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Big, Brash and Blue

Eldon Greij

Blue jays are an enigma of sorts -- a bit like Jekyll and Hyde. They're beautiful. Catch them in the right light and they're gorgeous. But, for many people, their good looks don't compensate for their bully behavior at feeders.

They can benefit other songbirds because they're one of the first to announce the presence of predators. Just as quickly, however, they can turn and become predators themselves, searching for eggs and nestlings of other songbirds. Before you condemn them for their behavior, remember that they're just being blue jays, something for which they've been pre-programmed...