[NatureNS] Blue Jay feeding

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From: Nancy P Dowd <nancypdowd@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 9 Jan 2014 18:52:01 -0400
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I have had a similar experience with Blue Jays and cat food.=20

For two years I was putting out cat food on the front deck to supplement the=
 barn cats' diet in winter. There was a birdfeeder about 100' from the oppos=
ite side of the house well patronized by Blue Jays and other birds. At some p=
oint the third winter a lucky BJ must have discovered the cat food under the=
 chair on the deck. =46rom then on the BJs waited until I put out food in th=
e morning and left. It took me a while to figure out it was the BJs eating a=
ll the kibble rather than the cats. Sunflower seeds were lasting much longer=
 in the feeder too. Once I started taking the cats' food to the inside of th=
e barn (with BJs following) they showed up again at the regular feeder. Obvi=
ously cat food was preferred.=20

I wonder if a similar chance carcass discovery by one of your resident BJs h=
as led the group to adopt a new rewarding behaviour rather than learning it f=
rom CFAs? Neat to see whether their meat preference will continue for the wi=
nter.=20

Nancy

Sent from my iPhone

> On Jan 9, 2014, at 2:44 PM, Randy Lauff <randy.lauff@gmail.com> wrote:
>=20
> All,
>=20
> I've started putting carcasses out again this winter, primarily to feed th=
e eagles and ravens, but crows and sometimes hawks and more come in as well.=
 In the many years of me doing this, I can count on one hand how many times I=
've seen Blue Jays feed from the carcasses. This year, they're preferring th=
e carcasses to the seeds at times. Very odd. I wonder if Blue Jays "from awa=
y" have come in and taught my BJs to eat the meat? On my last Project Feeder=
watch (http://www.bsc-eoc.org/volunteer/pfw/index.jsp?lang=3DEN&targetpg=3Di=
ndex) count, I had 40 BJs...in the summer I might have 1/4 that.
>=20
> Randy
> _________________________________
> RF Lauff
> Way in the boonies of
> Antigonish County, NS.

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<html><head><meta http-equiv=3D"content-type" content=3D"text/html; charset=3D=
utf-8"></head><body dir=3D"auto"><div>I have had a similar experience with B=
lue Jays and cat food.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>For two years I was pu=
tting out cat food on the front deck to supplement the barn cats' diet in wi=
nter. There was a birdfeeder about 100' from the opposite side of the house w=
ell patronized by Blue Jays and other birds. At some point the third winter a=
 lucky BJ must have discovered the cat food under the chair on the deck. =46rom=
 then on the BJs waited until I put out food in the morning and left. It too=
k me a while to figure out it was the BJs eating all the kibble rather than t=
he cats. Sunflower seeds were lasting much longer in the feeder too. Once I s=
tarted taking the cats' food to the inside of the barn (with BJs following) t=
hey showed up again at the regular feeder. Obviously cat food was preferred.=
&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>I wonder if a similar chance carcass discove=
ry by one of your resident BJs has led the group to adopt a new rewarding be=
haviour rather than learning it from CFAs? Neat to see whether their meat pr=
eference will continue for the winter.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Nancy<=
br><br>Sent from my iPhone</div><div><br>On Jan 9, 2014, at 2:44 PM, Randy L=
auff &lt;randy.lauff@gmail.com&=
gt; wrote:<br><br></div><blockquote type=3D"cite"><div><div dir=3D"ltr">All,=
<div><br></div><div>I've started putting carcasses out again this winter, pr=
imarily to feed the eagles and ravens, but crows and sometimes hawks and mor=
e come in as well. In the many years of me doing this, I can count on one ha=
nd how many times I've seen Blue Jays feed from the carcasses. This year, th=
ey're preferring the carcasses to the seeds at times. Very odd. I wonder if B=
lue Jays "from away" have come in and taught my BJs to eat the meat? On my l=
ast Project Feederwatch (<a href=3D"http://www.bsc-eoc.org/volunteer/pfw/ind=
ex.jsp?lang=3DEN&amp;targetpg=3Dindex">http://www.bsc-eoc.org/volunteer/pfw/=
index.jsp?lang=3DEN&amp;targetpg=3Dindex</a>) count, I had 40 BJs...in the s=
ummer I might have 1/4 that.</div>

<div><br></div><div>Randy<br clear=3D"all"><div>____________________________=
_____<br>RF Lauff<br>Way in the boonies of<br>Antigonish County, NS.</div>
</div></div>
</div></blockquote></body></html>=

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