Although they are the most colourful members of the crow family, jays are actually quite difficult to see. They are shy woodland birds, rarely moving far from cover.
The screaming call usually lets you know a jay is about and it is usually given when a bird is on the move, so watch for a bird flying between the trees with its distinctive flash of white on the rump.
Jays are famous for their acorn feeding habits and in the autumn you may see them burying acorns for retrieving later in the winter, they also eat invertebrates (beetles, caterpillars) mainly acorns, nuts, seeds and insects, but also nestlings of other birds and small mammals.
Egg Size
31x23 mm
Maximum Recorded Age
16 years. 9 months
Age at First Breeding
2 years
First clutches laid
Late March
Number of broods
1
Fledging
20-23 days
Incubation
20 days
Clutch Size
4-5 eggs
Egg Weight
8.5 g
Number in Britain
320,000
First Record
12th Century
Habitat
Forest, woodland, towns
Weight
170g
Wingspan
55cm
Length
34 cm
Status in UK
Resident Breeder/ winter visitor
Conservation Status UK
Green
