Steller's Jay - not blue jay

Photo by Wayne Pridemore

Even though they have blue feathers and a crested head, they are Stellar's Jays. We do not have bluejays here.

But the Stellar's Jay is common with their beautiful blue feathers and elegant crest. They are fairly large, rivaling the size of a flicker.

The one that visits my feeders is calm and quiet. He doesn't interact with the other birds - they just ignore each other. He came in already knowing how to eat from a hanging suet cake, although he'll eat from the spill on the deck just as often.

I like him because he's easy to identify!

--Diane Hettrick