Evening star., 1949-11-05
This and That
By Charles E. TraceweU

newcomers 10 Dlrd feeding often think they
dislike bluejays. They have read many harsh
indictments OF them. Beginners are not will
ing to trust their own Judgments They
have a sneaking liking for the jays. but do
not think they should say so.
They have heard so much about other
species they dare not say what they think
about the old jaybird. They see that Jaws
come to their yards for few minutes only
each day and that If other birds fly away It
is because the jays are larger and not
through any viciousness on their part They
know there may be times when the blue Jay
is not kind to other birds but they do not
see 1t very often. They see male cardinal
olspute the feeding station with jay and
drlve 1t away. but they still tend to be under
the spell Of the ancient dictum, that the iav
is very bad bird
Nonsense!
Honest observation viii show that. at least
at the feeding place, the jay is decent citi-
zen. He Is not hoggish, like the English
sparrow. He heralds his arrival by loud
scream, which aggravates those who do not
like him, but, listened to without prejudice
tnese screams are simply the typical identi-
Tying call of the species. These sounds in
the great outdoors are not ugly, even though
lew would call them exactly pretty. Need
every bribery be pretty, any more than eyerv
piece OF music or every woman need be
peautl1ul? There Is room for something dis
tlnctive something different, something not
IKE anything else. That is the blue Jays
scream. There is no chance Of mistakinc n
1or anything else It is the jays trade mark.
Peanuts, shelled or unshelled, roasted or
raw, always attract jays. And that is good.
because, say what the doubters will, there are
lew birds to compare with Americas blue
jay.
!. His reputation has suffered from the hos
tiltty OF the elder writer's. Probably it was
the Audubon plate showing jays eating the
eggs OF other species that did it. Those who
followed dished up their own chatter about
how ruthless the bird was. In time it became
so that writer's feared to say what they
honestly thought about the blue Jay. They
feared that unless their opinions agreed with
those who went before they stood a very good
chance OF being considered nitwits.
Now don't let that happen to you. Belong
at once to the great group Of home bird lovers
VINO recognize the beauty Of the Jay and his
place IN the winter scene. Today it is realized
It's bad habits are no worse than those of
some others, and that at the same time II
Is surely one Of the most beautiful of all
BIRDS. Handsome is the word for it. There Is
JOoe u tA1Sc Ok SCIuE IN lL. :
It is particularly interesting to realize, as
winter comes on, that the jays are one OF
the few bird families that stick together all
during the cold.
Other birds kick the young ones out as
soon as they learn to eat by themselves.
It is doubtful that q mother robin, which
has so laboriously fed her young. recognizes
it week after it has left the nest.
It is said that some birds do not have q
memory longer than Is minutes. This is good,
perhaps, when some animal catches baby
bird.
The blue jays. on the other wing. seem to
have better memories than that. They not
only are good parents during nesting and
feeding time, but they keep on being good
fathers and mothers all during the fall and
winter. This brings them closer to humanity.
The father and mother and band Of four
or five brothers and sisters fly around to-
gether. When the blue Jays come to your
yard after peanuts. you are not just watching
some birds, but are seeing q family In action.
It's actions may not always please you, but
no doubt that Is not to be expected Of any
family.
s Put out peanuts, then, and watch the fun.
Do not mind If many Of them are carried
away. They viii be hidden under leaves and
In crevices Of trees, where many other hungry
creatures can find them Those OF us who ad-
mire the blue jays will feel sure that these
old rascals In blue knew just what they were
doing when they put the peanuts there.