Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Whiskeyjack/Wild Bird

 Gray Jay (Perisoreus canadensis) aka Whiskeyjack, Algonquin Provincial Park

Gray jays live in Canada's northern woods, a species that lives there year round. Another name for them is Wiskeyjacks, a corruption of a First Nation's word for a mischievous spirit that likes to play tricks on people.  They are quite tame, well known for seeking out people and hoping for handouts.

 Are these for ME?!

Whiskeyjacks survive Canada's long, cold winters by eating the food they've gathered all summer and fall, which they've hidden under bark, lichen, or other nooks and crannies.

 All mine!

Perhaps you have noticed the bands around this Whiskeyjack's legs.  In the 1960s a naturalist (Russ Rutter) working in Algonquin Provincial Park decided to learn more about gray jays' ecology and nesting behaviour.  Gray jays are social birds and easily captured in baited traps long enough to attach coloured bands around their legs.

 I wonder if I can fit more into my mouth

Each gray jay was given a different band colour combination. Rutter learned that gray jays lived a long time and in permanent territories.  Although Rutter died in 1976, others have carried the study on and, in fact, studies of similar species - Siberian Jays (Sweden) and Sicuan Jays (China) - are now also being conducted.

So tame some will eat out of a human hand

I am joining Stewart M's Wild Bird Wednesday HERE

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55 comments:

  1. John @ Beans and I on the LooseOctober 9, 2012 at 7:40 AM

    I've not heard of this bird before but any bird that will eat from your hand rates high on my list. There's no other feeling like the slight weight and pointing claws of a bird in hand - wonderful.

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  2. AnonymousOctober 9, 2012 at 7:43 AM

    Great pictures of the Gray Jay. Haven't seen any in Guildwood. But will keep my eyes open while walking in our Scarborough Bluffs area.
    Thank you,
    Gisela.

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  3. Tina´s PicStoryOctober 9, 2012 at 8:10 AM

    wow! great pics! :)

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  4. Elizabeth EdwardsOctober 9, 2012 at 8:25 AM

    i'm guessing those bands on their legs are for keeping track of them?

    such cuties. (:

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  5. MadSnapperOctober 9, 2012 at 8:29 AM

    they are really sweet and cute little guys. thanks for the info on the bands, my curiosity was killing me as i scrolled down.

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  6. Judy October 9, 2012 at 8:30 AM

    How neat is that for them to be so tame. He's a cute one, he reminds me of the Dark-eyed Junco's we have in the winter months.

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  7. Muffy's MarksOctober 9, 2012 at 8:35 AM

    Never heard of this bird before! They sure are cuties, your photos of them are awesome.

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  8. KateOctober 9, 2012 at 8:39 AM

    Perfect photos...al of them!

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  9. Suburban GirlOctober 9, 2012 at 9:06 AM

    I did notice those bands. I love the photo eating from the hand.

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  10. KathyOctober 9, 2012 at 9:07 AM

    Cute little bird, but was this particular one banded so long ago? Surely not!

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  11. SusanOctober 9, 2012 at 9:32 AM

    Such a cute little guy! Amazing they are so tame.

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  12. StephanieOctober 9, 2012 at 10:03 AM

    Cute looking bird. I played the sound of a Whiskey Jack on YouTube yesterday, interesting sounds. Great shots.

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  13. rainfield61October 9, 2012 at 10:15 AM

    What a lovely bird.

    So tame, to be a pet.

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  14. Ruth HiebertOctober 9, 2012 at 10:30 AM

    Beautiful birds. I have the Blue Jays here who love peanuts but are hesitant to come too close to people.

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  15. Grandma Barb's This and ThatOctober 9, 2012 at 11:03 AM

    What a cute little bird. I love the photo of all that food in his mouth and the one where he is sitting on your hand.

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  16. TexWisGirlOctober 9, 2012 at 11:55 AM

    really cute little guys! :)

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  17. Paul in Powell RiverOctober 9, 2012 at 11:55 AM

    Terrific post!!

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  18. LONDONLULUOctober 9, 2012 at 12:13 PM

    These are beautiful, and I can't believe how tame they are! How nice to hear the work goes on to better understand these creatures.

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  19. Gillian OlsonOctober 9, 2012 at 12:22 PM

    They are beautiful birds, and pretty smart too. I once had one take part of my picnic lunch as soon as I had my back turned. Great series.

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  20. eileeninmdOctober 9, 2012 at 12:52 PM

    Your Gray jays are so cute, I would love to hand feed the birds. I have heard of the Algonquin Park and would love to visit there someday. Awesome photos.

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  21. i stora dragOctober 9, 2012 at 1:04 PM

    Great shots and such a sweet little bird! Greetings Pia

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  22. Andrea @ From The SolOctober 9, 2012 at 1:05 PM

    What an adoraabale curious little bird. What fun you must have had taking these picturs and your captions are perfect. We don't have Gray Jays here, we have Blue Jays that are anything but friendly (though beautiful). I do know, every time I come to your blog, that I need to take a trip to Canada and take in some of the beauty and wonderful creatures. Thank you for another fun visit.

    Andrea @ From The Sol

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  23. Sallie (FullTime-Life)October 9, 2012 at 1:11 PM

    We've seen gray jays when camping ...I've heard them called 'camp robbers'. Very interesting about the study and your pictures are wonderful.

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  24. Findlay WildeOctober 9, 2012 at 1:15 PM

    Your post was so interesting. I'd love to try feeding him. From Findlay

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  25. RedPatOctober 9, 2012 at 1:28 PM

    It's magic to have a bird eat from your hand! Great post, EG!

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  26. Adam JonesOctober 9, 2012 at 1:57 PM

    That's incredible to see them feeding from the hand.

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  27. Lois EvensenOctober 9, 2012 at 2:34 PM

    What a pretty little guy and so TAME! Incredible. Very nice shots. :)

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  28. mickOctober 9, 2012 at 2:43 PM

    Great photos. That bird is certainly determined to eat all that's on offer.

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  29. AnonymousOctober 9, 2012 at 2:54 PM

    What adorable birds! Love these photos.

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  30. UnknownOctober 9, 2012 at 3:09 PM

    Great close ups!! I haven't seen any this year. Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

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  31. GigaOctober 9, 2012 at 3:44 PM

    Wspaniałe zdjęcia i ciekawe informacje. Ostatnie zdjęcie jest super. Pozdrawiam.
    Great photos and interesting information. Last picture is awesome. Yours.

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  32. Carole M.October 9, 2012 at 3:59 PM

    how beautiful, a lovely bird and photographs to share

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  33. Craver ViiOctober 9, 2012 at 4:56 PM

    I saw how some people patiently trained bluebirds to eat from their hands. It would be so nice to do that, but I don't think I could wait and persevere as my friends did. Too many distractions.

    Great pics!!

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  34. DebbieOctober 9, 2012 at 5:45 PM

    ooooohhhhh my heart skipped a beat!!

    what a cutie, you got some awesome shots!!

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  35. JanieOctober 9, 2012 at 8:09 PM

    We have gray jays here, locally called camp or robber jays because they're so eager to come into camp and take whatever food they can find. Cute pics of your jays.

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  36. RoseOctober 9, 2012 at 8:35 PM

    Oh, he is cute and I am jealous...to have a bird eat from my hand would be wonderful.

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  37. MichelleOctober 9, 2012 at 9:14 PM

    How sweet that it will eat from your hand.

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  38. Yogi♪♪♪October 9, 2012 at 10:16 PM

    Hmm, learned something today. Gotta love something named wiskeyjacks.

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  39. MaryOctober 9, 2012 at 11:05 PM

    What a very cute little guy. Sweet to eat from hand. I love it.

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  40. IndraniOctober 10, 2012 at 12:19 AM

    Camouflages so well with background. Lovely captures.

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  41. Susan AndersonOctober 10, 2012 at 1:13 AM

    Those birds are so cute. They really have personality!

    =)

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  42. Phil SladeOctober 10, 2012 at 4:05 AM

    An interesting and informative post - thanks for sharing.

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  43. Kerri FarleyOctober 10, 2012 at 6:00 AM

    Oh He's AWESOME!

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  44. DarlaOctober 10, 2012 at 8:02 AM

    Great photos and wonderful info on a bird I have never heard of. Loved the shot with his beak full, LOL!

    Darla

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  45. GeorgeOctober 10, 2012 at 9:57 AM

    These are marvelous photos of the jay. I must admit that I hadn't heard of this particular bird before.

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  46. Les fous du capOctober 10, 2012 at 10:56 AM

    Hi,
    Beautiful jewelry ;-)
    Céline & Philippe

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  47. NatureFootstepOctober 10, 2012 at 6:20 PM

    that´s a wonderful bird. :) Great shots of it.

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  48. A Colorful WorldOctober 10, 2012 at 7:00 PM

    What a wonderful bird! The fact that it is so tame is just marvelous! I had heard of a Whiskeyjack before. When I was young my Mom and I read a book about a young Boston girl going to Canada to be with relatives for a while and falling in love with a Mounted Police officer. It was based on a true story, and is called Mrs. Mike by Benedict and Nancy Freedman. In it Mike tells Kathy that her eyes are as grey as a Whiskeyjacks. :-) It became one of my favorite books and I' ve re-read it many times! But this was the first time I'd ever seen one! I had imagined it to look more like our Bluejay.

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  49. Small City ScenesOctober 10, 2012 at 9:56 PM

    What a delightful bird. Thanks for all the info too. MB

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  50. LarryOctober 11, 2012 at 12:08 AM

    This is a wonderful post CG. We have Whiskeyjacks nearby at Lassen Volcanic National Park. We always get to see them when they come right down to our campsites.

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  51. kayerjOctober 11, 2012 at 2:20 AM

    all I can say is wow! He sure looks like a friendly little fellow

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  52. Mary Howell CromerOctober 11, 2012 at 2:31 AM

    How utterly ADORABLE!!!

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  53. Stewart MOctober 11, 2012 at 5:05 AM

    I have to wonder what the life story of "Right - green over blue, Left - Metal" is.

    I became involved in banding waders after seeing a colour banded bird on the beach and sending in the record - seems a long time ago!

    Thanks for linking to WBW

    Stewart M - Australia

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  54. Cezar and LéiaOctober 12, 2012 at 7:25 AM

    Cute birds, you got wonderful portraits!
    Léia

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  55. NeilOctober 12, 2012 at 6:34 PM

    Great photos I like the one with his mouth full.

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