Page 366 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

CROWS
Order Passeriformes Family Corvidae Species Garrulus glandarius
Jay striped crown

short, thick
dark bill
thick black
moustache
white patch on
blackish wings
pale, pinkish
grey body
“anting”
posture
large
white
rump
IN FLIGHT
blue panel
on wings

black
tail

woodland bird that also ventures into parks and large gardens,
Athe Jay is usually shy and not easy to watch for long periods: FLIGHT: slow, laboured, rowing action of broad
a harsh call may be the only clue to its presence. It may become wings; often quite high over woodland in autumn
much tamer, however, when it is left undisturbed in when collecting acorns.
parks, and can be watched feeding on the ground
under trees, or perhaps collecting acorns, which it
does with great industry every autumn. It can carry
several in a pouch under the throat, plus one in the
bill, and buries hundreds each year for consumption
in the winter and spring. It has an exaggerated,
bouncy action while hopping on the ground. Jays
sometimes deliberately place ants on their feathers, a
behaviour called anting.The purpose of this is unclear
but it probably helps to rid them of parasites.
VOICE Nasal, mewing pee-oo, short barking call; main ACORN COLLECTOR
call loud, tearing-cloth sound, harsh skairk! The Jay collects acorns every autumn, buries them, and usually digs them
NESTING Bulky nest of out to eat late in the winter or spring, when other food is scarce.
sticks, low down in thick SIMILAR SPECIES OCCURRENCE
bush; 4 or 5 eggs; HOOPOE Breeds in almost all of Europe,
1 brood;April–June. see p.256 except in N Scotland, Iceland,
FEEDING Eats anything long, curved and N Scandinavia. In parks with
from caterpillars to small bill extensive lawns and various
rodents: chiefly insects in woodland, especially with oak; also
summer with some barred visits large gardens. N European
eggs and small chicks wings birds move southwest in winter.
and acorns (collected Seen in the UK
and stored) in winter. J F M A M JJ A S O N D
Length 34–35cm (13 1 ⁄2 –14in) Wingspan 52–58cm (20 1 ⁄2 –23in) Weight 140–190g (5–7oz)
Social Small flocks Lifespan Up to 5 years Status Secure†
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