There’s a new Blue Jay family in the neighborhood, and while they are often very noisy, they are also quite entertaining. At first I was annoyed with them because the youngsters would always cry loudly at the feeding station until their mom plied them with peanuts. This went on for a couple of weeks. But now they’ve figured out how to get peanuts on their own.
They look like trouble, don’t they?
Yup, definitely trouble.
Their parents have also taught them how to mimic a Red-tailed Hawk. I know when the family is about to visit the feeders because it sounds like an entire flock of hawks has descended upon the neighborhood. Mom, Dad and the twins all take turns practicing their hawk imitations—even at the feeder:
The imitations are eerily accurate and the other birds still fall for it and scatter, but I’m on to their little game.