Andy-

Corvids, among many other birds, will beg during courting and before
egg-laying. The exact function is unknown, but it may serve to test a male's
ability to provide food to the nestlings, and may also represent a male's
investment in his own eggs, which are costly for a female to produce. It's
nice to hear an anecdote of this occurring so obviously in Steller's Jays,
since it's not always well-described. Crows definitely do this as well, and
produce a loud, nearly infinitely-repeated caw from on or near the nest
during preincubation and early incubation.

My best interpretation is that you had a female Steller's begging, and her
mate probably fed her (easy, with the feeder there...).

Dr. Jesse Ellis
Dept. of Zoology
University of Wisconsin - Madison
(formerly in and around Seattle)

On Tue, May 4, 2010 at 8:27 AM, Andy Papadatos <apmf at msn.com> wrote:

> Hello. I had an "adult looking" Stellar's Jay near my feeder yesterday
> (5-6 in residence), and it behaved like a fledgling jay, fluttering it's
> wings and begging for food. Sure enough, another jay came along and fed it.
> The two birds looked identical. I seriously doubt a fledgling could have
> acquired this plumage by May 3rd, regardless of how early Spring arrived
> this year. Anybody out there with a behavioral answer. Thanks.
>
> Andy Papadatos
> www.snohomishbakery.com
>
> AP*MF* Woodworks, 206-499-3766
>
> HDS (Historic Downtown Snohomish)
> -Treasurer
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>
> *Phall if you but will,
> Rise you must!
> *
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--
Jesse Ellis
Madison, Dane Co, WI
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