Identification - It is larger than a robin. The body is bright blue above and white below. The best field marks are its "baby-blue" crest, white face and throat, black necklace, and blue upperparts which vividly show white spots on the wings and tail.
Morsels - A number of birds, such as the Blue Jay, take part in an activity called anting. The activity involves the bird actually picking up ants in its bill and wiping the ants over its feathers or lying passively on an anthill and allowing the ants to crawl all over its feathers. The process is thought to cause the ants to release formic acid which acts as an insecticide, ridding the birds of feather lice and other feather pests. Individual Blue Jays can be identified by their facial markings so you can tell if the same bird is visiting your feeder each year.
