Subject: [Tweeters] Re: birds are feisty! WSJays vs StJay
Date: Mar 7 08:47:13 2012
From: Kimberly Mason - kz at tds.net


I haven't seen a single Steller's Jay since for ages. Even when the
walnuts ripened, none showed up to eat them (they usually show in great
numbers).

Yesterday I watched as a Steller's Jay flew across the pasture and into
a tree at the edge of my ancient orchard. A Western Scrub Jay
IMMEDIATELY flew to him and began a pursuit that went from tree to tree
to tree, the WSJay hot on the Stellar's Jay's tail the whole way. Soon
another WSJay joined in the pursuit. Finally the StJay landed at the
very top of the tallest apple tree, both WSJays drifted to the ground on
either side of the tall tree. I held my breath while the StJay seemed to
be catching his for a several moments. The StJay made a mad dash for the
woods on the north hill, flying out of the WSJay's usual territory. The
WSJays gave a short chase and then returned.

This morning I can hear the call of the StJay in the far off woodland,
but he has not yet dared to make another appearance.

I had wondered why I had only seen WSJays (a pair and their lone
surviving juvenile) in the yard. I have hazelnut and walnut trees, there
is plenty of food to go around (I thought). Now I know. The cheeky,
sneaky, territorial birds!

But isn't it a bit early to be establishing their territory so strongly?
Or is it because the Steller's Jay is known to be an egg-eater (as are
they) that the WSJays would just asoon scare them off now rather than later?

km

*Kimberly Mason*
Cinebar, Wash., kz at tds.net
360-269-5017
Freelance for The Chronicle <http://www.chronline.com>
and Lewis County Outdoors <http://lewiscountyoutdoors.com>.
Also The (Almost) Daily Bird <http://blogs.chronline.com/dailybird/>.

On 3/6/2012 12:00 PM, tweeters-request at mailman1.u.washington.edu wrote:
> Message: 1
> Date: Mon, 05 Mar 2012 12:07:08 -0800
> From: Roger<r_craik at shaw.ca>
> Subject: Re: [Tweeters] birds are feisty!
> To:tweeters at u.washington.edu
> Message-ID:<4F551CEC.5040400 at shaw.ca>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
>
> "It prompted me to wonder what makes one bird of the same species and
> sex dominant to another."
>
> One word, Dennis, success. The winner takes all or something like that.
>
> Roger Craik
> Maple Ridge BC
>
> On 05/03/2012 8:31 AM, Dennis Paulson wrote:
>> > No, I should say seriously antagonistic when competing for the same resource. I thought we had a single female Townsend's Warbler coming to our suet every day, but just now I was surprised to see two of them arrive at the same time from different directions. One quickly chased the other one away. It prompted me to wonder what makes one bird of the same species and sex dominant to another. And even though the bird food of various kinds that we put out represents an almost unlimited resource, the birds are programmed to fight over it.
>> >
>> > The most spectacularly antagonistic are the Pine Siskins, which crouch and spread their wings out whenever another bird comes near. In fact, there is antagonism between individuals (both within and between species) in just about all of the species that come to the feeders. The only birds that seem completely satisfied to feed in groups with no aggression are Bushtits.
>> > -----
>> > Dennis Paulson
>> > 1724 NE 98 St.
>> > Seattle, WA 98115
>> > 206-528-1382
>> > dennispaulson at comcast.net
>> >
>> >