor plants away from windows so birds are not attracted by greenery and do not fly toward the glass, mistaking indoor plants for outdoor habitat.
If you plan on attracting more birds, keep your cats inside, and do not attempt to lure birds into an area where cats are known to roam freely outside. According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, cats are responsible for 2.6 billion bird deaths each year in Canada and the U.S., and a 2013 study appearing in the journal Nature estimates cats kill upwards of 22 billion mammals of other species annually.

*(File photo: Tina Nord/Pexels *
Consider native plants and berries
While blue jays aren’t picky eaters, they favour certain food sources and habitat features you can support in your yard.
In Canada, the natural food of Blue Jays includes acorns from oak trees, and nuts/seeds from beech, hazel, chestnut, birch, and pine.
Shrubs and trees with berries are also a hit, especially during the colder months when insects are scarce.
Sunflower seeds and peanuts are great additions to a feeder.
Keep feeders clean and accessible, especially after a snow storm. Clear the area around it so birds can access the feeder and perch safely.
Evergreen trees are another effective way to attract blue jays. In winter, they will use them to take shelter from the cold.
Header image: File photo via Canva Pro.