Then there was a blue jay that had lost a leg. It is also known as blue coat, corn thief or nest robber. Originally, the blue jay was an eastern bird, but gradually it has managed to spread west, due to human settlement. The introduction of agriculture provided abundant food supply, and last but not least, well-stocked feeding stations in people's gardens contributed to its survival. Today, the breeding range of the blue jay extends from central eastern British Columbia, to central Alberta south to Calgary, central Saskatchewan, south-central and southern Manitoba, central and southern Ontario, southern Quebec, Newfoundland, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia.
Mate selection begins in late winter with several males vying for the favour of a single female.
Eventually, when a mate is chosen, courtship and nest-building will commence. The structure of the nest is bulky and strong, with a foundation of stout twigs, sticks, moss, lichens and grasses, lined with rootlets, feathers and thin strips of bark. When the nest is completed, the female will lay from 4-6 dull green or blue eggs, dotted with small brown spots. During the 16 to 18-day incubation period, the female is fed by her mate. The newly hatched young are naked, but as they feather out, they are not dull-coloured like the young of most other songbirds, but resemble their parents, except for their stubby tails.