112 BULLETIN 191, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



The ordinary note is a harsh scream, indefinitely repeated with varying tone 

 and measure; it is quite noticeably different from that of either Maximilian's or 

 Steller's, having a sharp, wiry quality lacking in these. It is always uttered 

 when the bird is angry or alarmed, and consequently is oftener heard by the 

 naturalist; but there are several other notes. If the bird is disporting with his 

 fellows, or leisurely picking acorns, he has a variety of odd chuckling or chattering 

 syllables, corresponding to the absurd talk of our Blue Jay under the same cir- 

 cumstances. Sometimes again, in the spring-time, when snugly hidden in the heart 

 of a cedar bush with his mate, whom he has coaxed to keep him company, he 

 modulates his harsh voice with surprising softness to express his gallant in- 

 tention ; and if one is standing quite near, unobserved, he will hear the blandish- 

 ments whispered and cooed almost as softly as a Dove's. The change, when the 

 busy pair find they are discovered, to the ordinary scream, uttered by wooer and 

 wooed together, is startling. 



Field marks. — Superficially, Woodhouse's jay looks and acts much 

 like the California jay, and its voic.e is similar; but its coloration is 

 much more uniform, appearing largely dull bluish gray, vi^ith less con- 

 trast between the brown of the back and the blue of the wings and tail. 

 The under parts are much grayer, less whitish, and the blue of the 

 flight feathers is duller. 



Fall. — This jay is supposed to be nonmigratory, and it probably is 

 mainly resident throughout the year over most of its range. Extensive 

 fall wanderings in search of a food supply might easily be mistaken for 

 true migration. Aiken and Warren (1914) report: "When Aiken was 

 at his ranch on Turkey Creek in October, 1873, a migratory flight of 

 Woodhouse's Jays was seen. They were not flying high, but making 

 short flights from point to point, always in a southerly direction. It was 

 estimated that there were at least 500 scattered over from 50 to 100 

 acres of ground, as they kept lighting after their short flights. After this 

 flight had passed the species seemed to be fully as common during the 

 following winter as it had been during the summer. The flight had 

 undoubtedly come from a more northern locality. Local birds appear 

 to be non-migratory and are found in the same localities throughout the 

 year." Mr. Rockwell (1907) writes: "With the first frosts they con- 

 gregate in small scattered flocks and perform whatever migration may 

 be credited to them, which I am inclined to think amounts to very little, 

 usually before the first big storm ; but climatic conditions seem to have 

 very little effect upon them, food supply alone being responsible for their 

 migratory movements." 



Winter. — Referring to their winter habits in Colorado, Mr. Rockwell 

 (1907) says: "When the winter coat of white has entirely covered 

 their food on the bleak hillsides, they return to their winter haunts 

 nearer the inhabited sections where the waste from barn-yard and 

 granary affords an abundant food supply imtil spring comes again. ♦ * * 



