They aren't celebrating the World Series. Here's why blue jays are loud in fall
Blue jays have a lot to talk about.
It’s common to associate spring and summer with increased bird activity, but fall is also a busy time for birds, especially blue jays.
Toronto’s MLB player whose team bears the same name aren’t the only ones working overtime this year. Their feathered counterparts are also on the move: storing nuts and seeds for the winter, and preparing for migration.
While they work, they squawk and chirp. In fact, they tend to be most talkative this time of year.
In the summer and spring, they like to keep a low profile because they’re protecting their nests and young. But as cooler weather approaches, they start to join flocks and, in some cases, migrate.
Some of their predators, like hawks, are also on the move. If a blue jay catches a glimpse of one, it will chirp to let its friends know danger is nearby.
Experts say blue jays also chrip to greet new jays and to talk about food and food discoveries. They’re at liberty to be a bit louder now, because their babies are grown.
Blue jays are found across southern Alberta eastward to Quebec, and throughout Atlantic Canada. They’re partially migratory: In more southern locales, blue jays will hang around throughout the winter. Jays in colder, more northern areas will migrate during the colder months. Because of this, Ontario’s Point Pelee National Park, which is the southernmost point in Canada, sees a lot of blue jay activity during the fall migration period. According to the Canadian Wildlife Federation, up to 3,000 birds can be seen congregating at the park in one day, making a final pit stop before crossing Lake Erie.
Header image: File photos from Canva Pro.