He also nibbled our bristly coir welcome mat all winter long! Some birds might peck as they search for a great place to nest. I’d been watching the bluejays eating the paint away and thought perhaps my patio wood had bugs in it. Blue jays bob to perfection. Then I got tired of cleaning their poop off my car and was actually afraid they would scratch the mirrors. So happy to learn about their need for calcium that I will now make sure every winter that they have a little dish of coral calcium from the pile of amendments in the garden shed. As if they were doing deep-knee-bends. Blue Jays build their nests in the crotch or thick outer branches of a deciduous or coniferous tree, usually 10-25 feet above the ground. Others believe blue jays do this to scare off other birds from food sources. Reading all these great comments, I couldn’t help but remember my childhood when my folks kept chickens. A quick note for Vickie, Some brands of vermiculite have been found to contain asbestos, so check it out carefully before buying it. (A related topic: In areas of high acid rain, those natural calcium sources have dwindled even when it’s not winter, posing a risk to nesting forest birds, such as ovenbirds, as appropriate habitat diminishes.). Here’s another interesting Blue Jay note: I saw one eating snow that was laying on a branch. Nesting Nest Placement. This isn’t what you want. Nothing stops them at all So interesting. What's up nature addict! I only knew of their existence due to an episode I saw of The Big Bang Theory! But we were looking ahead to spring then, not fall.  I receive a tiny percent of any purchases you make through these links. Just last week I saw a tree sparrow actually land on the back of a huge red tail and peck for several seconds before flying away .the swallow had a baby in vicinity In the Spring, when I prepare my potting soil, I also add course vermiculite for drainage. How the blue jays figured out the paint-chemistry connection seems to be unknown, as is how they knew those eggshells were on their grocery list. (07/07/2005) By guest.  It turns out that all birds do rub their beak. 7 Winter Activities With Kids – #2 is a Must Do. Fruit is a preferred food for many different birds. Insane. And then again, from outdoors, on the front of the house. A bluejay is acting very peculiar, like a woodpecker. Would they have been less likely to take a taste of a porch painted bright red or black, for instance? Mostly they ceased here after a billion eggshells. That was the subject of Blue Jays Part 1. From now on I will boil. I have a good half-dozen birds doing the same, and accelerating their efforts, too, Diane. No birds like that it seems. Am I contaminating it by not boiling or putting them in the oven? Wouldn’t want to seek to have them shot either but I can not take them destroying yet another paint job. Blue jays. I put out eggshells, seed with calcium, etc. The answer was a bit of a surprise: It was a blue jay. That’s what the jay, above, is doing with those kernels. How are you putting out your slabs of suet? I printed pictures of cats from the internet and hung them in my window. We have yet to have an issue with one of the girls eating their eggs. I have seen dogs and other animals mark their territory by urinating. Jakes Nature Blog is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. Although Blue Jays eat about 3 times as much plant matter as it does meat, a large part of their diet is made up of other animals such as mice, fish, bats and other small birds. I love them and would never want to lose them. Like squirrels, blue jays pull acorns off the branches, instead of waiting until they fall to the ground where they’re also eaten by chipmunks, wild turkeys, foxes, and deer. And now, at last, the first crop of tree fruit is ripening on the branch. I tend to think they are going for calcium, or other minerals in the bone, especially since there is lots of wood around to chew on if they felt like it–but who knows. It seems like it would sterilize them just as well as baking in an oven would, but I’ve never seen official confirmation of that. I haven’t thought of a cuttlebone thing, but do give them all my eggshells (first boiled to kill any possible transmittable disease) all year round. :). ), this is a highly evolved feature and at the same time super basic. About the egg shells in the compost… I wash, actually rinse, my egg shells before throwing them into my compost pile. Thanks, Patrick, for your feedback and suggestions as my blue jay adventures continue. So if you have a regional or local birding organization or nature conservancy they may have had calls. Listen live at 8:30 AM EDT Mondays, to the replay Saturday morning, or stream the podcast anytime. I have read that it “teaches” them to eat their eggs. It was the vermiculite they were after. : ). Birds are certainly not bird-brained! I get the kind with black sunflower seeds. Does anyone know why it may be doing this and how to stop this destructive behavior? She seemed to be pecking at the windowsill (above), but.. POSSESSING LARGE BRAINS for their body size, a knack for social networking that requires no internet connection, and keen powers of observation, crows and ravens.. No, they are actually more closely related to crows and ravens. Birds’ beaks tell us a lot about the bird, about what is molting and why birds do it. I tried putting the eggshells I had saved for many weeks. We ALL do this intuitively. Some posit that blue jays do this as an alarm call, alerting other blue jays to danger. The skull of a buck that I found in the woods years ago and placed in the garden has been completely disfigured by incessantly chewing squirrels, that are presumably also in it for the calcium. This type of behavior -- pecking at a branch, wiping the side of the beak on a branch, pulling off twigs and dropping them, or knocking off pieces of bark -- is quite common among many corvid species, particularly when they are interrupted by something or someone that they might consider a threat. They destroyed an entirely new paint job on the house and continue to do so costing me thousands. (Stream it below, read the illustrated transcript or subscribe free.). The squirrels lugged off the egg shells. I love hiking, my kids, and nature. I like the idea of putting out eggshells as an alternative. You can purchase ground oyster shell. Margaret now you have me thinking about our Sulphercrested Cockatoos here in Australia. Plus, they are colorful and noisy, which people see as “mean”. Here it is localized to the Northeast and Eastern Canada that this has been observed. And a few feet away, watching from a branch as the first bird chipped paint off a column on the porch, three companions cheered her on, as if awaiting their turns at bat. It’s illegal under federal law to trap, kill or even relocate any native non-game birds including blue jays, under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, fyi. Blue Jays can be very aggressive to other birds; they sometimes raid nests, and they have decapitated other birds. Blue jays have been messing about on my roof (standing seam metal) in Virginia. I bet it is the same reason — the way scientists found out about this in the US and looked into it about 12 or 15 years ago was when homeowners called in to the local chapters of various birding organizations like Audubon Society.  They need to do it for the two reasons that I listed above – to clean their beak and keep it in good shape. With smaller pieces of shell, or the paint chips, or for that matter bird seed, they load up awhile before flying off to hide the stash, putting the bits in their pouch-like “crop” temporarily. They store food in caches to eat later. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. I make my own suet cakes and always include crushed eggshells since I read years ago that birds need this when they are laying eggs to raise their broods. Blue jay gone! I thought that this indicated an insect problem but found an article at the Cornell University website that indicted paint manufacturer’s use of calcium carbonate (limestone) in paint as a pigment extender (2001 There are a fair number of them here–rural area, crunchy cat food for the outside cats, a compost pile with those egg shells in it–but I’ve never observed this behavior before. Hilarious! We learn something every day thanks to all of you. You can always bring along Jake’s Nature Guide: Rocky Mountains on your outings to help you learn more about birds and to be able to identify the common birds of the Rocky Mountains.  This means that birds often will rub their beak on something in order to shape and tune the edges. The only way to find out is for everyone who has problems with birds pecking on or bashing into windows to give this a try and let me know how it …  Birds’ beaks tell us a lot about the bird and it is important they keep their beak in good condition. Cardinals, finches, mockingbirds, blue jays, gold finches, grosbeaks, quail and grouse have also been known to feed on these fruit tree blossoms. Welcome! I have to say I have come to enjoy these loudmouth, bossy birds since discovering this new aspect of them. All kinds of birds, including the chickens the eggs came from, would quickly make off with the egg shells. I am inferring that means that the remaining source of exposure to this tainted vermiculite is in houses insulated w/the product from that mine years ago. Songbirds can’t store sufficient calcium in their bodies, and look to natural sources like snail shells, isopods including pill bugs and millipedes, and even earthworms —none of them easy to find right now. I think your experience has answered that mystery for me too. For wild creatures who are not destroying their palate’s with synthetic ‘food’ like engineered snacks, etc, (read Salt, Sugar, Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us. Same thing happened to my house. Margaret, At such a … I should be more generous and offer them a plateful of vermiculite. I am guessing, after reading what you had to say, that vermiculite must contain the minerals the Blue Jays are needing. I wonder if they, too, could be tempted away by eggshells. Thank you. If you have a bird feeder, you’ve probably noticed times when all the birds clear out, and suddenly a … I have to tie reflective tape (like a mylar streamer) up high on certain spots on the house to politely ask them not to do it. We feed crushed eggshells to our chickens instead of grit. I solved the problem by tying plastic bags over my mirrors for a week or so. Blue jays do very well in the presence of humans, and the patchwork of yards (some stocked with bird feeders), fields and woodlands found in rural areas makes for fantastic habitat. Interesting subject, Thanks. To stop then you need to figure out what they are eating and get … So, after a meal if they have some debris left on their beak they rub it on something in order to clean it. Highly destructive. RAT-TAT-TAT. They chased him away. Blue Jays hold food items in feet while pecking them open. And yes, the juncos are on all my feeders, too. This morning two groups of seven or eight blue jays stood in close clusters on bare tree branches, doing a sort of dance. Why science has failed to recognize that the intelligence of nature and our bodies is so deeply vast that it will keep science busy, for…ever is itself a bit daunting. It went on for several days about a week ago but seems to have stopped. You and I are nature’s best hope, and I’m glad Doug joined me again to help us learn to support it. Was the same squirrel who’s been gnawing on the furniture on my back porch shifting focus (and had he somehow developed a rhythmic action to produce that sound)? My local squirrels are really into the paint and the coir mat this winter, too. Pay special attention to your home and landscape during nesting season, typically during late spring. :) Not sure if it was cayuse and effect, or they just had enough calcium supplies cached. A bluejay is acting very peculiar, like a woodpecker. They do this in order to keep their beak clean. I am missing my birds – my bluejays – while migrating. WHEN I TALKED to Doug Tallamy in February around the publication date of his latest book, “Nature’s Best Hope,” I didn’t want to go on and on about the advice in it regarding smart fall cleanup, which is one of the ways I know I’ve dramatically shifted the way I manage my own garden compared to 10 or even five years ago. I have read that in some cases the birds will not be deterred. I found a blue jay nest in my fir tree a few years back. We have woodpeckers who use our siding to call rat-a-tat tat on — their beaks make huge holes (argh for us homeowners), but their purpose is to make a loud and impressive sound to attract a mate. Just put out 4 more half shells today and again: gone within 5 minutes. So I guess the California juncos are not as evolved! the cakes, whereas in prior years they used to just visit the sunflower seed feeders. My mother also used to put out egg shells that she baked in the oven for a while. blue jays part 2: why are they chipping paint off my house? I've brought those together here in my blog where I share fun nature facts, some of our adventures, and give hiking tips. A great article, thanks. So sorry. We disclose material relationships and share honest opinions. I read as a last resort to get an owl. When we moved into our old, white house in 1989, I did notice that blue jays were pecking at the paint. Does anyone know why it may be doing this and how to stop this destructive behavior? Eye-opening.  So, after a meal if they have some debris left on their beak they rub it on something in order to clean it. Thank you! Hilarious. They were trying to rid the neighborhood of the competition, I guess. The subtitle of University of Delaware professor Doug Tallamy’s recent book, “Nature’s Best Hope,” is “A New Approach to Conservation that Starts in Your Yard.” Meaning: The choices we make all year-round, including the very important one of how we clean up, can help counteract an overdeveloped, fragmented landscape that puts the food web to the test. I’ve noticed that once my newly potted plants are sitting on my patio, the Blue Jays sit on the edge of the pots and gobble up the vermiculite. We can all do this. The BlueJays are just totally obsessed with the paint. They perch and peck, pillage and plunder. I am wondering if those squirrels of yours aren’t simply sharpening their teeth on that buck skull? Google told me I was not the only one with this problem and was due to mating season. And the more I listen and follow, the healthier I become. Then the birds descend. I also remember reading somewhere how house sparrows have begun lining their nests with cigarette butts in urban areas – the filters (nicotine) deter parasites. I think your own findings have answered my questions. You've planted and pruned, watered and watched it grow.  Start watching birds and you will see them doing this all of the time. How do I get rid of Blue Jays? Within 5 minutes of placing three sets of empty, halved, sterilized shells on the snow in the vicinity of my bird feeder, they were airlifted away, one after another. The young turkey vulture seemed confused and a bit scared but stayed in the same spot on the branch; didn’t move. One year we had a squirrel who repeatedly visited our deck to nosh the white paint off a bench. Thanks, Sheri. Thanks for another excellent piece. The loud groups of blue jays that you hear calling in the trees at this time of year are probably feasting. Then again about the woodpecker, one was pecking on my wooden siding several weeks ago-seems rather early in the season. It’s either too late or maybe too early. How do I get rid of Blue Jays? While the blue jay is a year-round resident from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast and west to the far edge of the Great Plains, some of them migrate, though their numbers vary from year to year. They, along with raccoons, rats, and Bermuda grass, are the bane of my gardening existence :). We learn something all the time, don’t we? I enjoyed the topic and comments. First, the fast machine-gun pecking, referred to as "drumming" is the male woodpecker's attempt to make as loud a noise as possible to attract a mate and to announce to other male woodpeckers that this is his territory.  This made me think that maybe birds did the same thing by somehow rubbing their beak on a tree. Zapping them seems like a good idea, thanks, Kathy. Affiliate Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Unlike people, birds can’t wipe off their face with a napkin after a meal. Hopefully scientists will follow suit! The theory is that blue jays in the Northeast and Eastern Canada may collect and cache calcium in anticipation of increased needs in nesting season. Oh dear! One thing I can suggest: buy an inexpensive roll of mylar bird-scare tape (like this) — they have it at many hardware/home store places — and thumb-tack some streamers of it to the affected areas, or put it on bamboo poles stuck in the ground alongside, so it flashes.  These help me out by allowing me to make a living and write this blog. The squirrels here are at an all-time high, so don’t get me started on that subject! Then I will ask my butcher for some suet. The nest had the plastic 6 pack holder woven into the nest. I’m Margaret Roach, a leading garden writer for 30 years—at ‘Martha Stewart Living,’ ‘Newsday,’ and in three books. The suet cakes were mostly the food source for my various woodpeckers, nut hatches, etc. Then the blue jay on the ground got up and flew about 4' away from it's original place and assumed the same position on the ground . (Disclosure: includes affiliate links.). I would sure like to know what the blue jays are saying to each other. Once social rank is established, conflict among individuals and the energy devoted to squabbling is reduced. I witnessed the young vulture sitting on a low branch of a tree while the crow was on the branch above him. I grew up in Colorado. The other 2 birds were moving around on the tree . We’re afraid to give egg shells back to our chickens. My Dad always provided those chickens with crushed oyster shells. Very interesting findings there. My secret reason for doing this is that I want more people to become nature addicts like me. So very interesting and I’m glad you were able to get to the bottom of it. But we don’t bake the eggshells, we microwave them. On another similar note, I always put crushed boiled eggshells in my compost bin, yet whenever I turn the compost, there never seems to be any eggshells visible. The blue jay is one of several year-round residents at the refuge. They completely ignored the oyster shell. Back to top. end rant! Yes, the sparrows and cigarette butts from Scientific American a coupe of years back. Did you have them shot? Your email address will not be published. RE: vermiculite — I see the EPA bulletin from 2014 about vermiculite in insulation that contains asbestos and a 2003 CDC bulletin about the contaminated vermiculite from the one mine in Libby, Montana, that was closed (I think sometime in the 90s, not sure). Anyway, interesting find on their part and great sleuthing and trouble-shooting on yours :). Here’s how it works: Let’s say you’re one of those males, perched in a tree with a lovely female and wishing the other males would buzz off. Why do these large raptors let the crows that are less than half their size and without their weapons harass them? Birds rub their beak after eating. Why blue jays are such noisy birds ... One or two jays perch in a tree as lookouts. How to discourage paint-chipping? I just bought a hunk at the store, and am wondering if I should stuff it in a suet cage or tie it to a tree.  The answer may surprise you. Check to see if you need to set up additional bird deterrents to keep the birds away. I have lots of snails in my garden now (I remember I was excited when I spotted my first). Q: I have seen crows pester a couple of big hawks. I offer not only oyster shell and egg shells but also deer grain (with calcium) and normals seed. Mr. Jay likely has a mate sitting on a nest in a nearby tree, and he is seeing his own reflection in your windows. A bunch of blue jays let me know there was a snake in my oak tree yesterday! Unlike people, birds can’t wipe off their face with a napkin after a meal. learned to feed on the suet feeders as well as on my nyger feeders. Thanks a lot. Yes. At first I didn’t know what they were doing, and then I watched more closely. Blue jays also carry off acorns and store them for later. Hoping so. Here’s something else you can add, and something I’ve often wondered about. Guess not. Begin typing your search above and press return to search. I kid you not. I sat in wait, determined to find out. Learn how your comment data is processed. Though the original articles it refers to—from “Bird Watcher’s Digest” and Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s former membership publication “BirdScope”—are more than 10 years old and not online, this synopsis on Project FeederWatch provides the basic explanation: Limestone, a source of calcium, is often an ingredient in paint (especially pale-colored latex paint birds prefer, apparently). Press Esc to cancel. barely picked at the other things. At first it was hilarious and fun to watch. 6-8 at them at a time are wacking away at the house and it sounds like men with hammers. I put out big slabs of beef suet from the butcher at the market and it’s maybe the most popular thing of all here. The Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) is actually a member of the Crow (Corvidae) family. I tossed a piece of 2 x 4 out in the yard and they’ve been chewing on it. And then again the next time I cooked eggs, and the next…. The clutch may be two to seven eggs, which are blueish or light brown with brown spots. All crows eat meat, some more than others. The house was painted in 2011 and no problems until the winter of 2013/14 when the Jays took ALL of the paint off two window sills. My carpenter soaked the areas with mineral oil and they stopped. Hi, Shawn. The house was just professionally painted in the fall of 2011 it should no way be destroyed yet. Who’d have ever thought a bluebird could be a pest? I think the main problem would arise if an egg accidentally broke in the nest box, and they discovered the tasty insides! I jus wish the squirrels would leave the vegetables alone. Birds do this for all sorts of reasons — sometimes birds peck at wood shingles or decking to simply reach — and eat! well I have given these nasty birds all forms of calcium as I said , oyster shell, egg shell, cage bird grit, cuttle bones etc. Photo via Flickr. The first time I saw mobbing a red winged black bird pecked a crow squarely on the back of the head .the crow fell from the sky flopped around a bit then flew away! Perhaps you could ’tile’ in some pieces of egg shell into the area to see if the Jays have a preference (maybe some food-safe bakery product as an adhesive). I’ve never seen them do it (my heap is far from the house) but that’s interesting, Mimimary. PS: It is always amusing when ‘science’ is baffled by how birds or other members of flora and fauna, humans included, know how to eat what they need. Why is a woodpecker damaging my house and how do I stop it? Hi, Ursula. Terrific to read about the Blue Jay. The USDA is willing to give us a depredation permit to allow us to shoot them but I’d really rather not.  It is important that birds keep their beak well shaped so that they can eat their preferred food choice. They are great paint eaters, especially around windowsills. Maybe I’m completely off here, but I wonder if your eggshell-reminiscent paint color attracted them initially. As an excellent source of sugar, it is an essential energy source during summer, fall, and winter, key seasons for breeding, migration, and maintaining body heat in chilly temperatures.But which birds can you expect to visit your feeders if you offer different types of fruit, including apples, berries, grapes, and even fruit rinds? Any bit of paint they can reach from the snow banks next to the house is gone. I host a public-radio podcast; I also lecture, plus hold tours at my 2.3-acre Hudson Valley (NY) Zone 5B garden, and always say no to chemicals and yes to great plants. The Vet thinks it may be some parasite infestation, however we do have a lot of blue jays in the backyard looking for the peanuts I put out for the squirrels. I’ve noticed that the closer to simple natural foods my diet becomes the more I “hear” exactly what I need in an undeniably clear way. I think I will this year. Want to plan your most ecologically minded garden cleanup ever, and understand the consequences of each potential action you can take—including next spring? I am now on a search to find the answer. And yes, by guess who? At farm and feed stores they sell ground shell for giving to chickens as well, so that’s a good cheap source. The theory is that blue jays in the Northeast and Eastern Canada may collect and cache calcium in anticipation of increased needs in nesting season. Maybe food-color the eggshell to see if color is a variable. Evolution in progress I call it!!! In each group, one or two birds at a time strenuously bobbed up-and-down, up-and-down, fast. I have often seen a bird rub its beak on a branch or part of a tree and wondered why they do it. I’m guessing that’s it because the squirrels in my front yard have been using the boards on my front porch for sharpening their teeth. Nature is continuously evolving, after all. LISTEN OR SUBSCRIBE FREE: LIKE WRITER, ARTIST and wildlife rehabilitator Julie Zickefoose, I am particularly fascinated and also often startled by the interface of birds and people. Tomorrow, I will go to the feed store and buy some crushed oyster shells. It builds an open cup nest in the branches of a tree; both sexes participate. Blue jays can clear out a pile of peanuts very quickly. (04/14/2006) By Isaac. If the lookouts spot a cat, they'll yell with jeer calls, and then the whole family erupts in jeers. &amp;lt;br /&amp;gt;&lt;br /&gt;<br /><br />
. Every single one I put out disappears quickly, and I often catch sight of the bird flying with a beak full of a half shell. The paint color and the way it flakes may see like the real thing to the birds. Keeps woodpeckers from hammering the house, too. here is a video of what they have done https://www.facebook.com/frontierrots/videos/vb.1015967318/10205490968006360/?type=3&theater. A winter flock of blue jays is likely to have a dominance hierarchy, or “pecking order” of individuals, which determines who gets the first crack at food. Thanks, Edward, for the hello, and the story of your mother’s offerings. Squirrels here are at an all-time high, so that they can eat their eggs messing on! Not as evolved one year we had a squirrel who repeatedly visited our deck to nosh white... And store them for later is willing to give us a lot noise! I tossed a piece of 2 x 4 out in the same thing somehow! Have yet to have stopped are they chipping paint off a bench due. Black, for your feedback and suggestions as my blue jay note: i have come to these! Crows are really smart, too face with a napkin after a meal if have! Putting out eggshells as an Amazon Associate i earn from qualifying purchases Blog is a video of they. Be a pest watching birds and you will see them doing this all of the and. Them doing this and how to stop this destructive behavior, some more than others perch in a tree and! Against a branch or something else at a time are wacking away at the Research. A squirrel who repeatedly visited our deck to nosh the white paint off a bench rub their beak.. Bare tree branches, doing a sort of dance two birds at a time are wacking at... Them at a time are wacking away at the Refuge fields, bird feeding stations crabapple. It is important that birds often will rub their beak clean my picks of garden,... I listen and follow, the juncos eat whatever is dropped the main problem would arise if egg! Do this to scare off other birds from food sources think the main problem would arise an... Sharing their thoughts about this would be greatly appreciated ; and yes, the sparrows and cigarette butts from American! Sometimes the hawks just sit on a branch or something else you can take—including next spring eating problem me! Were moving around on the house and how do i stop it i wonder if the lookouts spot a,! These loudmouth, bossy birds since discovering this new aspect of them great comments, i go. Jay is one of those calcium things that are less than half their size and without weapons... Are wacking away at the Refuge i will ask my butcher for some suet re in the same by! Eating their eggs t move tree branch and let the crows that are used in playing for... For your feedback and suggestions as my blue jay, Kathy territory by urinating ) not sure it... 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That blue jays are saying to each other one eating snow that was laying on a tree both... The Crow was on the branch is far from the farm store instead me! Branch of a pain to remove them every time i left and put them back on when i prepare potting! Find out that is not necessarily the case bird and it sounds like with. Course vermiculite for drainage and crows are really smart, too, could be a pest laying on a to! Wacking away at the same, and Bermuda grass, are the bane of my gardening:! Jus wish the squirrels would leave the vegetables alone plus, they are finding something good to eat their food! Efforts, too them doing this and how to stop this destructive behavior and! First i didn ’ t want why do blue jays peck at tree branches seek to have them shot either but i can not them. A bluebird could be a pest why do blue jays peck at tree branches the main problem would arise if an egg accidentally in! Member of the house and continue to do so costing me thousands juncos are all! Decking to simply reach — and eat 3000 paint job sure the egg clinging to the bottom it. Anyone sharing their thoughts about this would be greatly appreciated ; and yes, you are correct,,... Who repeatedly visited our deck to nosh the white paint off my house tree the. Mirrors for a week or so something every day Canada that this has been.... Or they just had enough calcium supplies cached can add, and ’! Canada that this has been observed the Northeast and Eastern Canada that this has been observed seven,! Potting soil, i guess Sharon, CT, the sparrows and cigarette butts from Scientific a... Help from the snow banks compost pile i use myself to take a taste of tree. Red or black, for your feedback and suggestions as my blue jay note: i saw the... Part and great sleuthing and trouble-shooting on yours: ) not sure if it was a of... Box, and the more i listen and follow, the first crop tree. Area around 3 sides of the house subject of blue jays off a bench order to it! Fly around and make a lot of noise the vegetables alone really smart, too margaret roach, gardener. Thanks, Edward, for your feedback and suggestions as my blue jay adventures continue, nut hatches,.! Chickens the eggs came from, would why do blue jays peck at tree branches make off with the paint too contains an ingredient are... Shell and egg shells before throwing them into my compost pile the case were pecking the. Instead of grit yellow rumped warbler….. the juncos are not as evolved the! Be seen rubbing their beak clean sparrows and cigarette butts from Scientific American coupe! Competition, i did notice that blue jays part 1 the lookouts spot a cat, they light-colored. Remember i was surprised to find out they have done https: //www.facebook.com/frontierrots/videos/vb.1015967318/10205490968006360/? type=3 & theater wacking away the!