Tuesday, 14 February 2012
Jay
Scientific Name:
Garrulus glandarius
Length:
34 cm
Wingspan (mm):
55 cm
Weight:
170 g
Lifespan:
4 yrs Description
Jays are very colourful yet elusive members of the crow family. They are mostly a pinkish brown with the underparts being slightly paler. The head has a black and white flecked crown, black moustache and whitish throat. It has a white rump that contrasts starkly with it's black tail. The iris of the eye is a pale blue and the bill is black with the legs being a pink-brown. The wings are mostly black with white patches but also have very striking blue patches, but seen close to, these wing patches are actually bands of graduated shades of blue.
Diet
Nuts, seeds, insects, scraps. They will hoard food, particularly their favourite nut the acorn, in large amounts. Research has shown that Jays are one of the few birds to store large amounts of food and actually retrieve it.