17 January 2016
Blue jays mimic the sounds of raptors to warn or fool(!) other blue jays.
In Pittsburgh they often mimic red-tailed hawks. In Florida they mimic the red-shouldered hawks that are louder and much more common.
This video from MyBackyardBirding in Florida is a good example of how blue jays can sound like hawks. Can you tell who’s who when they aren’t on screen?
The mourning dove seems to be having a hard time figuring it out.
(video from MyBackyardBirding on YouTube)
In northern Allegheny County we have Red-tailed Hawks and Red-shouldered Hawks. Our Blue Jays imitate both.
Sometimes I think the Blue Jays do it for fun. This summer I had a family group of Blue Jays visit most days. I would chatter with them using the various noises they make and they would readily respond back. The squeaky wheel sound being the one they respond to most. If you listen to them closely they use many subtle variations of the different noises they make.
I’ve used the squeaky wheel sound to call the birds in when I put seed out for years now. The birds always gather around when I do it. The hawk knows my call too and is usually right behind them.
I had a blue jay fool me. He was doing what sounded like peal eagle calls very close by….I got all excited I would see a huge eagle close up…the sound was so loud and clear I pinpointed it to my 30 foot apple tree, but looking through the branches I see not a majestic eagle but a little blue head. The little stinker. I had no idea they could do that, but I bet he was trying to scare all the other birds away from the feeder. Wonder where he heard the eagle too!