American Blue Kestrel Jay, Denver Co.

[Doug Ward]

I'd usually come up with a story like this one for the middle of next week (check the dates), but was thrown off enough with this true encounter this morning (Fri., 27 Mar.'20), felt I would share and see if anyone else has had a similar experience.  Anyway, we were respecting the current lock down/in/whatever you want to call it, out in the back yard (Denver, Denver Co.) playing with the dogs when I heard the characteristic "ki-ki-ki..." of an American Kestrel nearby.  We get kestrels coming around only very periodically, so thought "cool, where is he?"  Scanned the sky, looked to the tree tops, to see if I could find him, nothing.  However, it kept calling, so walked around trying to find the now frustrating bird.  Only when I noticed a bird fly out of a tree down the alley, still giving the call, that I had my WTF moment - it was a BLUE JAY!!  Now we are all familiar with jays of all flavors giving Red-tailed Hawk type cries, but this was the first time I'd heard one giving a perfect American Kestrel call!

So have any of y'all had this specific (I guess inter-species) fake out happen with Blue Jays, or any other jay, before?  Interested in your experiences.  Stay safe and healthy.

Cheers,

Doug

Denver

27 March 2020 – Home in Southwest Denver, Denver Co., CO

Canada Goose – 2 (flyover)

Rock Pigeon – 5

Eurasian Collared-Dove – 3

Ring-billed Gull – 1ad (flyover)

Northern Flicker – 4 “Red-shafted”

American Kestrel – FAKE NEWS!!

Blue Jay – 5

Black-capped Chickadee – 6

Bushtit – 5

European Starling – 1

American Robin – 2

House Finch – 15

Dark-eyed Junco – 2 “Slate-colored”

    -        1 “Oregon”

    -        5 “Pink-sided”

Spotted Towhee – 1m

Red-winged Blackbird – 1m

 

[Bryan Guarente]

We have a Swainson's Hawk pair that nests in our neighborhood and the Blue Jays take full advantage of the Swainson's Hawk call year-round, giving me quite a scare in winter!  I have learned the subtle differences over time, but it took quite some time and especially today awaiting the next push of Swainson's Hawks I was caught off guard.

Bryan Guarente

Meteorologist/Instructional Designer

UCAR/The COMET Program

Boulder, CO

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[Todd Deininger]

A little south of Bryan, my neighborhood blue jays imitate the nesting Copper's Hawk.

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/cobirds/CAENnWHv1AyzEqouhqpfZMz_tU0i0RWcXiq2v9c%3DPOW1gyHHDxg%40mail.gmail.com.

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Todd Deininger
Longmont, CO

[Caleb A]

Oh, the Blue Jays have fooled me before: heard one imitating a Red-tailed Hawk really well, and it managed to frighten off an incoming Bald Eagle. It was confusing, because there actually was a Red-tailed Hawk nearby, but it was not the bird that was vocalizing.

I think that European Starlings are more tricky--yesterday I heard one give nearly perfect imitations of at least eight or nine species within ten minutes.

Stay safe, all! This season will pass the sooner we comply

The birds are happy, and so am I

~Caleb Alons