I'm pleased to be the guest diarist for this week's Birdblog. I confess up front that I don't have anything close to the background and expertise of our regular host, lineatus, and my photos aren't nearly as good. But I hope to make up for those shortcomings with the story of a unique species that has earned a special place in the hearts of many Floridians, myself included.
If Aphelocoma coerulescens could talk, I believe it would say something very much like what's in the subject line: "You can call me blue, you can call me jay, but you better not call me blue jay!" The Florida scrub-jay is a friendly, playful, and intelligent bird found only in the Sunshine State, and in limited areas at that. Its current conservation status is Threatened - likely to become an endangered species within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of its range - due primarily to loss of habitat to intense development. (Overdevelopment in Florida? That's unpossible!) Most of the photos in this diary were taken at Lyonia Preserve in Deltona, Florida, currently home to approximately 118 birds in 27 families.
Florida scrub-jays mate for life and live in multi-generational families. They're curious and outgoing, and have been known to sit on people's heads or outstretched hands even if no food is offered. (And food should never be offered!) It's easy to get within a few feet of a bird to take a picture. Well, unless you're this guy, apparently.
A mated pair raises 1 to 2 broods of hatchlings from clutches of 3 to 4 eggs in a year, which hatch between March and June. Juveniles can be distinguished by brown feathers on their heads instead of blue; this coloration lasts for about 6 months. Adults of both sexes have identical plumage and are very difficult to differentiate, although the male is slightly larger. The scrub-jay is omnivorous, feeding mostly on acorns, seeds, peanuts, lizards, insects, and mice. They're also attracted to shiny objects (who isn't??) and have been known to make off with silverware, jewelry, and any other sparkles that catch their fancy.
Habitat
Visitors to Florida may have heard the term "scrub" used to refer, sometimes derisively, to any undeveloped, unkempt area of vegetation. However, the Florida scrub is actually a specific type of ecosystem vital to the state's natural environment in general, and to the scrub-jay in particular. Essentially a desert, scrub consists of open sandy patches dotted with mostly low-lying vegetation, such as the Adam's needle, scrub oak, saw palmetto, and prickly-pear cactus. The only large tree you'll find here is the sand pine.
Fire is essential to the health of the scrub and its residents. In fact, the only way sand pines (the trees in the above photo) reproduce is when grown trees burn to death and the thick, waxy coverings on their cones melt. The seeds are then released to bring forth new pines. Yes, Florida is a weird and sometimes morbid place, as anyone who lives here and/or has read Carl Hiaasen's "fiction" novels can confirm. ;-) Because Lyonia Preserve is in the middle of a residential area, the staff must periodically close the park to perform controlled burns. Jay communities will abandon a scrub habitat once it gets too overgrown as the ability to spot predators is decreased. They sometimes return after a prescribed burn or wildfire, but usually not for at least a few years.
Friends of the scrub-jay
Plenty of other species call the scrub home. This little darling, a gopher tortoise, came right up to my group on my last visit to Lyonia. I think it's pretty clear he wanted his picture taken and I was happy to oblige. Gopher tortoises dig large burrows which they don't mind sharing with dozens of scrub species. Other scrub residents include the Chuck-Will's-widow (a relative of the whip-poor-will), scarlet king snake, Easter diamondback rattler, and sand skink (another species found only in Florida).
Enemies of the scrub-jay
The scrub-jay's primary natural predators are hawks (sorry, lineatus!), feral and domestic cats, snakes, and raccoons; the first two prey on the birds while the latter two feast upon the eggs. The scrub-jays have an interesting and effective alarm system, though; one bird (the sentinel or sentry) perches high on a scrub oak or other tallish plant, while the other family members tend to the nest or look for food on the ground. If a hawk or other hunting bird is spotted, the sentinel jay squawks loudly to warn other jays in the vicinity, upon which they dive into the thickest patch of vegetation available. In the case of a crawling predator, the jay emits a different call, whereupon numerous birds will descend upon the hapless terrestrial critter to make it clear that it's not welcome.
Of course, like most species today, the scrub-jay's greatest threat comes from humankind. Not directly, as the birds are rarely hunted and their habitats are generally protected from pesticides and other pollution, but rather from the intense greed of developers seeking to build on every available inch of the state. Jays flying across roads are often also killed by cars. The Nature Conservancy's Jay Watch program, through the use of volunteers, has been tracking populations for the last five years and comparing the results to a 1993 statewide census. Sadly, although there have been some promising years, the populations continue to decline. Brevard County, once boasting the highest scrub-jay population, has seen a 33% decrease since the 1993 study was done. As more scrub is lost, the communities become increasingly isolated; noticeable differences in vocalization have been discovered in communities living less than 100 miles apart. For further details on the 2007 study, please read NC's Jay Watch 2007 Annual Report (PDF file).
Numerous attempts have been made to designate Aphelocoma coerulescens the official state bird of Florida; that honor is currently held by Mimus polyglyottos, the Northern mockingbird. While a fine bird, it is plentiful in North America and already has many states under its belt. Making the scrub-jay the state bird may aid in protection efforts, as more Floridians become aware of its plight and take pride in helping "their" very own special jay.
I could go on and on about the Florida scrub-jay, but I can't if I want to get this diary posted on time. LOL. I encourage you to visit the links embedded in this diary for more information. If you live in or visit Florida, take a little extra time to visit one of the local scrub-jay communities. They'll treat you like family!
How Floridians can help
Volunteer for the Nature Conservancy's Jay Watch Monitoring Program.
Contact your state legislators to request the scrub-jay be designated the state bird, and write LTEs as well.
Sign up for the Environet email list so you can be notified of eco-tours, volunteer opportunities, and environmental news in Volusia County, Florida.
I want to thank lineatus for allowing me the opportunity to guest-host the Dawn Chorus Birdblog, and hope you all enjoy my contribution. If you have other questions, please comment and I'll do my best to answer them.