Photo Credit: Jerry Green
MONTGOMERY-Have you noticed there seems to be many more blue jays about lately? Taking a walk at your local nature preserve, or just enjoying your backyard, your attention may be called to large, noisy flocks of blue jays. Blue jays live in Alabama year-round, so you may tend to overlook these common birds, but this time of year they become more conspicuous. Like most birds, blue jays pair-up in spring to build a nest and raise young. They tend to keep quieter and inconspicuous during this time to keep the nest secret. Some blue jays (but not all) migrate locally from northern states to southern states for the winter, which partially explains a greater prominence on the winter landscape. But jays are social beings and gather into small flocks in the fall after the breeding 
season. The flocks comprise a mix of young and old, male and female birds. By banding together in the fall the birds cooperate in locating food such as an oak tree dropping acorns. Flocking also provides protection in numbers from predators. They are very vocal birds, employing a variety of squawks, squeaks, and imitations of hawk calls to communicate information about food sources and predators. This behavior of gathering into large noisy flocks makes them standout at a time when many birds have flown south for the winter.
To learn more about winter birds in Alabama, check out the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Watchable Wildlife website.
Media Release/Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
