header image

[Sign Up Now] to Receive Our FREE Daily SCVTV-SCVNews Digest by E-Mail

Inside
Weather


 
Calendar
Today in
S.C.V. History
November 5
1913 - Grand opening of Mulholland's L.A. Aqueduct as the first water arrives from Owens Valley [watch film]
Cascades


Let's Go Outside | Commentary by Evelyne Vandersande
| Thursday, Feb 14, 2013

evelynevandersande_mugIt is blue and it flies, but it is not a bluebird or a blue jay. Call it a Western scrub jay and you will become part of an elite group of bird watchers and regarded as a bird expert by all of your neighbors.

What does “scrub” stand for?

Scrubby plants that grow in the chaparral are perfect territory for the scrub jay: small bushes, pinion juniper forest and mesquite. But they are adaptable, using oak trees, home gardens and city parks. It’s easy to find them in our suburban environment.

They do not have the best reputation, because they steal eggs from other nests. But don’t be too angry at them. After much research, it was shown that only 1 percent of birds have ever done that. A  few bad seeds, I guess.

They can be aggressive toward other birds of the same size, trying to steal acorns from acorn woodpeckers and screeching loudly at birds coming into their territory. But they feed peacefully with smaller birds.

eve021313blue

Photos: Placerita Canyon Nature Center Associates | Click to enlarge

They have a good defense system: There is usually a sentinel guarding the area while a flock of scrub jays is feeding. If the guard sees something unusual, the screeching is loud and immediate. The whole flock might join in the screeching to protect themselves from danger.

They have been seen perched on mule deer, picking off their parasites while the mule deer wait patiently until the grooming is completed.

You might be surprised to know they have no blue pigment in their feathers.

The feather has thin layers of cells that do not absorb certain wavelengths of light. So, only the blue wavelength that is not absorbed is reflected, and consequently, that is the coloring that appears to us as the bright blue of the scrub jay.

We have many beautiful oak trees in California, and we can thank the scrub jays that spread the seeds all over. Eleven species of oak trees have become dependent on the scrub jay to disperse the acorns. They are good at that job – one jay can hide 5,000 acorns in a season. What is interesting is that they choose good acorns most of the time; only 10 percent of the cache is not viable to reproduce a tree. They store more food than necessary, so many seeds grow in the process. The jay can hide acorns up to 2.3 miles away from the original source – a record for any bird. They also eat berries and small animals such as frogs, lizards and insects.

Scrub jays will preen mule deer for the insects.

Scrub jays will preen mule deer for the insects.

The scrub jay has a high brain-to-body mass ratio, so it is a highly intelligent bird. You can understand how smart their behavior is when they are hiding their food.

I have observed them often at work. I would throw a handful of peanuts in the yard and see a scrub jay coming full speed, grabbing the peanut and hiding it hastily in the yard – while checking over his shoulder to make sure no other bird sees what he is doing. Step one accomplished. Then he would come back to each site to retrieve the peanut and do more serious digging and hiding.

They can remember 200 caches for long periods of time. It is unusual for a bird of this size to have the ability to plan for the future.

Do they have funerals?

Research has been conducted by the University of California, Davis about this behavior. Western scrub jays gather and call others to screech over the body of a dead jay, and these noisy “funerals” can last up to 30 minutes.

The answer is not clear, but it could be that they are trying to make sure all have heard that a crime has been committed and perhaps intimidate the predator with the cacophony. The jays themselves are the only ones that know for sure.

A male and female form a strong bond and build the nest together. They have one to two broods per year, with two to six babies. The eggs are incubated for 15 to  17 days. Family groups remain together for a year or two after the nestlings have matured.

That explains one thing: The scrub jay is not a gregarious bird and does not stay with other scrub jays. When you see them in a group, it is because they are in a family unit. This is when they have the feedings with a sentinel watching. This makes the “funeral” demonstration even more unusual, and it’s why research has been conducted to find a clear answer.

They are not only smart, but they also have a long life span. In the wild, they will live for about nine years – and remember, two broods a year with two to six 6 babies each time, so that is a lot of scrub jays.

The oldest known Western scrub jay lived happily right here in Castaic, in captivity,  to the ripe age of 19 years, and 8 months. It must be something in the water here in the Santa Clarita Valley. Its name was Aaron.

Scrub jays are easy to attract to your back yard. With some patience and daily repetition, they will learn to eat peanuts from your hand if you have time and perseverance. They are noisy but beautiful birds, easy to observe, and I think they deserve a better reputation. Give them a chance.

 

Evelyne Vandersande has been a docent at Placerita Canyon Nature Center for 27 years. She lives in Newhall.

 

Comment On This Story
COMMENT POLICY: We welcome comments from individuals and businesses. All comments are moderated. Comments are subject to rejection if they are vulgar, combative, or in poor taste.
REAL NAMES ONLY: All posters must use their real individual or business name. This applies equally to Twitter account holders who use a nickname.

0 Comments

You can be the first one to leave a comment.

Leave a Comment


Opinion Section Policy
All opinions and ideas are welcome. Factually inaccurate, libelous, defamatory, profane or hateful statements are not. Your words must be your own. All commentary is subject to editing for legibility. There is no length limit, but the shorter, the better the odds of people reading it. "Local" SCV-related topics are preferred. Send commentary to: LETTERS (at) SCVNEWS.COM. Author's full name, community name, phone number and e-mail address are required. Phone numbers and e-mail addresses are not published except at author's request. Acknowledgment of submission does not guarantee publication.
Read More From...
RECENT COMMENTARY
Monday, Nov 4, 2024
As the winter season approaches, that means one thing, the holidays are on their way. Here in Santa Clarita, our community comes alive with the festive spirit, making it the perfect time to discover and support our local businesses.
Monday, Nov 4, 2024
Propositions, ballot measures, judges, City Councilmembers, state assembly, Congress, Senate and of course, the President—as Tuesday, Nov. 5 approaches, the stakes couldn’t be higher.
Friday, Nov 1, 2024
The joyful sounds of Christmas cheer, the cool crisp fall air and the sight of brilliantly colored lights reflecting off the nearby buildings bring the ultimate holiday atmosphere to Old Town Newhall during Light Up Main Street.
Thursday, Oct 31, 2024
Tonight is Halloween, and I can already feel the hullabaloo as children prepare to put on their costumes and head out for a fun evening of trick-or-treating.
Monday, Oct 28, 2024
Whether its spending time with family and friends, flipping the switch for our annual Light Up Main Street event in Old Town Newhall or enjoying the cooler weather – there’s so much community fun to be had this season, including a new, unique holiday experience.
Thursday, Oct 24, 2024
During this fall season, our city has launched the third annual Hiking Challenge–just another way to encourage our community to get outdoors and enjoy the fresh air.

Latest Additions to SCVNews.com
1913 - Grand opening of Mulholland's L.A. Aqueduct as the first water arrives from Owens Valley [watch film]
Cascades
The College of the Canyons Performing Arts Center present the Doo Wop Project Holiday Show, Friday, Dec. 6 at 26455 Rockwell Canyon Road, Santa Clarita, CA 91355.
Dec. 6: The Doo Wop Project Holiday Show at the COC PAC
As the winter season approaches, that means one thing, the holidays are on their way. Here in Santa Clarita, our community comes alive with the festive spirit, making it the perfect time to discover and support our local businesses.
Ken Striplin | Celebrate the Holidays by Shopping Local
The city of Santa Clarita’s Film Office has released the list of four productions currently filming in the Santa Clarita Valley for the week of Monday, Nov. 4 to Sunday, Nov. 10.
Nov. 4-10: Four Productions Filming in Santa Clarita
Los Angeles County Fifth District Supervisor Kathryn Barger was sworn in for her third and final term on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors in a ceremony held Saturday, Nov. 2 in Pasadena.
Barger Sworn in for Third, Final Term
The Meadow Collective is back in Santa Clarita for the Meadow Collective Christmas Market, bringing together a curated selection of unique and handmade items and small businesses, Sunday, Dec. 8 at Hart & Main, 24217 Main St., Santa Clarita, CA, 91321.
Dec. 8:  Meadow Collective Christmas Market
The regular meeting of the William S. Hart Union High School District’s Governing Board will be held Wednesday, Nov. 6, beginning with a closed session at 6:30 p.m., followed by an open session at 7 p.m.
Nov. 6: Regular Meeting of the Hart Board of Trustees
Join Los Angels County Parks for some fall fun. The Harvest Festival returns this year Nov. 12-26 with cultural celebrations including food tasting, dancing, music, crafts, children’s story corner and family games.
Nov. 12-26: L.A. County Parks Harvest Festival
Propositions, ballot measures, judges, City Councilmembers, state assembly, Congress, Senate and of course, the President—as Tuesday, Nov. 5 approaches, the stakes couldn’t be higher.
Ken Striplin | Make Your Plan to Vote
The Valencia Hills Wave Swim Team is hosting the annual “A Holiday Marketplace” fundraiser on Saturday, Dec. 14, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Valencia Hills HOA Clubhouse.
Dec. 14: ‘A Holiday Marketplace’ Benefits Wave Swim Team
California State Park’s Antelope Valley Indian Museum State Historic Park will celebrate Native American Heritage Month with exhibitions showcasing the compelling work of Indigenous artists.
AV Indian Museum Hosts Indigenous Artists
1849 - William Manly & John Rogers set out from Death Valley to find help for stranded Bennett-Arcan party [story]
W.L. Manly
1987 - City of Santa Clarita formation approved at the polls; Buck McKeon, Jan Heidt, Jo Anne Darcy, Carl Boyer III, Dennis Koontz win first City Council election (in that order) [story]
First Santa Clarita City Council
1976 - First Canyon County formation attempt fails despite local voter approval [story]
vote results
The Master's University men's basketball team continued their dominating start to the season with a 90-78 road win over Missouri Baptist University at Abe Lemon Arena in Oklahoma City.
TMU Mustangs Men’s Basketball Outplay the Spartans
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is investigating possible sources of H5 avian flu, which has been detected at low levels for the first time at one of the wastewater sampling sites in Los Angeles County.
H5 Avian Flu Detected at Wastewater Sampling Site in L.A. County
The Saugus Union School District Measure EE Citizens Oversight Committee meeting will be held 6 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 7, at the Saugus Union School District Office.
Nov. 7: SUSD Measure EE Citizens Oversight Committee Meeting
The Knights of Columbus Council 6016 in the Santa Clarita Valley has launched its annual Christmas Tree and Wreath Sale, with all proceeds benefiting local charitable programs.
Knights of Columbus Annual Christmas Tree, Wreath Sale
The Santa Clarita Valley Economic Development Corporation will be recognized by the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation on Wednesday, Nov. 6 with a Strategic Engagement Award.
SCVEDC to Receive the Strategic Engagement Award from LAEDC
The Old Town Newhall Public Library will host a do it yourself Air Plant Holder Workshop Tuesday, Nov. 5 4-5 p.m. at 24500 Main St., Santa Clarita, CA 91321.
Nov. 5: Newhall Library DIY Air Plant Holder Workshop
Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk Dean C. Logan has announced that 526 additional Vote Centers will open on Saturday, Nov. 2, for the 2024 General Election.
Additional 526 Vote Centers Scheduled to Open This Weekend in County
Gather family and friends, for Bridge to Home's Turkey Trot Saturday, Nov 16, 8 - 11 a.m. at the Paseo Club, 27650 Dickason Drive, Valencia, CA 91355.
Nov. 16: Bridge to Home’s Turkey Trot
Brian Leff and the GO Jazz Big Band, along with vocalist Steve Lively, present a unique evening of classic tunes and modern flair. Whether you’re a longtime fan of big band music or just love hearing inventive, cutting-edge arrangements, Classic/Remix promises a night of musical contrasts.
Nov. 24: Brian Leff, GO Jazz Big Band Present ‘Classic/Remix’
SCVNews.com