Cool Critters: Where’s the party, Steller’s jay?

You’re enjoying a picnic lunch at a park when you spot an eye-catching bird perched on a ponderosa branch. Dressed in deep blue plumage and a showy black crest atop its head, the bird is elegant, stately.

That is, until it tilts its head in your direction and emits a loud squawk.

Native to western North America, the Steller’s jay is a smart, vibrant bird with a big mouth. It also has one of the most commonly misspelled names among our continent’s bird species.

Although stellar in appearance, it is named after German naturalist Georg Steller, who first documented the species during an exploration trip to Alaska in 1741.

“They are well known at feeders, picnic areas and campgrounds where they beg boldly for handouts with loud, raspy calls,” according to BirdWeb, the online guide to birds of Washington state run by the Seattle Audubon Society. The sassy bird lives in wooded areas throughout Washington, including forests, parks and residential areas, and is commonly seen in Spokane County.

With its indignant-sounding rasp, rich blue feathers and charcoal black crest, this bird is easy to recognize. But don’t be fooled into thinking its crest is a decorative piece designed for our visual pleasure. Instead, it’s a vital communication instrument.

A sharply raised crest conveys agitation or excitement, according to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, where a raised but less conspicuous crest imparts dominance. Meanwhile, a crest held close to the head means the bird is calm and content.

Where there’s one Steller’s jay, there’s another one nearby, said ornithologist John Marzluff, professor emeritus of the University of Washington. They hang out in small groups called a party or scold – and they have plenty of things to sound off about.

“They use their calls to stay in contact with their lifelong mate, to indicate hunger and warn of danger,” Marzluff explained. They also give “harsh scolds” to predators, he added, including humans whose food they want to eat and hawks who want to eat them.

Steller’s jays are members of the corvid family of birds, sharing a boisterous, noisy and intelligent nature with their closest relative the blue jay, along with ravens, crows and magpies.

They are talented mimics, imitating red-tailed hawks and goshawks to scare other birds away from prized foods, Marzluff said. Like other corvids, they’re able to recognize human faces over time.

Steller’s jays are not picky eaters, feeding on everything from seeds, nuts and berries to insects, lizards and birds’ eggs. And, of course, the sandwich and chips you’re trying to finish at a picnic table as a Steller’s jay scrutinizes you from a pine tree nearby.