Identification - This jay, the only western one with a crest, is larger than a robin. Its best field marks are the long dark crest that tops its black head and its black breast and back. The rest of the body is a deep blue that varies in intensity throughout its range. Northern jays appear darker than those in southern areas. As well birds in the interior have a white eyebrow which the coastal form lacks.
Morsels - The Steller's Jay, like most songbirds, gives loud alarm calls in the presence of an enemy. The call not only warns other birds of the intruder but may also indicate whether an enemy is on the ground, like a cat, or in the air, like a hawk. Even forest mammals benefit from the alarm calls of these birds. Near its nest it is unusually silent and shy.
