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California Scrub Jay
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| Photo Information |
Copyright: Manyee Desandies (manyee)
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3103 W: 234 N: 5930]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-g-g.gif) (20016) |
| Genre: Animals |
| Medium: Color |
| Date Taken: 2005-09-10 |
| Categories: Birds |
| Camera: Canon Powershot S1-IS |
| Photo Version: Original Version |
| Date Submitted: 2005-09-12 3:26 |
| Viewed: 843 |
| Points: 12 |
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| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
This is a juvenile California scrub jay.
Western Scrub-Jay
Aphelocoma californica
Geai buissonier (French)
Urraca azuleja, Chara azuleja, Chara pecho rayando (Spanish)
Scrub Jay, California Jay (English)
A bold and familiar jay of the American West, the Western Scrub-Jay is common throughout much of the western lowlands, especially in areas with oaks and pinyon pines. It has adapted well to suburbs and comes readily to bird feeders.
Sex Differences: Sexes look alike.
Sound: Calls harsh and scratchy.
The Western Scrub-Jay feeds on parasites on the body of mule deer, hopping over the body and head of the deer to get them. The deer often help the jays by standing still and holding their ears up.
Western Scrub-Jays in areas where acorns are abundant have deep, stout, slightly hooked bills. Those in areas with lots of pinyon pine have long, shallow, pointed bills. The shape of the bill helps the jays open their preferred foods: a stout bill is good for hammering open acorns and the hook helps rip off the shell; a thinner, more pointed bill can get in between pine cone scales to get at the pine seeds.
The species formerly known as "Scrub Jay" has been broken into three separate species: The Florida Scrub-Jay, the Island Scrub-Jay, and the Western Scrub-Jay. The Western Scrub-Jay can be divided into three forms, each of which may or may not be a separate species. The California Scrub-Jay of the Pacific coast has contrasting dark blue-and-white plumage, with a prominent blue necklace on a streaked white throat. The Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay of the Great Basin and eastward is duller and less well-marked, with little or no necklace. Sumichrast's Scrub-Jay of central Mexico has whiter underparts and little or no necklace.
The Western Scrub-Jay has been used in laboratory studies of its ability to hide (cache) and remember seeds. Jays that had stolen the caches of other jays noticed if other jays were watching them hide food. If they had been observed, they would dig up and hide their food again. Jays that had never stolen food did not pay any attention to whether other jays were watching them hide their food.
Source |
coasties, marhowie, Luc has marked this note useful
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Hi Manyee
Nice POV. You have shown the plumage beautifully. Good exposure and depth of colour in the blue. Pretty looking bird. Nice catchlight. Well done. TFS.
Hello Manyee, This has good colors and details...The name scrub jay seems to fit even better as this bird seems to still be going through its late summer molt. Well done.
Great shot Manyee,
Nicely composed, good colours and well detailed. Good Notes.
Very well captured, thanks for posting.
Have a good week.
- Gudule
![Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor [C: 248 W: 11 N: 288]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-s-n.gif)
(1204) - [2005-09-15 16:52]
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A real good shot Manyee. I like very much that dark color in the BG.
And the blue color of the bird captured my eye when I saw the vignette. TFS. Good lighting also.
JN.
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- livios
(16856)
- [2005-09-16 13:20]
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Manyee, very nice pose and very beautiful colors.
Getting the right exposure must not have been an easy task, but you did great.
The catchlight and the bg work very well.
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- Luc
(14719)
- [2005-09-16 20:58]
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Good work, Manyee. Picture and note. Thank you.
