
Some of the most popular food sources for Steller Jays include:
- Suet
- Dogwood
- Black-oil and striped sunflower seeds
- Cherries
- Fruits (apples, melons, bananas, grapes, cherries, most berries, dried fruit etc.)
- Elderberries
- Acorns
- Shelled Peanuts
- Peanut Butter
What kind of food do Steller's Jay eat?
They have been known to: Eat snails, spiders, frogs and small rodents. Take dead or injured small vertebrates. Pick up dead or dying adult birds.
What does Jessie Jay eat?
With her coffee Decker says she usually has a piece of whole-wheat toast with butter, though sometimes she'll grab some of the turkey bacon Eric cooks and put together a breakfast burrito with ...
Are stellar Jays smart?
Steller jays are smart birds and they can store their food in their expandable pouches present in their esophagus. This is a temporary place to hold their food. Steller jays are more likely to eat plants and vegetables. About two-thirds of a steller’s diet consists of fruits, vegetables, and seeds.
What do shrub jays eat?
- Corvus floridanus Bartram , 1791
- Corvus coerulescens Bosc, 1795
- Aphelocoma californica coerulescens

How do you attract steller jays?
To attract Steller's Jays to your feeders, put out peanuts or other large seeds and nuts as well as suet. If you see jays hogging your feeders and taking large numbers of seeds, they may be carrying some away to store in a cache to help them get through the winter.
Do steller jays eat apples?
Steller's jays will eat apples, but ensure to cut the apples into small enough pieces and remove the seeds.
Do steller jays eat mealworms?
Jays will eat most bird foods, including sunflower, peanuts, suet, Bark Butter, and mealworms.
Do steller jays eat grapes?
In the summer, they will feed on mistletoe berries and grapes, as well as insects.
Do Steller's jays eat sunflower seeds?
What Foods Do Steller's Jays Eat? To attract Steller's jays to your own feeder, offer peanuts, black oil sunflower seeds, suet or fruit. Pine and oak trees are alluring cover and provide additional food and nesting sites.
What does it mean when you see a Steller's jay?
There are stories specifically about the Steller's Jay in mythology. “He is the message of hope in disrepair and the will to live. The jay is willing to teach you fearlessness, adaptability and survival but you must be willing to follow its lead.”
Do steller jays like peanuts?
In the wild, Steller's Jays feed heavily on pine seeds, acorns, and other nuts and seeds as well as bugs. At your feeders, Shelled Peanuts are a great option, as well as BerryWise® seed – a sweet and crunchy treat consisting of Hulled Sunflower, Black Oil Sunflower, Peanuts, Papaya, Raisins and Juniper Berries.
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.
What should you not feed wild birds?
What Not To Feed Wild Birds – 15 Worst FoodsBacon. Don't serve bacon in your bird feeders. ... Salt. Just like us humans, too much salt is bad for birds. ... Avocado. Avocado is high-risk food that you should avoid feeding to birds. ... Chocolate. ... Onions. ... Bread. ... Fats. ... Fruit Pits & Seeds.More items...
Do steller jays eat blueberries?
However, they also eat berries such as raspberries, strawberries and blueberries from time to time.
How do you tell the difference between a male and female Steller jay?
Both sexes are similar, with female slightly smaller than male. Juvenile resembles adult, but head and body are greyish black. Steller's Jay's calls include series of raucous “shack” or “shooka” notes.
How can you tell if a Steller's jay is male or female?
4:007:20How To Tell Male And Female Blue Jays Apart - Is It Even Possible?YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIf you should discover a bluejay nest the one sitting on the eggs is always the female because theMoreIf you should discover a bluejay nest the one sitting on the eggs is always the female because the male does not develop a brood pattern.
Do steller jays eat hummingbirds?
Steller's Jays have a varied diet of seeds, peanut butter, insects and baby birds. We watch these jays eat hundreds of bumble bees every spring and summer. They are also known to devastate a bird's nest and eat baby birds. They are particularly fond of hummingbirds.
What do fledgling Steller's jays eat?
These birds are omnivorous, meaning they consume food from plant and meat sources. Select raw, unsalted nuts and soft grains for your rescued baby bird. Berries should be fresh or frozen, not canned. Purchase produce that has not been subject to chemical processing.
Do steller jays eat meat?
Steller's jays are omnivores; their diet is about two-thirds plant matter and one-third animal matter. They gather food both from the ground and from trees. Steller's jay's diet includes a wide range of seeds, nuts, berries and other fruit.
How many eggs do steller jays lay?
2-6 eggsNesting FactsClutch Size:2-6 eggsNumber of Broods:1 broodEgg Length:1.1-1.4 in (2.7-3.5 cm)Egg Width:0.8-0.9 in (2-2.4 cm)Incubation Period:16 days2 more rows
How to attract Steller Jays?
The best way to attract Steller Jays is by feeding them. A feeder for these birds should be easy to fill and hold a variety of food. The most popular feeders for Steller jays are these suet and tray style platform feeders. You can pick them up on Amazon.
How big is a Steller's Jay?
The Steller’s Jay is a medium-sized bird measuring 30–34 cm (11.8–13.4 in) long and weighs about 100–142 g (3.5– 5.0 oz) that is found in the west coast of North America.
How far off the ground do Steller Jays nest?
Steller Jays have a very specific nesting needs, and will only nest on platforms that are located on an open perch or limb at least 25 feet off of the ground.
What is Steller's Jay?
One black-crested form in southern Mexico is surrounded by eight other blue-crested forms. Steller’s Jays are habitual nest-robbers, like many other jay species . They’ve occasionally been seen attacking and killing small adult birds including a Pygmy Nuthatch and a Dark-eyed Junco. An excellent mimic with a large repertoire, ...
Where do Steller's Jays live?
A large, dark jay of evergreen forests in the mountainous West. Steller’s Jays are common in forest wildernesses but are also fixtures of campgrounds, parklands, and backyards, where they are quick to spy bird feeders as well as unattended picnic items. When patrolling the woods, Steller’s Jays stick to the high canopy, but you’ll hear their harsh, ...
What is the only New World jay that uses mud to build its nest?
The Steller's Jay and the Blue Jay are the only New World jays that use mud to build their nests. The Steller's Jay shows a great deal of variation in appearance throughout its range, with some populations featuring black crests and backs, and others blue. One black-crested form in southern Mexico is surrounded by eight other blue-crested forms.
What do pinyon jays eat?
Food: Provide foods with lots of berries to attract the pinyon jay. They are specialized for feeding on pine seeds, which will keep them full through the summer. They may also eat juniper and other wild berries. Backyard tips: These jays will hide their seeds in the summer, and have such a good memory that they will be able to find their stash, even through snow!
What do pygmy nuthatches eat?
Food: Provide food with large seeds like sunflower and peanuts, as well as suet and peanut butter. Backyard tips: Pygmy Nuthatches are cavity-nesters. They may nest in coniferous trees in your yard or artificial nest boxes, but usually they excavate their own cavities.
What do Steller's jays eat?
Steller's jays are omnivores; their diet includes a wide range of seeds, nuts, berries, and other fruit. They also eat many types of invertebrates, small rodents, eggs, and nestlings such as those of the marbled murrelet. They have even been known to eat small reptiles , like snakes, and lizards. Diet Omnivore.
When do Steller jays breed?
2-6 eggs. Steller's jays are monogamous and form long-lasting pair bonds. They breed from late March to early July, with a peak in April and May. The pair usually locates its nest in a conifer but sometimes it can be built in a hollow in a tree.
What is the size of a Steller's Jay?
30-34 cm. The Steller's jay is are colorful and noisy bird native to western North America. It has a blackish-brown, black, or dark blue head, depending on the latitude, with lighter streaks on the forehead.
Where is the Steller's Jay found?
The Steller's jay is the only crested jay found west of the Rocky Mountains. The Steller's jay is sometimes colloquially called a "blue jay" in the Pacific Northwest. Steller's jays are usually loud both day and night, however, during the nesting period they are quiet in order to not attract attention.
What is the loud squawk of a Steller's Jay?
The Steller’s Jay has a very distinct loud, raspy squawk. Many people find their call to be irritating but they often use their shrill voice to warn other birds of predators or ward off more overbearing birds.
Why is the Steller's Jay called a blue Jay?
The Steller’s Jay is often mistakenly called a Blue Jay due to their deep blue plumage and crested, black head. Their wings and tail have a fine black barring against the vivid blue and a small blue or white streak on the forehead.
What are some good seeds for a bird feeder?
At your feeders, Shelled Peanuts are a great option, as well as BerryWise ® seed – a sweet and crunchy treat consisting of Hulled Sunflower, Black Oil Sunflower, Peanuts, Papaya, Raisins and Juniper Berries. Insect Treasure suet is a great choice as well, full of protein and delectable insect morsels which jays love.
Can Jays cling to peanuts?
Our Peanut Feeder, which allows Jays to cling while eating , is another great option. For suet or seed cakes, Wild Bird Center’s Suet Cake and In-Shell Peanut feeder allows for either/or depending on your preference.
Description Of Bird
Measuring 12 to 13 1/2 inches in length. The crest, back, and breast are blackish. The belly, wings and tail are deep blue. This birds call is a loud Shaack! Shaack! Shaack! May also mimic the screams of hawks.
Habitat
The habitat of this bird is coniferous forests consisting of pine and oak woods. Small groves and stands of mixed oak and redwood make up this birds home in northern California.
Nesting Habits
Pairs form monogamous, long-term pair bonds and will stay together all year on their territory.
Feeding Habits
Steller's Jay eat nuts, seeds, fruits, and insects. Also known to feed on the eggs and young of other birds which is fairly common in the Jay family.
