Blue Jay Habitat In Colorado Rocky Mountains

The Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) is a medium-sized bird (approximately 11 inches in length) and is easily identified by its blue color, distinctive crest, black necklace and white spots on its wings and tail. Both sexes are similar in appearance. The blue jay is also noted for its noisiness, shrieking loudly at cats, snakes or other intruders. Its most common cry is “jay, jay” or “jeer, jeer.” The blue jay has been known to mimic the calls of hawks, especially red-tailed and red-shouldered hawks. Some believe they do this to alert other jays to the presence of a hawk, or perhaps to deceive other birds into believing a hawk is in the area.

Blue Jay Habitat & Range:

The Northern Blue Jay prefers wooded country, especially oak and beech trees. The Blue Jay has been known to make his home in wooded residential areas as well. The Northern Blue Jay is widespread throughout eastern North America, and has recently migrated in small numbers to the Colorado Rocky Mountains.

Blue Jay Diet & Nesting: 

The Blue Jay mainly eats seeds. Different from other birds, the Northern Blue Jay will fill its gullet with seeds and then fly off to some secret and protected area where it regurgitates the seeds and
cracks each one open before eating it. It also eats insects, eggs and young birds. The Blue Jay first builds a false nest of twigs. It then builds a true nest in the crotch or branch of a tree or bush. Both
adults build the nest, which is made out of twigs, bark, mosses, paper, rags and other available items. The female gives birth to 4-5 brown and gray spotted eggs, olive, pale green or dull blue in color. The young leave the nest 17-21 days after hatching. The adults will defend the nest by divebombing and pecking anything that comes near their young.

Blue Jay

The Blue Jay Creek/Manitou River Enhancement Steering Committee is planning the rehabilitation and enhancement of the Blue Jay Creek and Manitou River ecosystems on Manitoulin Island through a multi-phase approach. The intention of this project is to optimize the overall potential of the streams in order to enhance the entire ecosystem of each watershed. This project will provide benefits to all users of the streams by improving water quality, stream aesthetics and all associated fish and wildlife habitat. Fish, frogs, turtles, snakes, birds and various animals and insects will all enjoy the benefits of an improved ecosystem. The strategy developed for these rivers will provide a foundation for the
future extension of site rehabilitation and enhancement projects to other streams across Manitoulin Island.

Blue Jay

From the mid-nineties to present, small government grants have assisted local groups in carrying out smaller scale rehabilitation projects on various portions of these streams. It is now evident that although this was an important first step for garnering support, there is a demonstrated need to implement a more comprehensive level of rehabilitation. A Steering Committee of Manitoulin Island stakeholders has been formed, composed of representatives from local fish and game organizations, local landowner and agricultural organizations, local retail and tourism businesses and area municipalities. This group is actively providing direction for the undertaking of this project.

Phase I of the study included the development of a work plan that identifies all additional field work that needed to be completed on the streams along with a cost estimate. This Phase I work plan classified and prioritized project components, identified where and when work needed to be done, estimated the cost for each component and identified material, equipment and labour needs along with any necessary legislative and regulatory requirements. Phase I of this project was intended to be a project scoping exercise to determine the relative size of the rehabilitation and enhancement required and was not meant to provide detailed design for the specific repairs and enhancement required. In
addition, the Phase I portion of the project was limited to the main portions of the streams and was not intended to include all related tributaries.

The final phases of the project will involve obtaining funding partnerships to undertake the actual rehabilitation, enhancement and monitoring work as well as any other work identified during the completion of the Phase I and II portions of the project. The ultimate goal of this project is to create, through rehabilitation and enhancement of important coldwater streams, healthy and self sustaining ecosystems that contribute to the ecological, economic and social health of Manitoulin Island. Improvements to fish habitat, riparian vegetation, stream stability and water quality are key components of the project.