Jay (14 x 5 cm)

Description

Jay, a 34 cm long crow, breeding in deciduous and coniferous forests in a large area from Western Europe and North Western Africa to the East Coast of Asia.

Owing to its special voice and its gaudy plumage we never doubt the presence of the jay, even though it at times can be very shy. Its plumage is reddish brown with a characteristic black beard stripe and on the wing we see blue feathers with black cross stripes.

The jay is omnivorous, eating both worms, insects, seeds and berries. Moreover it hoards acorns, which are hided on the ground under withered leaves and used for later consumption. It can even bring itself to take eggs and young ones from its fellows or other birds!

The jay makes use of its store of food during winter and early spring before the period of breeding begins at the end of April.

The male and the female jay build the nest together, and as part of his philandering the female jay is fed by the male jay, while she hatches out the eggs.

The Danish jays are common sedentary birds, and in some winters they are joined by a large amount of migrating birds from Norway and Sweden, if they have had trouble finding food.

The jay is protected, and therefore we are not allowed to hunt it.