Ashley and Crippen Photographers, Toronto|Corporate Headshots/Executive Headshots 

Birds

Blue Jay

Common in suburbs, woodlands and parks, the Blue Jay is found across most of eastern North America and is occasionally seen in the northwest and west. Some birds migrate south in the fall, moving in large flocks. Like other Jays, it has a harsh, strident voice and often mimics other birds-particularly the Red- Shouldered Hawk. The Blue Jay builds a bulky nest of twigs, moss and leaves on a branch or in the crotch of a tree up to 50 feet above the ground, in which it lays3-5 olive, blue or buffy eggs spotted with brown. These are incubated by the female for about 17 days and the young birds leave to fend for themselves around three weeks after hatching. The adult has a crest at the back of the head, broad rounded wings and rather a short, broad tail. It is blue above, gray-white underneath with a black necklace, and has black barring on wings and tail. The Blue Jay eats nuts, seed, fruit and insects.