Evening star., 1946-05-14
This and That
By Charles Z. TrdceUeu.
anrsrY,yync~a Al

BETHESDA, Nd.
Dear Sir:
What do you think of what I hear
expressed now and then, by people who
claim to know their birds, that the blue
jay is a thoroughly vicious fellow, and
ought to be suppressed?
L have always had a weakness for
this bird, but when these persons speak
so positively of it's bad features. I won
der who is right.
Il never yet have seen a jay harm
another bird. I have watched birds for
years, and been good to them, after my
fashion. think birds are among the
most wonderful of all created things.
Looking at our jay, positively can
not see anything bad about him. see
him as perfect, in his way, joy to
the eye, and delight to the laughing
heart.
II read a story the other day, by
Vaughan, in which he had a char
acter who laughed in his heart
I like that phrase. and it seems to
me the jay laughs that way. He is a
great rogue. but not bad one. There
is difference, don't you think, Mr.. T. E?
Sincerely. H. M. F."
The idea that the blue jay is a
thorough villain comes down through
the orthodox bird books
One author copied another, and so on
down the line
Apparently it will 60 on forever
Ideas are born in books, and live in
books. Even wrong ideas!
No one. watching blue jays, honestly
and carefully, could get such an idea.
The truth is that this is good bird
no angel, certainly, just a bird.
There are good jays and bad jays, just
as there are righteous people and bad
people.
One may suspect that some jays are
sneaks, and that others are fine, up
standing characters.
Birds have their differences OF char
acter, too
There is no telling, from noting what
one jay will dor what another one will
do; the shades OF character, among
them, are too great.
Probably, as group, they are better
than some birds-the house wrens for
instance-which have a better over all
reputation.
The thing all began when Audubon
painted jay with dripping egg in its
claws.
1t is true, of course that some one
blue jay, now and then Is a nest rob-
ber, and an egg eater.
1t is not true that all jays do 1t.
1t is nearer the truth to say that
the jays, as class, are no way near
so bad as the purple grackles, for in
stance.
Nor have they ever eaten as many
eggs as Jenny Wren has punctured with
her sharp little bill.
We have watched these birds with
peculiar interest for the past 16 years
and have never seen one of them harm
another species.
To the contrary, we have seen lays
pestered by turtle doves, and driven
from feeding stations both by starlings
and mockingbirds.
II any one wants a william, among
the birds, let him select the grackle.
There is really bad one The grackle
has mean disposition. He likes moth
ing better than to catch a nest of baby
cardinals unguarded. Then he tears of
their heads and legs-actually-jus fol
the fun of 1t.
This murderer is sometimes called
Grow by city persons. We have beer
rather surprised at the prevalence oi
this mistake. Crows are very much
larger than grackles. and seldom come
to feeding stations, either in the suburbs
or city. The crow is a fellow of in.
finite spaces. 1t loves to soar, as buz.
yards do. 1t likes to call down through
the clouds. 1t is high flyer. The purpl.
grackle is content to worry small bird.
at feeding place, and to eat his share
too. His mean yellow eye gives hin
away. Never besmirch the crow BY
mistaking . grackle for him.