Blue Jays are pretty talented songbirds making a variety of cool musical sounds.
Their sharp ringings, squeaks, and piping calls sound like the bird stops short of finishing its notes.
If you hear these calls during the spring, it’s probably part of courtship.
Blue Jays are Intelligent Backyard Birds
Blue Jays are one of the most intelligent birds you’ll see in your backyard. They’re members of the bird family corvid, including other jay species such as Steller’s Jays and ravens and crows.
We love these songbirds’ ability to imitate the sounds in their environments.
Our backyard jay has the nickname “Hawk Jay” because it perfectly mimics a Red-shouldered Hawk’s call.
Jays get a bad rap for being bullies at bird feeders, but they warn other birds in their flock that danger is near.
Our backyard Blue Jays save many songbirds from birds of prey. And, of course, they use the hawk calls to drive other birds from the feeder, so they have it all to themselves.