The Western Scrub Jay is a member of the Corvidae family to which various crows, ravens, and jays belong. Like its fellow corvids, they are extremely vocal, having more than 20 separate types of calls. A year-round resident throughout West and Central Texas, this jay inhabits scrub oak and juniper woodlands as well as wooded suburban areas. While many refer to scrub-jays as "blue jays", the Blue Jay is an entirely different species of bird not generally found in the scrub jay’s range.
Western Scrub Jays enjoy an extremely varied diet of insects, seeds, carrion, and fruit. They also have a mischievous streak, and are skilled thieves. They’ve been seen stealing acorns from Acorn Woodpecker caches, and from others of their own species. When these birds go to hide their own acorns, they check first that no other jays are watching. Never one to pass up an easy meal, they will willingly come to the yard for unshelled peanuts, cracked corn and sunflower seeds. They also enjoy birdbaths and water features.
Western Scrub-Jays are great to watch because they’re so animated. Often found in flocks during winter, these birds are vocal and playful. During the breeding season they staunchly defend territories from other scrub-jays by flying at them, calling, and occasionally pecking or grappling. Pairs stay together throughout the year.
Recent research has suggested that Western Scrub-Jays, along with several other corvids, are among the most intelligent of animals. The brain-to-body mass ratio of adult Scrub Jays rivals that of chimpanzees and cetaceans, and is dwarfed only by that of humans. Scrub Jays are also the only non-primate shown to plan ahead for the future, which was previously thought of as a uniquely human trait. Other studies have shown that they can remember locations of over 200 food caches, as well as the food item in each cache and its rate of decay.
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