“Splish-splash, I was taking a bath.”
Bobby Darin
I keep our three bird baths filled with fresh water. I have seen wildlife using them for drinking and bathing. The morning I captured these images, I had heard the Blue Jays (Cyanocitta cristata) were quite active. Their call was heard loud and clear, and I saw a couple of them flying closer.
Blue Jays are native to eastern North America and live in the eastern and central United States. These birds are in the Corvidae family, the same family as crows and ravens. They are intelligent and bold. They can mimic the screams of hawks—especially the Red-shouldered Hawk. When they do that, it’s with the intent to alert other Blue Jays and birds of a hawk’s presence. The crest of feathers on their heads can show different behaviors:
- A straight-up crest means excitement or aggression.
- Crest bristles pointing outward mean fear, and
- Crest lying flat means relaxation.
These are some shots showing a Blue Jay taking a bath.
After a first dip and fluffing its feathers, this Blue Jay was ready to dive in again. It was like he was doing the “Cha Cha Slide.”
Then, it was time for a quick check and take-off.
That is the story behind the shots. If you liked this post, you may also be interested in others featuring Bird of the Week, Blue Jay, Teravista, Texas, and Wildlife. Until the next time, keep clicking and capturing the beauty your eyes find.
Linked to I.J. Khanewala’s Birds of the Week Invitation CL.
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SoyBend
Great shots of this bathing bird, Egidio! I love jays. 🙂
Egidio Leitao
Thanks, Siobhan. I love watching them.
Ritva Sillanmäki Photography
Love these Egídio. I don’t know birds, but I do appreciate the beauty of them, you have captured them beautifully.
Egidio Leitao
I am enjoying spending more time learning about birds and observing them. Thanks for the compliment.
Briciolanellatte
Beautiful photos. I’ve never seen blue jays here in Italy. We have the Garrulus glandarius.
Egidio Leitao
The Jay variety you have there is gorgeous. Thanks for writing.
Anne Sandler
Absolutely amazing Egidio!
Egidio Leitao
Thank you very much, Anne.
Bob Ramsak
Nice shots, especially the first. The crest communication is very interesting. I had friends with similar haircuts in the 1980s. That too was a colorful form of communication.
Egidio Leitao
Thanks for the feedback, Bob.
Toonsarah
Fabulous action shots of this bathing beauty!
Egidio Leitao
Thanks, Sarah. They have fun doing that.
margaret21
Those showing them in Full Bathing Mode are fabulous!
Egidio Leitao
Thanks, Margaret. They really put on a good show.
I. J. Khanewala
Wonderful photos. Interesting that the head feathers are used for communication.
Egidio Leitao
Thanks, I.J. I thought that was also interesting. The other thing about them imitating hawks has at one point or another confused me. When I hear it, I think it’s a hawk — until I see a Blue Jay.
shoreacres
I adore bluejays. I have two that come to my feeders regularly, and two that will fly in whenever they see I’m putting peanuts out for the squirrels. I’ve spent some time watching, and I know that an adult bluejay can pluck up and carry off at least nine shelled peanut halves: that’s the current neighborhood record!
Egidio Leitao
Linda, that’s one great thing about watching birds. We learn about their behavior and see interesting things. Thanks for writing.