The Blue Jay is closely related to the Crow. He shows this relationship in a number of ways. He is very intelligent, has a keen sense of humor and is an observer of birds and men. All the year long he makes himself known to us by his striking plumage, loud voice, and active body. During the nesting season, however, he is comparatively quiet and we see little of him.

Food: During eight or nine months of the year the Blue Jay earns an honest living. He eats many harmful insects, frogs, snails, and even small fish and mice. In the breeding season, however, the Jay sometimes turns robber and has been known to steal the young of other birds. Nevertheless the Jay is a likable creature, and probably before human beings came to disturb him he was not quite so much of a nuisance to other birds as he is now.

Song: The clearly whistled note of this bird proclaims the name Jay!—Jay!—Jay! in loud, harsh, ringing notes. Sometimes the song is quite pleasing with a bell-like quality. Some think that when the Jay calls he says Thief! Thief! Thief!

Nest: The Blue Jay often constructs his nest in a convenient crotch of a tree. It is built of twigs quite strongly interwoven. The lining is of leaflets. The inside of the nest is not by any means soft. The pale olive brown or green eggs sprinkled with brownish are from four to six in number.

Remarks: It is in the winter time that we really know the Jay in motion. When the snow is on the ground and the woods and fields are quiet it seems a fine thing to see dashing through the branches, calling again and again, a bright bluish bird who gives an entirely different atmosphere to the outdoors. Being something of a mimic, he sometimes takes delight in imitating the songs of such birds as the Red-shouldered Hawk and other songs that have a similar ring. He has been called a reprobate, but, despite his bad habits, who is there that does not appreciate his vivacity and ever-active personality?