Want something with a touch of the exotic to brighten up your Monday?
Who doesn't?! Well, today I bring you the humble jay. With its pinky/purpley body feathers, dazzling blue wing patch and pristine white rump, jays ought to stick out a mile. Yet I always hear that they hide away through winter, spring and summer, becoming more obvious in autumn. Now why's that?
Nuts. There's your answer - nuts. The UK's most colourful crow is on the lookout for nuts during autumn. They'll collect hordes of them, and stash them away for winter. Listen out for a screech, as the jays search through the trees for acorns, or whatever nuts are available.
The distinctive screech is just another thing that makes jays unmistakable, along with the crest. You can see it fully on show in this picture by Steve Round from RSPB Images. In fact my colleague Katie thinks it makes them look like X-factor cult heroes, and Eurovision entrants Jedward! Hard to argue with that! What do you think?
For more on our science, check out the RSPB Centre for Conservation Science web pages.
I have visiting Jays too - they like the monkey nuts I put out - yes exotic indeed