When you think about blue jay male vs female, you worry if the two have any differences at all to begin with. They both have a lovely cyan to deep blue body, with black stripes on the tails that accentuate their beauty. Both have feathered crests that could be raised and lowered as per their feelings. The beaks and legs of the two are also identical.
So where does the difference lie? To appreciate the difference, one must observe the two closely— not for any physical difference, but behavioral. It’s what lies inside that matters in the world of blue jays. Let’s dig deeper and explore the hearts of these tiny avians.
Short Description Of Blue Jay
Scientifically known as Cyanocitta cristata, this beautiful blue bird flaunts mesmerizing hues of lavender and snow-white on its plumage. The prettiest aspect of their plumage is the black stripes on bright cyan flight and tail feathers, which make Blue Jays stand out from other blue birds. These passerine birds are native to the eastern part of North America.
The name of the genus ‘Cyanocitta” derives from the Greek words “Kyaneos ” and “Kitta” which mean “blue ” and “Chattering Bird” respectively. The species name cristata also refers to the blue crest of the bird in question. This species has 4 subspecies in turn– the Northern Blue Jay (bromia), the Florida Blue Jay (semplei), the Interior Blue Jay (cyanotephra), and the Coastal Blue Jay (cristata).
Similarities Between Blue Jay Male And Female
Source: @annelizabeth1131
Blue jay males and females look identical, and it is very difficult to tell them apart, especially from a distance. They both have the same black markings around their face and chest, blue crests, gray underparts, and stripped in black all across the tail feathers. They are also almost equal in size– when they are perched together, it is impossible to distinguish between them.
They both eat the same kind of food. They are primarily carnivores, going for arthropods and other small invertebrates, but they occasionally settle for fruits and acorns as well. Their parenting habits are similar too, as both contribute in building the nests and rearing the offspring. Additionally, both the genders are monogamous for their whole life.
Differences Between Blue Jay Male and Female
If the male and female are so similar, how do you tell them apart? We need to pay close attention to how they behave. Let’s keep digging to see what springs out from the mud.
Source: @jyascollection
Nest Choice And Building
Males and females both search for the nest building materials, and they, together, make a series of “test” nests. They both visit different nests sites and communicate between each other about which location would be best to rear their chicks together.
However, in the nest building process, it is usually the female that constructs the nests. The males basically hand over the vegetation materials and twigs to the female, while the females collect the materials from the males and organize them in a pattern.
Additionally, the final nest choice is also made by the females. The female rubs her chest on the surface of the nest, marking it and indicating that this is the nest she chooses to lay its eggs in. The males do not argue in this matter, and accept the choice.
Incubation Of Eggs And Bringing Up Of Chicks
There are certain ritualistic behavior patterns that are observed among the female blue jays that are consistently absent in their male counterparts. Both the incubation and brooding are solely performed by the females, and not the males. Therefore, during the breeding season, which is between March and July, if you spot a blue jay sitting in a nest, there is a 99% chance it is a female blue jay.
The incubation period in a new blue jay family is 16 to 18 days. Only females incubate the eggs. The females also bring up their chicks single-handedly, staying within the nest, for 24 hours in all 7 days of the week. The only time she takes a break is to feed, clean or relieve herself.
So while the female blue jay is being a full-time mom, what does the male blue jay do? It is true that males do not share the responsibility with the females to incubate the eggs, nor stay with the cheeks and feed them, but he does a very important thing— he hunts, competes, puts his life down the line to bring food for his family. He places food in his partner’s mouth.
It will obviously be very difficult for the female alone to rear her chicks. If anything happens to the males while he goes hunting for food, then the female has to leave her chick unattended for a very long time which will lower the chances of their survival.
Source: @mutedcat
Foraging During Breeding Season
As we have read earlier, it is usually the males who hunt for food and protect the nest from predators. Therefore, during the breeding season, if you spot some blue jays, all puffed up with their crests raised up high, pulling up a raucous fight with other birds, or snatching the vegetation matter and eggs from other birds nests— it should be clear that they are male jays.
Blue jays can often be spotted foraging for peanuts, berries, bread, and meat. During the breeding times, a blue jay spotted with food stuffed in its mouth, is most apparently, a male. However, once the fledglings have grown a little bigger, male and female blue jays both forage in the forests together.
Courtship Ritual
Single or group courtship ceremonies are held among blue jay families. If you see a group of blue jays are pursuing one single blue jay, during the breeding season, you can be sure a mating ritual is in process. Also, you can be quite sure that the blue jays pursuing are the males, and the single bird being pursued is the female.
Usually 8 to 10 male blue jays pursue a single female, and they follow her everywhere she goes. If the female lands anywhere, the males land at the same location.
Males look noticeably puffier and brighter than females during the mating season. Their crests will also be raised, while the ones in females might stay lowered or raised. The males are spotted displaying their feathers and bobbing their heads, while the females make a decision about whom to choose for mating purposes.
Vocalization
Adult females make intrapair noises known as “begging” that males do not make. These calls begin with a ‘kuet kuet’ sound and tapers off with a sorry-sounding ‘enn-yaaa’ sound. Females make such calls when the males collect food and approach her to feed her. She also whisks and flickers her wings while making this call.
Females also make rattle and peep calls. They bob their heads up and down while generating such vocalizations. When the females are excited or want to signal predators approaching, they make rattling noises. Peeps are basically short chirps and squeaks that are quite high-pitched but pleasant-sounding. They peep just before laying eggs or calling out to their cheeks.
Males lack such variations in their calls. Their calls are not that harmonious or loud either, and are usually limited to the basics like “jay jay”, “click”, “chuck”, “whirr” and “whine”.
Source: @peggysblueskylight
Social Behavior
In the blue jay world, as males are basically hunting, foraging and protecting, they have been found to be slightly more gregarious than their female counterparts. Females, on the other hand, have been observed to be passive and docile.
Male blue jays play the role of a heroic character during the breeding season. They fight off predators and risk their lives to hunt for morsels to keep their family alive. They mob other birds like owls and bats if they are ever found too close to the nest. Blue jays are even known to impersonate raptor calls to ensure the predator’s proximity to the nest.
Plumage Brightness And Size
When male and female blue jays are sitting side by side, especially during the breeding season, they show sharp contrast in the brightness of their plumage. Males flaunt iridescence on their striking blue feathers, while females look quite subdued and pastelly.
Additionally, males are a tad larger than the females. This nuance is quite difficult to spot since the difference is just by a few centimeters. Males are 12 inches long, while females vary between 9 and 11 inches. Females weigh between 2.2 to 2.6 oz, while males are slightly heavier standing at 3.5 oz.
Blue Jay Male vs Female: Difference Table
Still confused? Well, you will not be, once you check out this table of differences.
| Characteristics | Blue Jay Female | Blue Jay Male |
| Nest | Builds and chooses nest | Helps in gathering materials |
| Incubation and Rearing | Female incubates and broods | Male does not incubate and brood |
| Foraging | Does not forage during breeding season | Only males forage during breeding season |
| Courtship Ritual | Chooses the best partner | Feather display, pursuit |
| Vocalization | Begging, rattle, peep | Jay jay, click, chuck |
| Social Behavior | Passive and docile | dominating, aggressive |
| Plumage and Size | Duller, smaller | Brighter, larger |
FAQ
You may still have questions about their physical similarities and differences. The following FAQs might help in solving the conundrum.
Q: Do male and female blue jays have similar wingspans?
Ans: Both male and female blue jays have a wingspan between 13 to 17 inches, though males are slightly larger than females.
Q: Are the beaks of male and female blue jays same?
Ans: Yes, they are one and the same– long, strong, pointed and grayish-black in color.
Q: Do the legs of male and female blue jays differ?
Ans: No they do not differ. The legs of both the genders are black.
Thoughts
Blue jay male vs female is a tough nut to crack because the two genders are identical to each other. They both have crests, blue bodies with black stripes on their tails, nearly the same size, and similar dietary and habitat preferences. Based on physical characteristics alone, it may not be possible for you to distinguish between the two.
Therefore, you need to pay attention to what lies inside– their behavior. Observe their calls, mating and nesting behavior– they are vastly different. Unlike many other bird families where the males and females both incubate the eggs, here the males do not. However, the males do not freeload but bring food for the family. Both the male and female are very responsible birds.
