Comments on: Scrub jays duke it out to see who’s the toughest jay

By: Barbara

Barbara — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 04:38:56 +0000

Note to Dave Harper: Back to the territorial Scrub Jays — the ones that I feed at work will take the peanut from my hand. It involves a daily hike around the company walkway during lunch.

The other day I met up with a coworker whom I literally haven’t seen for a couple of years. Twenty minutes into our conversation, one of the Jays landed in the parking lot alongside us — and started squawking a multitude of reprimands.

I think Nancy described them best as similar to NY cabbies. You’ve got to love these characters!

By: Dave Harper

Dave Harper — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 16:41:03 +0000

I like the Jay stories, they are a cocky sort. When out in the wild I believe one can use the sounds of the Jays to locate animals. On the other hand some times they warn the others of you out there. This fight went on for 10 minutes or so and at times the birds were laying flat on the ground with death grips on one another. I was actually concerned for their well being. Eventually they both flew to the roof of my neighbors house and stared at each other. They had had enough.

By: Barbara

Barbara — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 23:23:32 +0000

Dave: And it’s not just adult jay v. adult jay. I feed them at work. The juvenile was getting too close to me, and the parent starting hitting it on the head with the peanut he/she just took from me. Absolutely territorial!

By: Estelle Denison

Estelle Denison — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 17:03:36 +0000

I have to say, they have a lot of mettle. I have seen them as a large group corner a cat. This cat was a very large burmese. He was shaking and making this noise that brought half the neighborhood out to see.

By: Nancy Taylor

Nancy Taylor — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 13:55:25 +0000

I always think of Jays as the New York cab drivers of the avian world. Gotta admire their moxie!