“You never saw a bluejay get stuck for a word. He is a vocabularized geyser.” – Mark Twain
One of the loudest and most colorful birds found in eastern landscapes, the Blue Jay is unmistakable. Besides their raucous jay jay calls, they release a variety of sounds and can even do a remarkable imitation of the scream of a Red-shouldered Hawk. (Comes in handy at parties.) One theory is that the mimicry serves as a warning to other jays about lurking hawks. Another is that jays are trying to fool other species into thinking there are hawks nearby. Another is that they hear hawk screams are in high demand in Hollywood, often standing in for bald eagles and other birds of prey. Where's my agent?
How would you describe the sound of a Blue Jay?
Image: Bird is the word. Close-up of Blue Jay with a bit of ice and snow on beak at Shenandoah National Park, Virginia. NPS
