Hungry Baby Blue Jay: Facts About Blue Jay Chicks

I took a photo of a hungry baby Blue Jay at the Fort Smith National Historic Site in Arkansas. Unfortunately, it started to rain, so I wasn’t able to take a picture of the bird being fed by its parents.

Young Blue Jay Wanting To Be Fed
Young Blue Jay Wanting To Be Fed

Here are some interesting facts about baby Blue Jays:

  1. Not Blue: Baby Blue Jays aren’t blue. Their feathers contain a pigment called melanin which is brown. The blue color is a result of light refraction.
  2. Feeding Habits: Baby Blue Jays eat a diet similar to their parents, including insects, berries, seeds, and grains. In the first few days after hatching, the male provides most of the food, but the female also helps later to find food for their hungry chicks.
  3. Adaptive Species: Baby Blue Jays are highly adaptable and prefer to live in trees in pine forests. They can be found throughout the southern and central United States and migrate south for the winter, but can also be seen year-round in some areas.
  4. Noisy Neighbors: Blue Jays are known to be noisier in the fall than in the spring or summer.
Blue Jay Fledgling Wanting Food
Blue Jay Fledgling Wanting Food

Gear Used:

  • Camera: Canon EOS R5
  • Lens: Canon EF 800 mm f/11

Technical:

  • Location: Fort Smith National Historic Site (Arkansas)
  • Date Taken: June 6, 2021 (9:48 A.M.)
  • Aperture: f11 (Fixed)
  • Shutter speed: 1/400
  • ISO: 4000 (Auto)
  • Exposure Compensation: +1/3
  • Focal Length: 800 mm (Fixed)