One of the first things beginning birders learn is when they hear what they are sure is a red-shouldered hawk, they cannot be certain the call is that of a red-shouldered hawk. The reason for this is blue jays often mimic the call of this well-known predator.
Recent research has revealed much about the mimicry practiced by the blue Jay. For example, we now know blue jays do not just mimic red-shouldered hawks. The truth of the matter is they also mimic other predators such as the osprey and Cooper’s hawk.
It is apparent that blue jays mimic the call of the red-shouldered hawk in an effort to warn other jays living nearby that a predator is in the neighborhood. However, some ornithologists believe that blue jays may also mimic the call of a hawk in an effort to scare other birds such as grackles enough that they drop their food as they make a hasty flight to cover. Once the bird leaves, the blue jay can fly down and consume the acorns or other food left behind by the startled birds.
If you have a theory that helps explain why blue jays mimic hawk calls, I would love to hear it.
I have a backyard birdbath that is on a trickle fed with fresh water. We also have a family of Red Shouldered Hawks that currently live about 1 mile away (crow flight) and are always soaring while calling in the area. What we’ve noticed is that a particular Blue Jay will very closely mimic the call of the RS Hawk when wanting to drink/bathe from the bbath…..amazing! He’s able to scare all those who are not wise to him/her away, getting the birdbath privately for a good wash/rinse….lol!
Mike,
What a great story! The more we learn about them the more we realize that are smarter than we think.
Thanks for sharing your observations.
Terry
My husband, and I were just noticing a Bluejay in our backyard mimicking a Cooper’s Hawk. My husband and I believed he was doing that to scare away other birds from the feeders. Blue Jays are jerks, if we’re being totally honest, 🤣
Your response brought a smile to my face. The bird’s behavior makes them a bird that folks either love or hate.
i don’t think Blue Jays are bullies. They get a bad rap IMO. Blue Jays are the preferred meal of RT, RS, and Cooper hawks so they need to take advantage of wherever they find a food source. They will usually grab and go (if it’s a shelled nut) but may hang out longer for smaller feed. They will chase other birds away so they can have their fill as quickly as possible (especially if food is scarce in the winter) and also do that when it’s nesting season. They DO love their baths!!.
I hear the Blue Jay alarm call all the time (yet they make a very similar sound when calling for their mate – not as panicked. I’ve heard the hawk mimic every so often and I agree it could be to scare of larger birds that aren’t really intimidated by them already. The call does also sound a little mournful so I’ve walked around the area of the call to see if perhaps a predator caught their mate. I always get nervous when i see only one at my feeders.
I’m very attached to the pair that lives near me. They do not take over the feeders at all. They are in and out only a few times a day. i have a camera in my courtyard that tracks all the activity, which i check daily. It’s absolutely wonderful to watch their behavior!
Lora,
Thank you very much for your response. I am a great fan of the blue jay. I once heard none other than Roger Tory Peterson say it was one of his favorite birds too!