How to Tell a Male From a Female Bluejay

Blue jays are a bright blue in color with a head crest. They measure 11 to 12 inches in length. The birds are extremely vocal and have a very distinctive call. Most blue jays live in a family group that sports the adult breeding pair and their fledglings. Male and female blue jays are identical in appearance and plumage. The only way to tell the difference between the sexes is to closely observe the birds distinct behaviors over time.

Things You'll Need

Binoculars

Instructions

- 1
  Use a pair of binoculars to easily observe blue jays. Begin to watch groups of blue jays in February. In February, groups begin to form that consist of numerous males and a female. All the males will be showing off for the female's attention and the chance to become her mate. The female will always take off from a perch first, and the males will follow. Everywhere the female flies, the males follow. She is the first to do everything in the group.
- 2
  Watch the group as the head bobbing starts. The males will begin to bob their heads and plump their plumage in front of the female. She will simply watch their wild displays to impress her. Soon, she will begin to weed out the males. Over the course of a week, the group will begin to dwindle. After two weeks pass, the group will be only one remaining male and the female. The mating pair has officially formed when only two birds remain. The male will still work to impress the female. He will offer her feedings and grooming until the act of mating takes place.
- 3
  Watch the blue jays begin to build a nest. Nest building takes a week. For the first few days, both the male and female will work together, but by the end of the week, the male will have lost interest and grown lazy, so the female will complete the nest building.
- 4
  Observe which bird sits on the nest. The female will spend most of her time incubating the eggs. The male will bring her food and guard her as she awaits the hatching.