Flopper was found on the ground after a storm in the spring of 1996. Blue jays are altrical, which means they hatch naked and helpless. Flopper was a fairly new hatchling when he was taken to a local veterinarian, thus requiring a tremendous amount of care. The people at the pet hospital raised Flopper intending to release him as soon as he could care for himself. Unfortunately Flopper didn't want to be released.
Some young birds learn to recognize their parents or foster parents within a few hours of hatching.
The impression is so strong that it lasts throughout the bird's life. This learning process is called imprinting. It seems that Flopper thinks he belongs with people because of those early experiences, so he'll probably be with people all his life. Imprinting is one of the reasons hand-reared birds are sometimes not suitable for release. Their relatives include magpies, rooks and crows.