Bluejay

[ysabetwordsmith]

My partner Doug called me out to the kitchen to see a bluejay just now.  Apparently there were two, as one flew away and another one was spotted.  :D  I'd been hearing their calls all morning.  Then something fascinating happened: the bluejay made an utterly iconic "cuckoo-cuckoo" sound while we were watching.  I've known they can mimic -- a friend had a rescue bluejay that learned to mimic her phone ringer -- but this is the first time I've heard a bluejay repeat another birdcall.  And then it screamed "Thief!" in a perfectly normal tone.  LOL 

This was on the patio in the vicinity of the hopper feeder, so I suspect that the birds have already discovered that I put seed out yesterday.  Usually it takes them a week or so to notice.

Comments

[alatefeline]

Oooh, clever birdies. *tail twitches*

[thnidu]

"Thief" in humanEnglish or in bluejay?

Well...

[ysabetwordsmith]

It sounds almost identical in both, actually. Hear some bluejays.

Re: Well...

[thnidu]

I see hear what you mean. Especially that first example, "Recorded by Andrea L. Priori; Randolph Scott Little"

Re: Well...

[lone_cat]

I played that one, and one of my cats started to go after the speaker.

Re: Well...

[ysabetwordsmith]

LOL yes. Did you know there are videos for cats, of birds or fish? Some cats don't seem to "get it" but others are enchanted.

[cat-sanctuary.livejournal.com]

Cool! Now I'll always wonder how many of the characteristic bird calls I hear in the woods are coming from a blue jay. I already *knew* we get mockingbirds in summer, so learning bird calls is useless if you can't clearly see a bird...

[cissa.livejournal.com]

But mockers- and catbirds- have that beautiful liquid tone, so they are musical even when imitating blue jays. Or cement mixers. :)

[cissa.livejournal.com]

A couple of years ago a jay was doing a perfect imitation of a ringtone just outside our window, several times a day. I'm sure it was amused!

Yay!

[ysabetwordsmith.livejournal.com]

I'm pleased that someone else has observed this.