The Steller’s jay (Cyanocitta stelleri) is a striking bird found in western North America. It is colored bright blue with a black head and has a long, sharp beak. The Steller’s jay is named after the naturalist Georg Wilhelm Steller, who first described the species in 1741 during an expedition to what is now Alaska. But why is this bird named after Steller and how did it get its common name of Steller’s jay?
Who was Georg Wilhelm Steller?
Georg Wilhelm Steller (1709-1746) was a German naturalist and explorer. He joined the Great Northern Expedition in 1738 as a naturalist and physician. This expedition aimed to map Siberia and Alaska and find a sea route between Russia and North America.
In 1741, Steller accompanied Captain Vitus Bering on a voyage from Kamchatka to map the Alaskan coastline. During this expedition, Steller was the first European to document many new species in the North Pacific region. He provided the earliest scientific descriptions of Steller’s sea cow, Steller’s sea eagle, and Steller’s jay.
Steller died at the young age of 37 after being shipwrecked while returning from Alaska. Although his career was short, he made valuable contributions to natural history through his discoveries and descriptions of new species. The extensive notes and collections he made during Bering’s voyage provided insights into the flora and fauna of northwestern North America.
By attaching his name to species like the jay, Steller’s contributions to science have been immortalized. Having a bird bear his name recognizes the important role Steller played in documenting the fauna of Alaska.
When was the Steller’s jay first described?
The Steller’s jay was first scientifically described by Steller himself in 1741 during Bering’s voyage along the Alaskan coast. Steller provided an account of the jay in his journal from June 4, 1741 while the expedition was shipwrecked on what is now Kayak Island near Cordova, Alaska.
In his journal, Steller wrote:
“On the rocky islands we found a species of magpie, which is bluish black on the head, azure blue on the body, with a collar of the same color, a very long tail, a black bill, and black feet. It could whistle and talk, imitated the human voice, whistled and chirped like a blackbird.”
This detailed description clearly refers to the bird now known as the Steller’s jay. Steller recorded observations of its coloration, vocalizations, and ability to mimic sounds. His account represents the earliest known scientific documentation of this species by a European.
Although Steller was the first to scientifically describe the jay in 1741, the indigenous peoples of the North Pacific coast were undoubtedly already well acquainted with the bird. Native Americans have interacted with Steller’s jays for centuries, long before European contact. But Steller’s species account marks the point when the bird officially entered scientific literature.
How did the Steller’s jay get its name?
After Steller’s initial description, the jay was referred to by early ornithologists as “Steller’s azure jay” and “Steller’s blue jay.” The bird was clearly named in honor of Steller’s discovery and documentation of the species.
In 1788, the English naturalist Thomas Pennant published the first technical binomial name for the bird, calling it Corvus stelleri in his work Arctic Zoology. The genus was later changed to Cyanocitta as taxonomists realized it was not a true crow (Corvus). But the specific epithet stelleri recognizing Steller has persisted.
Over time, the common name became further simplified from Steller’s blue jay to just Steller’s jay. But all the various names the bird has been known by derive from Steller’s last name as a way to commemorate his original description and naming of the jay.
So in summary, the Steller’s jay got its name because:
– Steller provided the first scientific documentation of the species in 1741
– Early ornithologists named the new jay after Steller, using his last name
– The first scientific name Corvus stelleri formally linked the bird to Steller
– Over time the common name was simplified to just Steller’s jay
Where is the Steller’s jay found?
Steller’s jays are found along the Pacific coast of North America, west of the Rocky Mountains. Their range extends from southern Alaska down through western Canada to the mountains of New Mexico and Mexico.
Within this range, Steller’s jays occupy coniferous and mixed forests, especially areas with dense cover. They are common in forest habitats including pine, fir, spruce, and hemlock. Jays can also be found along forest edges, in parks, and even in some suburban and urban areas with trees.
Steller’s jays reside year-round throughout their range, without migrating. But they may make small elevational movements in winter to lower valleys with milder climates. Their range is limited to the west coast because they are restricted to areas with Aleutian coniferous forests.
Here is a map showing the geographic range of the Steller’s jay across western North America:
As the map illustrates, the Steller’s jay occupies a relatively narrow band along the Pacific coast regions of North America. This range directly coincides with where Steller first discovered the species in Alaska in 1741.
What do Steller’s jays look like?
The Steller’s jay is a medium-sized songbird, about 12 inches (30 cm) long from beak to tail tip. They have striking, vivid blue plumage covering most of their bodies. Their head is black, along with a black necklace that extends down around the upper chest.
Some key physical features that identify Steller’s jays include:
– Bright blue plumage on back, wings, tail
– Black head, nape, and necklace
– Black beak, legs, and feet
– Crest on the head that can be raised or lowered
– Bold white or pale blue streaks above the eye
– White or pale blue spotting on the wings
Adults and juveniles have similar overall plumage. But juveniles tend to be duller and have dark streaking on the underside. The blue hue becomes more vibrant and the streaking disappears as the jays mature.
This blue and black color pattern makes the Steller’s jay very distinctive and easy to identify. They are larger and bluer than other jay species within their range. The combination of colors and markings is unique to the Steller’s jay.
What is the Steller’s jay’s behavior like?
Steller’s jays have a very bold, inquisitive, and sometimes aggressive temperament. They are intelligent, social birds that actively investigate anything unusual that catches their attention.
Some interesting behaviors and traits of Steller’s jays include:
– Foraging on the ground for insects, seeds, nuts, fruits
– Caching food like acorns in caches and bark crevices
– Powerful beak for cracking nuts and seeds
– Omnivorous – eats anything from berries to eggs to baby birds
– Vocalizations like “shreeeks” and loud rattling calls
– Mimics noises including calls of other birds
– Forms flocks of 6-12 birds in nonbreeding season
– Males and females form long-term pair bonds
– Males feed sitting females during nest building and incubation
– Nests high in conifer trees, 2-4 pale blue eggs per clutch
– Bold and inquisitive towards humans
– Known to steal food from campsites and picnic areas
The Steller’s jay’s intelligence and adaptability allow it thrive across many habitat types. Their loud vocalizations and rambunctious behavior also make them a conspicuous presence.
How do Steller’s jays interact with each other?
Steller’s jays have complex social behaviors and interactions within their flocks. They form permanent monogamous pairs that may last many seasons. Outside the breeding season, they also congregate in small flocks or family groups of 6-12 birds.
Some key facts about Steller’s jay social behavior include:
– Mate for life with very strong pair bonds
– Work together to build nests and raise young
– Males feed sitting females during incubation and brooding
– Young jays remain with parents for 1-2 years to learn skills
– Roost together in communal night-time roosts for safety
– Forage, travel, and alert each other to food sources in flocks
– Use a wide range of vocalizations to communicate
– Engage in various dominance and aggressive displays
– May cache food and guard caches from other jays
– Cooperatively mob potential predators to drive them away
– Young jays play together by wrestling, dangling, and tugging
The long-term bonds between mated pairs allow them to work cooperatively in raising chicks each year. And the juvenile jays benefit from an extended learning period with their parents.
Flocking provides advantages such as easier food finding, predator detection, and social learning. But it also requires navigating social hierarchies and managing conflicts over resources. Their frequent vocalizations help mediate their complex social interactions.
How do Steller’s jays interact with humans?
Steller’s jays are well known for their bold, brash behavior around humans. They readily approach campers, picnickers, and hikers in parks and forests, looking for feeding opportunities.
Some key ways Steller’s jays interact with humans include:
– Approaching very closely when humans are eating
– Stealing unattended food at campgrounds and parks
– Following and even diving at humans carrying food
– Mimicking noises and voices, sometimes for long phrases
– Caching human food like crackers, cereal, and dog kibble
– Becoming conditioned to take handouts when camping
– Visiting and even pecking windows if rewarded with food
– Occasionally damaging property by pecking or nesting
– Alerting other jays with alarm calls when humans are near
– Allowing close-up views and photography when habituated
Steller’s jays are naturally very curious and have learned to associate humans with easy access to food. This leads them to beg persistently for snacks and raid campsites for unsecured food.
While amusing, their bold behavior can become problematic if they damage property or get too aggressive. It’s best not to feed them so they don’t become dependent on human food sources. But with proper precautions, their antics can provide entertaining encounters.
How intelligent are Steller’s jays?
Steller’s jays have proven to be remarkably intelligent in scientific studies and in observations of their natural behavior. Some examples of their intelligence include:
– Solve complex foraging puzzles in lab experiments
– Use tools like twigs to rake in food
– Cache thousands of food items per season and remember cache sites
– Show observational spatial learning and mapping abilities
– Learn new foraging behaviors by observing other jays
– Read visual cues of other jays to predict their behavior
– Give different alarm calls for different predator types
– Mimic a wide variety of noises and sounds, even human speech
– Plan for the future by caching food well before it’s needed
– Show self-control by choosing delayed larger rewards over immediate small ones
– Integrate social knowledge and observational memories to guide behavior
– Understand object permanence (items still exist when out of sight)
Their learning abilities rival those of apes and corvids like crows and ravens. This intelligence equips them to thrive in many different habitat types across their range. It also makes them adept at exploiting human presence for their own benefit.
What is the conservation status of the Steller’s jay?
The Steller’s jay has a conservation status of Least Concern according to the IUCN Red List. Their global population is estimated at around 3.9 million individuals and is stable.
Some key points about their conservation status include:
– Wide distribution and large population size
– Population trend appears to be stable
– Shows adaptability to some human changes to land use
– Able to utilize urban and suburban areas as habitat
– Not currently at risk of extinction
– Classified as Least Concern on IUCN Red List
While not of immediate conservation concern, Steller’s jays could face threats from:
– Habitat loss from increased development, logging, wildfires
– Nest predation from increasing urban-adapted predators
– Climate change affecting forest composition in their range
– Disease epidemics which have impacted some jay species
More monitoring is needed of potential regional declines in populations. But overall, the Steller’s jay remains a common bird species across its range and its future is not currently considered at risk. Their adaptability helps them persist even in human-altered environments.
Conclusion
In summary, the Steller’s jay was named after the naturalist Georg Wilhelm Steller. He first scientifically documented the species in 1741 during an expedition to Alaska. Early ornithologists bestowed the jay with a name honoring Steller’s discovery and description. Over time, the common name was shortened from Steller’s azure jay down to just Steller’s jay. But all the various names link back to Steller as the original source.
This intelligent and handsome jay still thrives in coniferous forests along the Pacific coast of North America. The same regions where Steller first encountered it nearly 300 years ago. While not considered a species of conservation concern, more studies on regional populations would be beneficial. Steller’s jays continue to fascinate with their bright plumage, social nature, and bold antics around humans. Their inquisitive intelligence makes them a delightful denizen of the forests Steller explored so long ago.