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Blue jays versus hawks
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John Doe
May 16, 2012, 3:05:23 AM5/16/12
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Haven't researched this yet... I live in a neighborhood where
there are some hawks. They have been around for at least a few
years. Huge birds. I have seen them reasonably close, sitting on a
low tree branch (the hawk). Blue jays are majestic looking birds,
they show up right outside my window to drink water. One easy way
to tell when a hawk is in the area, blue jays start shrieking.
These blue jays don't like hawks. Apparently the shrieking helps
disorient the hawk, as the blue jays dive at it. It's fun to
watch. Earlier today, I saw one episode, with the hawk trying to
get cover from surrounding branches. I won't be surprised if at
some point I hear the screeching of a bird getting too close and
being snatched by the hawk. I'm sure they're very careful though.
The hawk always ends up flying away.
Some of the hawks are missing some feathers. I have seen grackles
chasing hawks through the air. And I think I saw a hawk grab a
dove once, but difficult to tell since it happened very quickly.
there are some hawks. They have been around for at least a few
years. Huge birds. I have seen them reasonably close, sitting on a
low tree branch (the hawk). Blue jays are majestic looking birds,
they show up right outside my window to drink water. One easy way
to tell when a hawk is in the area, blue jays start shrieking.
These blue jays don't like hawks. Apparently the shrieking helps
disorient the hawk, as the blue jays dive at it. It's fun to
watch. Earlier today, I saw one episode, with the hawk trying to
get cover from surrounding branches. I won't be surprised if at
some point I hear the screeching of a bird getting too close and
being snatched by the hawk. I'm sure they're very careful though.
The hawk always ends up flying away.
Some of the hawks are missing some feathers. I have seen grackles
chasing hawks through the air. And I think I saw a hawk grab a
dove once, but difficult to tell since it happened very quickly.
Larry Sheldon
May 16, 2012, 3:48:18 AM5/16/12
to
think they use it to clear an area for their own exclusive use.
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John Doe
May 18, 2012, 7:56:36 AM5/18/12
to
phenomenon regularly. You can easily tell when there is a hawk in
the area and you can pinpoint its location, when you hear the blue
jays screeching. The screeching of blue jays is distinguishable
from a hawk sound. When trying to disorient a hawk, blue jay
screeching changes, like when they are diving at the hawk. Yes,
they are definitely trying to clear the area (of hawks) for their
own exclusive use. I think they also use various screeching sounds
in order to alert other blue jays to the presence of a hawk.
Strength is in numbers.
Glen Labah
May 22, 2012, 1:33:40 AM5/22/12
to
In article <jp5ddk$2fp$1...@dont-email.me>,
stellar's jays do an essentially exact duplicate of the red-tailed hawk
familiar screech. Some are better imitators than others, but some of
them are extremely good at it - enough to be completely the same.
One of the really good imitators happened to be next to a trail I was
on, and gave me his best red-tailed hawk screech as I approached. It
was, in fact, an almost exact duplicate.
However, the silly jay was hiding in a three foot tall seedling fir
tree, in which no red-tailed hawk could possibly hide. I gave him a bit
of a talking to about "Do you really think I'm going to fall for that?"
He then gave his normal stellar's jay sound and flew up into a nearby
oak, after poking his head out of the dense growth and giving me a look
that seemed to say "Well, it was worth a try".
This past Saturday I got to watch a red tailed hawk get the business
from a male northern harrier. The hawk had no interest in leaving his
branch, but the harrier dive-bombed him enough times he finally took
off, and started soaring and spiraling upward. The harrier continued to
dive bomb him, but eventually the hawk circled high enough in the air
the harrier apparently lost interest in going that far up. The female
harrier then showed up and they glided off over the tree line and into
the distance.
Our local red-winged blackbirds have been really going after the hawks
in recent days as well.
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John Doe <jd...@usenetlove.invalid> wrote:
> There are hawks and blue jays in my area, and I observe the
> phenomenon regularly. You can easily tell when there is a hawk in
> the area and you can pinpoint its location, when you hear the blue
> jays screeching. The screeching of blue jays is distinguishable
> from a hawk sound.
Depends. Normal jay screeching yes. However, in our area some of the
> There are hawks and blue jays in my area, and I observe the
> phenomenon regularly. You can easily tell when there is a hawk in
> the area and you can pinpoint its location, when you hear the blue
> jays screeching. The screeching of blue jays is distinguishable
> from a hawk sound.
stellar's jays do an essentially exact duplicate of the red-tailed hawk
familiar screech. Some are better imitators than others, but some of
them are extremely good at it - enough to be completely the same.
One of the really good imitators happened to be next to a trail I was
on, and gave me his best red-tailed hawk screech as I approached. It
was, in fact, an almost exact duplicate.
However, the silly jay was hiding in a three foot tall seedling fir
tree, in which no red-tailed hawk could possibly hide. I gave him a bit
of a talking to about "Do you really think I'm going to fall for that?"
He then gave his normal stellar's jay sound and flew up into a nearby
oak, after poking his head out of the dense growth and giving me a look
that seemed to say "Well, it was worth a try".
This past Saturday I got to watch a red tailed hawk get the business
from a male northern harrier. The hawk had no interest in leaving his
branch, but the harrier dive-bombed him enough times he finally took
off, and started soaring and spiraling upward. The harrier continued to
dive bomb him, but eventually the hawk circled high enough in the air
the harrier apparently lost interest in going that far up. The female
harrier then showed up and they glided off over the tree line and into
the distance.
Our local red-winged blackbirds have been really going after the hawks
in recent days as well.
--
Please note this e-mail address is a pit of spam due to e-mail address
harvesters on Usenet. Response time to e-mail sent here is slow.
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