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Canada Jay
HABITAT
Especially in the boreal forest, it is rarer to see it here!
DESCRIPTION
The male and the female look a lot alike!
Their back is gray-green and the chest is white. The flanks are kind of buff. The crown and the throat are black whereas the cheeks are white.
The Canada jay, a little smaller than a blue jay, can be up to 33 centimeters, have a 45 cm wingspan and weighs about 70 grams.
This jay lives an average of 19 years.
BEHAVIOR
The Canada jay is an omnivorous bird! It eats berries and insects, but also eggs, chicks, small mammals and mushrooms!
A small food thief, the Jay is often seen near camps and forest campsites.
The construction of its nest can begin in February, while there is still 1 meter of snow on the ground!
SURPRISING FACTS
Its fluffy and thick plumage gives it a round silhouette. This abundant plumage serves mainly to warm up during the long winter months, especially cold episodes when the temperature can drop to -40°C for several days in a row.
Its nickname, "whiskey-jack", is derived from the Algonquian word "wiskedjak" which means a mischievous spirit.
As it has its young very early in the spring, it takes advantage of the summer to store food in order to survive the winter!
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