MAGPIES, JAYS 



(479) Aphelocoma cyanea 



{Vicill.) (Gr., smooth hair, referring to 

 the lack of a crest; Lat., blue). 



FLORIDA JAY. A crestless spe- 

 cies with plumage as shown. Crown, 

 sides of head, wings and tail grayish- 

 blue; a more or less broken breast 

 band of the same color; middle of 

 back graj-ish-brown ; auriculars 

 dusky-blue; below soiled white, in- 

 distinctly streaked on the throat and 

 breast. L., 11.75; E^-. i4So; W., 

 4.50; T., 5.00; B., i.oo. Nesl — Oi 

 sticks and rootlets, lined with weeds; 

 in bushes or low trees; four olive- 

 green eggs, spotted with brown, 

 1.05 ,x .80. 



Range — Locally distributed in 

 Fla., chiefly along the coast regions. 



many happy bird homes are transformed to scenes of despair 

 and wailing after being visited by our jay. His usual method 

 of plundering is to quietly slii^ through the underbrush, 

 seize an egg or little bird and try to escape before the parents 

 are aware of the fact. 



In some measure to atone for this destruction of valuable 

 birds, jays devour quantities of grasshoppers, crickets, worms, 

 larvs, inice, etc. In fall, small companies of Blue Jays 

 pay frequent visits to oak and chestnut trees, feeding upon 

 the nuts and storing quantities of them away for winter use 

 where squirrels will not be apt to find them. They are 

 noisy at all seasons of the year; besides their common "jay" 

 scream, their long-drawn, hawk-like scream and a clearly 

 whistled "querdle, querdle, querdle," they can make noises 

 and whistles mimicking the notes of many birds. They often 

 talk among themselves in low tones, and sometimes a single 

 individual will sound as though he were composing some 

 strain, making a medley of warbles, whistles, and mutterings 

 that has quite a pleasing sound. 



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