Jay (lat. Garruulus glandarius) is a fairly common and very characteristic bird. This species is quite easy to determine even a novice ornithologist. This is, of course, the most colorful representative of the Corvidae family. Most of its plumage has a pastel rusty-brown color. The sacrum and the lower nadkhniy are white, and the ruffs and ends of the wings are black. The head is also predominantly brown, but is clearly distinguished by a white forehead with dark lines and strongly contrasting black mustache, extending from the tip of Kant to the neck. A strong beak of these birds is usually steel or black, and the legs are light brown.
Description
Jay (lat. Garruulus glandarius) is an ordinary bird of the Verny family, which can often be seen in the fall when it scatoes and carries acorns to its winter pantries. What does the Latin name of Soyka mean? The first part from the species name of the Soyka Garrulus Glandarius means “talkative” in Latin. As for the word GLANDARIUS, it means “acorn” and refers to the method of eating these birds. This connection is most obvious from the end of September to early November, when this bird collects acorns for its winter stocks. Each Garrulus Glandarius constantly lives on one territory that may include or not. If this does not happen, the birds are forced to migrate to the nearest forest behind supplies.
Blue jay
Soyki fly into the forest and usually take acorns right from the trees. They collect from 3 to 9 (9 for longdistance travel, some they store in the esophagus) and return home, where everyone is hidden in a separate place. The acor is squeezed under the sheet litter, between the roots, into the soil or sometimes into a crack in the bark. In total, the jay can collect and hide about 5,000 acorns. It is believed that this practice contributes to the spread of oak. Therefore, foresters consider Soyk their ally in the landing of forests.
Appearance
Jay is a mediumsized bird, reminiscent of a dove. Body weight is 150-175 g, and the length ranges between 32 and 35 cm. The plumage of the soyshka is mostly bright, gray-red-brown. Their feathers reflect ultraviolet light. Their crests, which are often lifted up when communicating, white with black spots. The beak is black. Their tails are black on their backs with a white spot around the base. A characteristic feature of the plumage of soyk is blue-blue mirrors on the sides of the wings.
Interesting! The blue color of the feathers is due not to the presence of a dye, but by the corresponding structure of the feathers, in which the splitting of light rays and the reflection of the blue spectrum occurs.
White stripes are visible during the flight on the wings. The remaining wings are black, with the exception of the red triangle at the wing connection site with the body. Compared to other vountry, such as Corvus and Pica, ordinary jacks hold the tail quite high. In addition, unlike other antenatal, soyrs have two stages of plumage: juvenile and adult. Youth plumage is lost by autumn during the first year of life, so all the birds that are seen in the fall are adults. Young Soyk looks like adults, but they can be distinguished by a smaller number of black lines on the forehead and a more reddish shade of plumage.
Types of jacks
The following types of jacks are distinguished:
Eurasian Jay (lat. Garruulus Glandarius). Western Europe and North-West Africa in the Indian subcontinent.
Eurasian jay
Blackheaded jay (lat. Garruulus lanceolatus). East Afghanistan east of the Himalayas, from India to Nepal and Butan.
Blackheaded jay
Decorated jay (lat. Garrulus Lidthi) is common in Japan.
How many live
Being in natural conditions, soyshiks live on average for about 6 years. However, in a favorable natural environment, when there are enough food and comfortable climatic conditions, the jackets are able to live 3 times longer. The oldest jay living in the wild survived to adulthood 16 years and 9 months.
If these birds are removed from the nest at an early age, then they can be easily tamed. Having ensured in captivity, comfortable habitats, soyrs are able to live up to 20 years.
Lifestyle and character
It is not difficult to recognize the soyk by the characteristic croaking voice. It is because of this loud uuuu!”Soyka is called” Guardian of the Forest “. When a predator appears within the visibility of Soyka, she immediately screams, notifying everyone around. Soyki, like many other antenatal, perfectly imitate the voices of other birds a starling, hawk, kanyuk. This feature led to the fact that in ancient Greece young jacks were kept indoors, just as many of us keep a parrot or canary today.
Soyki lifestyle changes depending on the time of year. During the propagation period, which falls in spring and summer, the life of the Soyk is limited to a nest and care for the offspring. In the fall, however, birds begin to collect stocks for the winter.
Soyk lead a sedentary and nomadic lifestyle. Young birds periodically migrate several hundred kilometers to the warmer west of Europe, sometimes replacing the flocks of jacks from the coldest east and north of the continent. In very harsh winters, a raid from the east may be observed. Elderly individuals, on the contrary, lead a sedentary lifestyle.
Ordinary jacks perform many functions useful for ecosystems in which they live. Their alarms are warned by other species, including red protein, about the presence of predators. They eat corpses, eliminating potential sources of diseases and contributing to the decomposition of organic substances. One of the important functions is the spread of acorns from trees. Ordinary Soyk eat most of the acorns they collected, but also dig them and forget about them, which leads to the restoration of the oak population. Oaks, including Quercus Robur and Quercus Petrea, are key species in their habitat, providing housing and food for many species of animals, plants, mushrooms and lichens. About 80% of all insects listed in the Red Book need oaks as in part of their life cycle.
Where they live
Jay is widespread in Europe and Asia. This species prefers a predominantly moderate climate and lives in a wooded area and near settlements.
Ordinary snacks often live in thick forests with an abundance of trees and shrubs. Trees are necessary for their lifestyle, although they also get food on Earth. A high level of biodiversity is important so that birds can enjoy a variety of nutrition. Ordinary jacks store and eat acorns, so oaks are an important part of their habitat. Little oak forests are preferred, but coniferous forests provide the best places for nesting. Eurasian Soyk does not like open spaces due to the presence of predators. These birds are inhabited by forests, parks, urban green zones and increasingly dense city areas.
Blackheaded jay
What they eat
Soyki are omnivorous. In spring and summer, they feed mainly at insects, especially caterpillars and beetles, as well as eggs and chicks of forest birds. In autumn and winter, except acorns, they feed on all types of nuts and fruits. Therefore, you can wonder why they keep so much food? The answer is simple hiding places are a useful means of protecting against a general lack of food, and buried acorns are stored for a long time.
Reproduction
The jay produces one brood per year, but in case of loss, it often repeats it. They mate with monogamous pairs during group visits to several selected trees. Ripe birds build their nest usually in the middle part of the crown of a tree on a branch near the barrel or on a branch of branches. Jacks of jacks are not higher than 5-6 meters above the ground. They are rather loose and flat designs from branches and sticks intertwined, trimmed inside with soft parts of plants, wool, moss and grass.
During propagation, both birds of the couple are very active. Together they build a nest, remove eggs and feed the chicks. During this period, birds of this species are much more secretive and shy. They are very careful near the nest, and they are difficult to notice.
The female begins to lay eggs at the turn of April and May, one egg every day and so on for 5-7 days. The laying of eggs lasts about 16-17 days after laying the first or second egg. If the couple for some reason loses the first brood and it is not too late, they make a second attempt, but this time with fewer eggs, about 3-4.
The chicks hatch after 18 days, they are naked and blind. Young animals leave the nest for the first time when it turns 20-23 days, but remain dependent on parents. Parents begin to excommunicate them when they are about 40 days, and they become independent at the age of two months, although for several days they continue to rob their parents in search of food. Ordinary jacks reach the age of reproduction of 2 years.
Soyki very fiercely protect their nest. When the predator approaches the incubate bird, it will respond accordingly. If the offender is far away and, perhaps, did not notice the bird, the parent will simply slip out of the nest or fly away completely, sometimes emitting alarming cries. If the predator is approaching, the parent squats below in the nest, facing a threat to face, with an open beak. If the jay decides that the attack is the only option, it will fly to the predator, attacking it with claws and beaks, and will be squealing using any number of alarms.
Natural enemies
Although soyk are considered very shy and wary birds, many predatory birds and animals still hunt for them. At night, they are attacked by varieties of owls and owls, and during the day they attack large predatory birds: Falcon, Hawk, Sapsan.
Sapsan the enemy of Soyki
However, jacks are awaiting danger not only from the air. From mammals, their nests are in danger from martens, ferrets, ermine, sables. In addition, in addition to eating eggs and chicks, these animals can also attack the Soyka, which sits on the nest.
However, a person is a significant threat to these birds:
Interesting Facts
Amateur ornithology is a very exciting activity for many people. The best way to learn about its popularity is to go to places where there are many birds. There are special places equipped with platforms and observation towers. In some such places, it is difficult to find a free space for observation. However, before the future ornithologist goes to the field, you should get acquainted with the unusual facts and habits of jacks:
