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Article: BIRDING; On the Wing; Blue jays are noisy omnivores.(HOME & GARDEN)
- Article from:
- Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN)
- Article date:
- December 8, 2004
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2004 Star Tribune Co. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: Laura Erickson
One of the most conspicuous and beautiful of all back-yard feeder birds is the blue jay. Whether you love them or hate them, jays are a force to be reckoned with, distinguished by their intelligence, their complex social structures and their sheer noise level.
What do these noisy feeder birds eat? The blue jay's diet is about 88 percent vegetal, according to studies. At feeders, jays love sunflower seeds, cracked corn, peanut butter, peanuts and any other kinds of nuts, as well as fruits. Because their favorite natural food is acorns, they're most common in areas with oak trees.
But jays also live up to their "omnivore" ...