CROWS, MAGPIES, AND JAYS 



61 



Photosraph by George Sbiras, 3d 

 A DENIZEN OF THE NORTH WOODS SHOWS SCANT FEAR OF MAN 



The Canada jay lives in the coniferous forests on the fringe or beyond the limits of civiliza- 

 tion and is remarkably tame and bold. Despite an enormous capacity for food, he sometimes gets 

 enough, and then stores his surplus in tree crevices. This reserve supply enables him to sustain 

 his young in early spring, before good foraging is possible (see page 76). 



This is another representative of the 

 family Corvidac which is unpopular with 

 ^'ar^ous groups of people. Cattlemen tell 

 you that he attacks weak or injured stock, 

 and that hy pecking the scars made by the 

 branding irons on calves or colts he pre- 

 vents the wounds from healing. 



All observers agree that the magpies are 

 a scourge to many birds, and that nests 

 are constantly raided by them. Mourning 

 doves, meadow larks, and other birds nest- 

 ing on or near the ground are especially 

 subject to raids. The eggs and young of 

 swallows are dainties which parent mag- 

 pies delight to gather for their young. Of 

 course, they eat crickets and grasshoppers 

 as well. A mouse is not safe if a magpie 

 discovers it away from cover. 



Ground squirrels are killed by them, and 

 magpies have been known to wait long 

 and patiently for one of these rodents to 

 emerge from its hole, when it is pounced 

 upon and dispatched with blows from the 

 powerful bill. 



I have seen flocks of magpies in Alaska, 

 Colorado, and elsewhere engaged in hunt- 



ing systematically every bush and tree as 

 they progressed. From the way they 

 peeped and peered and investigated, they 

 were uncjuestionably searching for eggs 

 and young birds. At a distance I could 

 keep track of the onward movement of the 

 marauding band by the cries of alarm and 

 distress raised by the smaller feathered in- 

 habitants of the underbrush. 



THE BLUE JAY 



It would be difficult to find a more noisy 

 bird than our beautiful blue jay, and when 

 a family group takes up its habitation in 

 the trees about a dwelling, the occupants 

 are kept fully aware of the fact that this 

 bird is in the neighborhood. His note at 

 dawn has been compared to a shout. 



These jays have a great variety of calls 

 and often imitate the notes and cries of 

 other birds. Their imitation of the call of 

 the red-shouldered hawk is so nearly per- 

 fect as often to deceive the bird student. 



Their vocal performances are at their 

 best when an owl is discovered. Shrill 

 screains call together all the jays of the 



