Blue jays are highly intelligent and social birds that use a variety of vocalizations and physical displays to communicate with each other. As members of the corvid family, which includes crows, ravens, and magpies, blue jays have a complex language for conveying information, warnings, and emotions. Their diverse vocal repertoire, striking plumage, and behavioral signals allow them to effectively interact within their flocks and adapt to their environments. Understanding how blue jays communicate provides fascinating insights into their social structures and advanced cognitive abilities.
Blue Jay Vocalizations
Blue jays make a wide range of calls varying in pitch, tone, and rhythm to signal different messages. Some key vocalizations include:
Alarm calls
When detecting threats, blue jays make loud, piercing alarm calls to alert others. Alarm calls tend to be harsh, continuous notes or phrases of notes. The calls warn other jays to be watchful and signify danger in the area, such as a predator sighting. Jays will make the same calls when mobbing or attacking a predator.
Contact calls
Blue jays stay connected with quiet, conversational contact calls. These melodic two-note calls sound like “tseet-tseet” or “tee-tee.” They are often given between mates or families and help jays keep track of each other when out of sight.
Begging calls
During the breeding season, young jays let out loud, squeaky begging calls to request food from their parents. These ascending “phee-bee” notes get increasingly louder and more insistent until the parents deliver food to the nest.
Mimicry
Blue jays are excellent mimics and can copy the calls of hawks, other birds, and even humans. Mimicking helps the jays confuse predators and compete with other species. A blue jay may incorporate mimicked phrases into its own songs and repertoire.
Songs and Calls
In addition to specific vocalizations, blue jays have diverse songs and calls they combine to communicate in complex ways:
Loud song
Male blue jays sing a loud, complex song to claim territories and attract mates. The song is a clear, musical warble often sounding like “toolili-toolili-lee-lee” as the jay incorporates many phrases and mimicked sounds. Females may occasionally sing as well.
Soft song
Both male and female blue jays sing a softer, melodious version of the song. Soft songs are used for communicating within flocks rather than broadcasting over a territory. The soft song sounds like gentle musical gurgling.
Chatter call
When interacting in flocks, blue jays make fast, chattering “jaay-jaay-jaay-jaay” calls. The chatter helps maintain contact and coordinate activities within the group. It is a common call for communicating their location.
Rattle call
A distinctive and harsh “pump-pump ca-ca-ca” rattle is another common flock call. It is used to signal aggression towards predators or when mobbing to drive away a threat. The rattle call strongly conveys a warning.
Whisper song
At their nests, blue jays may make a very soft whisper song. This delicate call is used for communicating between mates during breeding. It sounds like muted musical notes and warbles.
Plumage Displays
Bright blue feathers with white and black accents make the blue jay’s plumage ideal for visual signals. Jays frequently use postures and feather positioning to non-verbally communicate and signal meaning:
Crest erection
When alarmed or excited, blue jays will rapidly raise the crest feathers on their heads. This increases their apparent size and serves as an aggressive signal or warning. Crests are also erected during territorial displays and courtship rituals.
Wing flicking
A jay may quickly flick or flash open its wings multiple times when warning of danger or before lunging in an aggressive display. Flashing the wings makes the blue jay seem larger and serves as a threat signal.
Tail flaring
To appear more intimidating, blue jays will frequently spread and hold their tail feathers erect like a fan. This occurs during aggressive encounters or mobbing. It exposes the white tail markings which further accentuates the display.
Head forward
Leaning the head and body forward while sleeking the feathers flat is a submissive posture blue jays make when retreating from an altercation. It signals defeat and helps avoid further attack.
Puffing up
When feeling threatened, blue jays may puff up their body feathers to seem bigger and more formidable. Puffing up is meant to intimidate opponents and demonstrate preparedness for attack if provoked. The jay holds its wings slightly out while fluffing up its feathers.
Behavioral Displays
Beyond vocalizations and plumage, blue jays incorporate specific behaviors and movements into their communication repertoire:
Head bobbing
Rapid head bobbing displays are used during courtship. The male bobs his head up and down repeatedly while wagging his tail towards the female. Head bobbing is a exaggerated movement to grab the female’s attention and show interest.
Wing drooping
When pursuing a female for mating, the male blue jay may walk behind her with one wing drooped down limply. This strange posture demonstrates his attraction during courtship.
Bill wiping
To clean their bills, blue jays will wipe their bills along a branch or other surface. This keeps the bill clear of debris but also serves as a displacement signal to convey anxiety, irritation, or nervousness.
Mobbing
A group of jays may surround and dive-bomb a predator or other intruder. This mobbing behavior functions to drive the threat away through distraction, loud alarm calls, and flying attacks. Mobbing is an aggressive display performed in coordination to protect the flock.
Bowing
During courtship feeding, the male blue jay will bow his head low and spread his crest while presenting food to the female. The female reciprocates this display while taking the food. The synchronized bowing strengthens their pair bond.
Intelligence and Mimicry
Blue jays have relatively large brains for birds and exhibit advanced intelligence. Their cognitive abilities and mimicry play an important role in their social interactions and communication:
Mimicking predators
By mimicking hawks and other predators, blue jays can scare off competitors and warn their flock of danger. Their ability to perfectly imitate cries of a predator bird convinces other birds a real threat is near.
Mimicking calls
Blue jays learn to mimic the contact calls of other jays and incorporate them into their vocal repertoire. This helps facilitate interactions when a jay joins a new flock. Mimicking flock calls helps the jay integrate.
Human speech
Blue jays can learn to mimic some human words and sounds. Their intelligence allows them to reproduce elements of human speech they overhear.
Invented vocalizations
Research suggests blue jays can even invent novel vocalizations not heard before and introduce them to their flock. Innovating new calls points to an advanced communication ability.
Teaching
There is evidence blue jays culturally learn calls and behaviors from each other, even as juveniles. Sharing knowledge may help spread useful sounds and techniques among the flock.
Cooperation
Blue jays appear capable of some cooperative problem solving and coordinated group activities. Their social intelligence facilitates working together productively.
Play
Blue jays engage in play behavior such as sliding down slopes. Play helps them build agility and social bonds. Their intelligence allows for playing just for fun.
Conclusion
Blue jays demonstrate a diverse communication system with advanced language, displays, mimicry, and cultural learning. Their social interactions involve both innate signaling and learned components shared within flocks. Blue jays’ impressive communication abilities likely contribute to their adaptability and success in exploiting diverse habitats. Continuing research will provide more insights into the cognition and behaviors underlying their sophisticated social lives. The striking flashes of blue and vocal chatter we observe point to an intelligent bird species with much to convey to each other.