This helps create the strong familial bond that is unique to Blue Jays. Having a colorful and playful attitude, baby Blue Jays can usually be seen playing with each other in their nests. Unlike many other bird breeds, baby Blue Jays develop complex social systems very early on, tying them to their family members and their living place.īlue Jays usually stay in touch with their families throughout their entire lifetime, which is a very rare trait in any bird species. What Is Blue Jay Hatchlings’ Temperament Like?īaby Blue Jay hatchlings are lively and energetic birds.
However, the full blue plumage that the bird is known for doesn’t fully develop until a month or so after the Blue Jay has fledged. The bird’s famous blue feathers start breaking out around their 14th day and continue to grow until their 20th day or so when the Blue Jay usually fledges its nest. Newly hatched baby Blue Jays show rapid growth in their first 4-5 days, opening their eyes and having their yellow/pink plumage turn darker to become an olive color. Worms or insects are considered an ideal food, as they’re rich in protein and fat, and are soft and easy to digest by the baby Blue Jays. Injured or dead vertebrates, like mice or frogs, are also hunted by the Blue Jays to be fed to their nestlings. While most food is given to the baby Blue Jays whole, foods of large pieces will be torn up before being fed to the nestlings.īaby Blue Jays are usually fed with berries, nuts, seeds, or any type of grains. Male and female Blue Jays will gather different types of food to be fed to the baby nestlings. Top Tip: After 8-12 days, as the nestlings start to grow hungrier, the female will join the male in foraging to gather more food for their baby Blue Jays. The female’s primary job is to brood the nest and redistribute the food between the nestlings by reaching into their mouths.
The male will provide the majority of the food and will feed the nestlings. How Do Blue Jays Feed Their Nestlings?Īfter hatching, for the first few days, the male Blue Jay does most of the foraging. Upon hatching, a baby blue jay weighs as little as around 5.5 grams, with its body length being around 51 mm.īy the fifth day after its hatching, a baby Blue Jay could already weigh around 20 to 29 grams, with its body length reaching around 76 mm. By the second day, they can shuffle and move around their nest. The hatchlings are only able to squirm on their first day. Hatchlings are mostly gray in color, with yellow or pink feather plumages under their side wings.Īuthor Note: When baby Blue Jays hatch, their eyes are shut and remain so for the first 4-5 days. Newly born baby Blue Jays, sometimes called hatchlings, come out of their eggs limp, weak, and helpless. What Do Newly Hatched Blue Jays Look Like? In this phase, the birds hatch from their eggs but remain in their nest to be brooded by their parents until they are old enough to fledge. This is the second phase in a baby Blue Jay’s life. How Long Do Blue Jay Eggs Take to Hatch?īlue Jay Eggs incubate for around 17 to 18 days.ĭuring the incubation phase, the male Blue Jay is primarily responsible for gathering food for his mate and himself, while the female sits on the eggs until they hatch. They also have brown blotches or spots at their larger ends. The eggs’ color could range from light brown, green, and olive to various shades of blue. What Do Blue Jay Eggs Look Like?īlue Jay eggs are ovular and measure around 28 x 20 mm in size. It’s rare for all baby Blue Jays to survive to adulthood, though.īlue Jays make their nests from grass, twigs, rootlets, and mud, where the eggs are laid. How Many Eggs Do Blue Jays Lay?įemale Blue Jays could lay from 2-7 eggs, with the average being 4-5 eggs. In hotter southern states, however, Blue Jays lay their eggs as early as the beginning of March. In the north where the weather is cold, Blue Jays lay their eggs in May. The birds rarely lay their eggs outside of these months. When Do Blue Jays Lay Eggs?īlue jays usually lay their eggs in March, April, and May. This is the very first phase in a baby Blue Jay’s life when they’re incubated in eggs for about 17 to 18 days. Then, while spending all their time in nests, they are called nestlings.Īuthor Note: After that, as soon as they start to fly, they are called fledglings, finally becoming juveniles, then full-grown adult Blue Jays. While there isn’t a specific name for baby Blue Jays, they are usually referred to in accordance with their life stage.Īs soon as they hatch, baby Blue Jays are called Hatchlings. Bottom Line What Is a Baby Blue Jay Called?