During the winter of 2018, the common name for the Gray Jay went back to Canada Jay, thanks to a 9-to-1 vote by the American Ornithological Society. The same society but different members had taken away the name Canada Jay in 1957 and it was replaced with Gray Jay. Canada Jay is mainly found in Canada, residing across the country year around. It’s also sometimes called a camp robber. Find out why by eating near them. The jay itself doesn’t seem to care what we call it, it’s too busy looking for its next meal.
One reason it can live so far north throughout the winter is because of its ability to store food. It uses its sticky saliva to glue food to tree branches above the height of the coming snow. As well, the Canada Jay is helped during the cold temperatures by its thick, fluffy plumage, which can cover legs and feet. Even its nostrils are helped by feathers. It’s a close relative, the Siberian Jay, which can be found in northern Eurasia. Together they form a ring around the Northern Hemisphere.
On a sunny afternoon, when I came across this jay, it was too busy looking for its natural food surrounded by larch trees. My chocolates were well hidden in my backpack as I took pictures of it.
