BLUE JAYS BACKYARD TIPS

These birds are known for their loud, varied calls. Their most common sound is a harsh, jay-jay call, but they also mimic other birds and even human-made noises. Blue Jays can produce a musical “whisper song,” a series of soft clicks, whirs, and other quiet notes that are often overlooked.

To attract Blue Jays to your yard, offer peanuts (in or out of the shell), sunflower seeds, suet, and whole or cracked corn. They prefer large, sturdy feeders like platform feeders or hopper feeders, which can support their size and weight. The peanut wreath feeder is particularly popular with Blue Jays.  Blue Jays are also known for caching food, so they may visit feeders frequently to store food for later.  Peanuts in the shell are highly sought by Blue Jays for winter food storage plans.

While Blue Jays don't typically use birdhouses, they prefer to nest in tall trees, especially oaks, pines, and spruces. They build cup-shaped nests from twigs, grass, and mud, usually in the forks of tree branches. Providing a natural habitat with tall trees will encourage them to make your yard their home.