what to feed a bluejay

Blue jays will consume the following common bird foods:

• Bird seed mixes, particularly large seeds such as sunflower seeds
• Peanuts, hazelnuts and pretty much any other nuts
• Suet
• Leftovers, particularly small meat scraps in winter

Full Answer

What foods do blue jays eat?

Famous Fruits That Blue Jays Eat

• Apples. Apples provide a lot of health benefits to Blue Jays. ...
• Oranges. Oranges must be served after peeling off the outer layer. ...
• Blueberries. Blueberries contain high amounts of vitamin C. ...
• Raspberries. Raspberries are full of antioxidants and vitamins. ...
• Blackberries. In blackberries, there is an excellent addition of dietary fiber. ...
• Cherries. ...

What eats Blue Jays?

The visiting Toronto Blue Jays went 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position in their 6-5 loss to the Cleveland Guardians on Thursday. The Blue Jays hope for better success in key moments on Saturday when they play a traditional doubleheader in Cleveland.

Do blue jays eat fruit?

But along with this diet, they can also eat fruits and grains. Blue Jays love to eat all kinds of berries that have different types and colors. When Blue Jays cannot find insects, they eat fruits like apples, elderberries, cherries, strawberries, oranges, raspberries, and blackberries.

Do blue jays eat meat?

These birds have a diet consisting of seeds, fruits, berries, and insects. They don’t normally seek to eat the meat of another bird, nor are they scavengers. If on a rare occasion, you do see a blue jay eating another bird, the bird was probably already dead before the blue jays got there.

Should I feed Blue Jays?

Feed. Blue jays enjoy nuts, especially peanuts–whole or already shelled. They also like common bird feed like suet, cracked corn, and black oil sunflower seeds. However, blue jays will need to feed on a platform feeder or a large tray because of their size.

Can you hand feed a Blue Jay?

But there are some bird species that can grow comfortable with human interaction—even to the point where they will eat out of people's hands. Blue jays, gray jays, chickadees, and even hummingbirds, have been known to land on people to eat.

What do blue jays eat naturally?

Most of their diet is composed of acorns, nuts, and seeds—though they also eat small creatures such as caterpillars, grasshoppers, and beetles. Blue jays sometimes store acorns in the ground and may fail to retrieve them, thus aiding the spread of forests.

What kind of seed does a blue jay eat?

Blue jays love to eat a variety of food types including sunflower seeds, blackberries, cherries, acorns, mealworms, beechnuts, suet, peanuts, and other dried berries. It's best to feed Blue jays using hopper feeders or tray feeders because they are large enough to accommodate their bigger bodies.

How do you befriend a blue jay?

You can offer them mealworms, cracked corn, suet, and even sunflower seeds. These are all among some of Blue Jay's favorite treats. But nuts aren't the only treat you can offer a Blue Jay. They also enjoy sweeter treats such as berries and fruits.

Do blue jays recognize humans?

Ravens and other members of the corvid family (crows, jays, and magpies) are known to be intelligent. They can remember individual human faces, expertly navigate human environments (like trash cans), and they even hold funerals for their dead.

Do Blue Jays eat apples?

Aside from berries, blue jays will also happily munch on other fruits such as apples, oranges and cherries. If feeding apples and oranges, make sure that you slice them up into manageable pieces for the birds to enjoy.

Do jays eat apples?

Fruit pits or seeds Most fruits are fine for birds to eat, but it's important to avoid fruits that have seeds or pits in them. If you're going to feed the birds in your garden fruits like apples, pears, apricots or peaches, make sure you fully remove the pits or seeds beforehand.

Is bread good for Blue Jays?

Blue jays aren't huge fans of bread, but they will eat it if they need to or want to. The issue with bread is that it's nutritionally poor, meaning that birds who fill themselves up on bread likely aren't getting the nutrients they need to live a healthy life.

Do Blue Jays eat blueberries?

Blueberries are a favorite food of many birds. Most often seen feeding on them in our region are robins, followed next by blue jays. The latter also may peck at peaches, pears and apples, as will crows. If so, leave these fruit for them to peck so that you'll get some whole fruit to eat too.

Do Blue Jays eat whole corn?

Whole kernel corn, shelled from cobs, is ideal food for blue jays, red-bellied woodpeckers and gray squirrels.

Can baby Blue Jays eat blueberries?

What do baby Blue jays eat? Baby Blue jays eat whatever their parents bring them, including insects, berries, seeds and grains. While Blue jays also eat meat in the form of small animals and other birds, the young are unlikely to be able to digest it. Soft foods are preferable.

How do you hand feed a baby blue jay?

Baby birds open their mouths very widely when it is time to eat. Gently and quickly press the food to the back of the baby's open mouth. Do not press down the throat. Allow the baby blue jay sufficient time to swallow the food.

How do you feed jays?

JAYS HAVE QUITE A VARIED DIET of nuts, seeds and insects but primarily feed on acorns from the oak tree. They have been known to feed on nestlings and other very small mammals. IN THE GARDEN, consider using peanuts and odd scraps form the kitchen.

How much do you feed a baby blue jay?

Many nestlings need to be fed every 20 minutes or so for 12 to 14 hours a day! That is a lot of constant time and attention. They also need balanced food with enough protein and nutrients to grow properly. This is why the knowledge and expertise of a rehabber is their best bet for survival.

Can you train a blue jay?

Blue Jay. Blue Jays are intelligent and beautiful. With a little patience and some peanuts, you can train them to eat from your hand.

How to keep blue jays from eating?

Avoid the sun. Place the feeder in the shade, if possible. Blue Jays are diurnal, so they feed during the daylight hours. Since they take mass quantities of food at a time so that they can hide it, their visit to the feeder can be rather lengthy. That’s a lot of time in the heat of the sun.

How many acorns can a blue jay eat?

Carrying several nuts at a time in the gular pouch of its esophagus, a single blue jay can cache as many as 5,000 acorns in a 2.5-mile radius. Some of those acorns tucked under grass or leaves eventually become trees. New: Check out my review of the best squirrel-proof bird feeders.

What is a blue jay?

The blue jay is a partially migratory songbird in the Corvid family, along with ravens and crows. It has black and blue plumage, a white face and a thick bill. Those who have spent time or live in central or eastern North America tend to recognize them easily.

Can blue jays snub feeders?

They certainly won’t snub a more traditional feeder, though. Be sure that whatever feeder you get, it is sizable enough to support blue jays. There are several ground feeders and larger bird feeders on the market. You can also scatter seed on the ground to attract blue jays. Stock the feeder with their favorites.

Do blue jays mate in the winter?

Both parents share equal responsibility for feeding their young once the eggs have hatched. Into late summer, fall and winter, blue jays may have to search for food in other locations.

Can blue jays eat suets?

Or from a window, if available. Don’t forget the suet. Blue Jays also enjoy eating from suet feeders, but be sure not to leave the suet for too long in the summer months as it will go rotten. Provide a source for hydration… and cleanliness.

How to hand feed a blue jay?

If you want to succeed in hand-feeding a Blue Jay, you should stay consistent. When you show up at the same time each and every day, the birds will get to know you better. If the bird flies away, avoid the temptation to follow it. Let the birds feel safe enough to move away from you. If you do follow or chase the bird, they could interpret that as predatory.

How to make sure blue jays are welcome?

First up, make sure you are offering them something to suit all their needs. You need to make sure that you provide shelter, food, water, and comfortable nesting sites. If you bring all of these to your backyard, Blue Jays are sure to feel welcome in your backyard.

Do blue jays robins?

Blue Jays have a bad reputation for being bullies of the bird world. They are beautiful, bold creatures that have often been spotted robbing a robin’s nest. They do sometimes scoop a young robin hatchling out the nest. For this reason, they haven’t garnered the love of many birders.

Do blue jays take offense?

Remember that Blue Jays are brave and will take offense if they feel threatened. Be sure to be consistent and show up around the same time each day. This will help earn Blue Jay’s trust, and they will begin to recognize you as a non-threatening presence.

Is a blue jay good for the environment?

Blue jays are renowned for their bravado and beautiful plumage, but did you know they are excellent environmentalists too? While the blue jay is not an activist, they are great for the environment. They have a strong proclivity for planting acorns and seeds, helping encourage biodiversity, amongst other things. So, we know they are excellent for encouraging foliage, but are they good at hand feeding? Is hand feeding Blue Jays recommended?

How to feed baby blue jays?

Try not to deal with tofu or wet bread or dry birdseed or milk to baby blue jays. Utilize an eyedropper to put the food toward the rear of the child bird’s mouth, past the windpipe. Feed hatchlings at regular intervals from morning until night.

What do baby blue jays eat?

Baby blue jays usually eat seeds, crickets, caterpillars, and worms brought by the parent birds in the nest. Read the full post to know what you can properly feed baby blue jays and their favorite foods.

Do blue jays eat eggs?

However, worms positively advance into many infant baby blue jay’s weight control plans. Blue jays are known to eat eggs or little birds, and it is the training that has discolored their standing. The fact is, they are generally veggie-lover birds.

Can blue jays eat fruit?

No, they don’t tend to eat fruits because blue jays are omnivorous. They only consume food from plant and meat sources. But somewhat they can eat fruits. It would be best if you select unsalted nuts and delicate grains for your saved baby blue jays. Berries should be new or frozen for baby blue jays, not tinned.

Can baby blue jays eat raspberries?

So, baby blue jays can eat blueberries without any hesitation if provided carefully. Blueberries are the most loved food of numerous birds.

What do blue jays eat?

Their large size, blue feathers, and distinctive call mean that just about anyone can recognize a blue jay. Adults can often be seen eating large acorns, and are drawn to feeders full of things like peanuts and sunflower seeds. They also have been known to occasionally raid ...

What is baby blue jay food?

Mostly, that means seeds, nuts, and insects. If you find yourself caring for baby blue jays that have been abandoned while waiting for help from a rehabber, pet food or commercially sold baby bird food will help to meet their nutritional needs.

How long do blue jays stay in the nest?

Adult blue jays bring nuts, seeds, insects and small animals back to the nest for their chicks. For at least six weeks after hatching, the chicks are totally dependent on their parents to bring them food, and the parents bring whatever they can find.

What happens if you dive bomb a blue jay?

In all likelihood, if you’re dive bombed by a blue jay, you were walking too close to their nest. Blue jays like to build their nests high up in trees and they hide them well, so it’s rare to spot them. The parents, though, are fierce protectors and won’t hesitate to chase of potential predators.

When do blue jays learn to fly?

The parents, though, are fierce protectors and won’t hesitate to chase of potential predators. This is especially true around May and June, when the babies are just learning to fly. This is when they’re at their most vulnerable, and the adults get extra protective of them. That’s when most blue jay attacks occur.

Do blue jays take turns feeding?

Male and female blue jays both take turns feeding the young, however it has been observed that males may often do the majority of the feeding. Some feedings can be very quick, and the adults will only stop by for a minute before leaving to find food again.

Can you rehab baby blue jays?

If you have determined that the baby blue jays do need help, it is important to contact a qualified bird rehabber. In many states, only certified rehab specialists are allowed to be in possession of wild birds. Not to mention they are trained in exactly how to care for them.

What is the best food for blue jays?

Blue Jays favorite food is whole, shelled peanut. I personally picked the Songbird Essentials because its secured design and built will surely keep other animals from stealing my Blue Jays food. This peanut bird feeder external diameter is around 13 inches in length, while the inner measurement is 7 inches.

What type of feeder should I use for blue jays?

Tube feeders. If you are looking for a cost-effective and practical type of Blue Jays feeder I do recommend you go for a tube style feeder. Wild birds including Blue Jays prefer feeding on corn and peanuts and a tube feeder is designed to hold this type of bird feed.

What bird feeders attract blue jays?

One of the popular types of bird feeders that attract blue jays the tray feeder . This type of feeder has open space platform where you can fill it with bird feeds like peanuts, sunflower seeds and suet.

What is a blue jay bird feeder made of?

Not all feeders have similar materials. Some bird feeders are made from recycled plastic, stainless steel with mesh wire and cedarwood. Other bird feeders are designed and built to have special features like anti-rot, corrosion and rust-resistant and UV protected. It’s very important to choose the quality of the Blue Jays feeder because they are big compared to other birds.

What is the material used in Nature's Way bird feeders?

The material used for its construction is from top quality Cedarwood with water-based protection stain. I think this would make any outdoor space aesthetically appealing with its nature theme.

What factors affect a buyer's decision when buying Blue Jays feeders?

Bird feed capacity. Another factor that will affect a buyer’s decision when buying Blue Jays feeder is the capacity a bird feeder can offer. A bird feeder that can hold much feed is beneficial for a bird watcher that wants to attract a big number of birds.

What birds like wreath shaped bird feeders?

This design is suitable for nut loving bird species like Blue Jays, Crows, Doves, Nutcrackers, Towhees and a lot more. You might ask, what is the benefit of a wreath shaped bird feeder. Its structure helps animals like squirrels and nut loving feathered friends to pick the bird feeds without a struggle.