The Howland Picture Pages: Steller's Jay

Page by Royce
Last update: $Date: 2003/07/25 03:34:19 $ (UTC)

The Steller's Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri) is a blue, barred, crested, noisy (and nosy!) jay found principally along a stripe of the west coast of North and Central America. This stripe gets thinner to the north, but does extend well into Alaska, as well as into Nicaragua to the south. The bird's characteristics, at least in brief, sound similar to those of its closest relative the Blue Jay. However the two are very distinct from one another, and by range tend to separate into western vs. eastern populations with overlap primarily of the Blue Jay into the western region, with the Steller's Jay favoring higher altitudes.

Perhaps it's only because the Steller's Jay is uncommon in Alberta (outside of the Rockies), but despite its more uniformly black and blue coloration this seems like a more striking bird than the Blue Jay which we do get to see routinely. Fortunately, the Steller's Jay is easy to encounter in places like camp grounds across the American Southwest. This is not a shy bird, either, which makes for some good photo opportunities.

Resources where you can find out more:

• Steller's Jay profile at CLO including sound sample
• Bandelier National Monument, New Mexico

Who knows what delectables lurk in the heart of your picnic basket? The shadow knows...	This fine feathered fellow is the first inhabitant we encountered when we arrived at a picnic area in the Bandelier National Monument, November 6, 2002 during a vacation in New Mexico. Obviously cadging for hand-outs, a hallowed profession for many jays in campgrounds and picnic areas. (See our page on Bandelier.) Bandelier National Monument was one of the very many cool places we visited while in New Mexico. We could have spent much more time there enjoying the natural scenery and taking in the extensive system of pueblo dwellings built into the cliffs. Photo info: 320 x 425 true color Exposure time: 10/8665 F-stop: 7.4 ISO speed: 400 Focal length: 71.2000 Exposure bias: 0.0000 Metering mode: Center Weighted Exposure program: Normal Compression: 6 Camera make: NIKON Camera model: E5700
Are you going to be long with that food?	The Steller's Jay continued to pose while patiently waiting for us to break out the food. Photo info: 320 x 614 true color Exposure time: 10/5753 F-stop: 6.6 ISO speed: 400 Focal length: 71.2000 Exposure bias: 0.0000 Metering mode: Center Weighted Exposure program: Normal Compression: 6 Camera make: NIKON Camera model: E5700
I am important around here, so you shouldn't really keep me waiting...	What can I say? I kept taking pictures and somehow the jay bird never did get that meal. Photo info: 320 x 581 true color Exposure time: 10/4139 F-stop: 6.6 ISO speed: 400 Focal length: 71.2000 Exposure bias: 0.0000 Metering mode: Center Weighted Exposure program: Normal Compression: 6 Camera make: NIKON Camera model: E5700

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