Steller's Jay

My Species History

One day in early 2018, De and I were driving north out of Joseph on our way to Spokane when suddenly a bird flew up from the side of the road into the nearby trees — a big flash of deep black and metallic blue that sent both of our eyes wide in wonder with a "What was THAT" look on our faces.

We soon discovered it was a Steller's Jay, a bird neither of us knew existed up until that point. We had both just started to pay more attention to the birds around the yard, having been somewhat confined to our little house for most of the winter, but we hadn't really started "birding" in earnest at this point. So it was just a lovely surprise at the time. As we started birding, though... it became one of our biggest targets.

It was shockingly so long until we saw another one. We'd since learned that in some parts of the West they're so common that people don't even think twice about them, or even consider them nuisance birds that steal food from campsites! We just wanted to get a good look at one.

Eventually, in 2019 we would get some Steller's Jays coming into our yard, of all places, which was such a thrill. They are so big and so beautiful and it's wild to think anyone would take them for granted. They also made me appreciate how beautiful and amazing the Blue Jays back East are, and to not take them for granted either, as raucous and too-smart-for-their-own-good as they can be.

After moving back to Joseph in 2024, we've been lucky to be staying in a place where we see (and hear) them every day, and are once again lucky enough to have them coming right into our yard for some seed. We were afraid they might bully everyone else away, but the chickadees and nuthatches have started to investigate recently, so I think we'll have a happy little crew soon.

Love those eyebrows.

Last updated December 1, 2024.