Hummingbirds are beautiful, delicate creatures that bring joy with their aerial acrobatics and glittering, iridescent feathers. However, these tiny birds face threats from predators like blue jays, which are aggressive and much larger. Blue jays will raid hummingbird feeders and scare the hummingbirds away. They may even attack and kill hummingbirds. If blue jays have become a problem in your yard, there are humane ways to deter them and keep your hummingbirds safe.
Why blue jays go after hummingbirds
Blue jays are opportunistic feeders that will take advantage of easy food sources. Nectar feeders intended for hummingbirds are an inviting target. Blue jays will also prey on hummingbirds themselves, especially their eggs and fledglings. Hummingbirds seem like easy targets to blue jays because of their small size.
Here are some key reasons blue jays endanger hummingbirds:
- Blue jays are larger and more aggressive – An adult blue jay may be over 3 times heavier than a ruby-throated hummingbird. Blue jays use their size advantage to bully hummingbirds away from feeders.
- Blue jays are nest predators – They will raid hummingbird nests for eggs and chicks. Hummingbird fledglings are extremely vulnerable.
- Blue jays are intelligent birds – Their problem-solving skills allow them to access feeders and exploit new food sources.
- Hummingbird feeders are high-calorie food sources – The nectar attracts blue jays, especially in times of scarce food.
- Yards with both feeder types draw blue jays – If you have existing sunflower or mixed seed feeders, blue jays already know your yard is a source of food.
To protect hummingbirds, you need deterrents that specifically target the blue jays without harming them. Understanding their motivations and behavior is key to finding effective solutions.
Physically blocking blue jay access to feeders
The most direct approach is excluding blue jays from hummingbird feeders by creating physical barriers:
Use feeders with built-in perches or ports
Many hummingbird feeder designs include tiny perches or feeding ports that are too small for blue jays to sit on or insert their beaks into. This prevents them from feeding. Look for feeders with 1-2 very short perches or multiple small feeding ports. As long as the blue jay can’t flatten itself on the perch or feeder to reach the nectar, it will eventually give up.
Add feeder guards or mesh cages
Plastic or wire mesh guards can be placed around or over feeders to keep blue jays at bay. Choose a guard with openings too small for blue jays to squeeze through. Baffle-style shields above feeders also block access.
Try moat or wobbly feeders
These feeders are surrounded by a water moat or are weighted at the base to wobble when heavier birds like blue jays land on them. The unstable perching deters them but hummingbirds can still hover and feed.
Hang feeders on a pulley system
You can rig your hummingbird feeder on a pulley so you can raise and lower it. Keep it lowered when you want to fill and clean it but otherwise keep it raised at least 5-6 feet off the ground, out of reach of blue jays. Just ensure it is still visible to hummingbirds.
Use feeder placement strategically
Keep feeders far away from trees, fences, and other launching points where blue jays can stage attacks. Place them in open areas of your yard. Avoid clustering multiple feeders close together – this lets blue jays monopolize them.
Deterring blue jays with taste and texture
You can make the nectar itself less palatable to blue jays:
Add chili pepper powder
Sprinkle a tiny bit of chili powder in the nectar. Chili irritates blue jay taste buds but won’t harm hummingbirds. Start with 1/8 teaspoon per cup of nectar. Increase gradually if needed. Make a new chili-laced batch daily.
Use safflower oil
Add a few drops of safflower oil to the nectar. Safflower oil tastes unpleasant to blue jays but not hummingbirds. Start with 1-2 drops per cup. Like chili powder, make fresh batch daily.
Thicken nectar
Use less water when mixing powdered nectar so it has a thicker, more syrupy consistency. Thick nectar flows more slowly and is harder for blue jays to drink.
Switch nectar flavors
Vary nectar flavors like switching from original to orange. Novel flavors may deter blue jays. Just avoid artificial dyes.
Scare devices
You can use various devices to startle blue jays and make them wary of the yard:
Squirt them with a hose or water gun
A sudden blast from the hose or a water gun will scare blue jays away without harming them. Just be ready when they approach the feeder and let them have it. They will learn a drenching awaits at the feeder.
Set up scare tape near feeders
Specially made reflective tape or holographic CD discs hung near feeders will deter blue jays when they glint and spin in the breeze. The unfamiliar flashing movement frightens blue jays.
Use decoy predators
Place rubber snake or owl replicas in your yard to scare blue jays. Change locations regularly so they don’t lose effectiveness.
Install ultrasonic deterrents
Battery-powered ultrasonic devices emit high-pitched sounds when motion activated. The noise is imperceptible to humans but frightening to blue jays.
Discourage blue jays from your yard
Make your yard less attractive and comfortable for blue jays:
Remove outdoor food sources
Eliminate any pet food, fallen seed from other feeders, open compost piles and other potential food sources blue jays may forage.
Install roosting deterrents
Prevent blue jays from roosting near feeders by installing roosting deterrents like Nixalite bird spikes on ledges, railings, and branches.
Use bird netting over fruit trees and bushes
Protect blue jay food sources like berry bushes and fruit trees with netting over branches. Remove fallen fruit promptly.
Provide blue jay habitat away from feeders
Landscape with oak trees and shrubs with food sources blue jays prefer away from the hummingbird feeders.
Reduce blue jay nesting spots
Prune away dense shrubs and branches near feeders so blue jays have fewer nesting sites and hiding places nearby.
Supplement hummingbird diet naturally
Make your yard more hummingbird friendly to compensate for any lost feeding opportunities when deterring blue jays:
Plant more native nectar flowers and trees
Incorporate tubular red flowers and trees with ornate blossoms to provide more natural food sources for hummingbirds.
Add extra feeders in secluded spots
Site additional sheltered feeders away from busy bird traffic to give hummingbirds refuge to feed undisturbed.
Provide an insect feeding area
Hummingbirds need insects for protein. Set up a mister or shallow water dish with floating stones where insects congregate for hummingbirds to forage.
Ensure adequate roosting spots
Hummingbirds rest overnight and recharge. Provide roosting spots like trees with dense branches or tall shrubs near feeders.
Let some flowers go to seed
Allowing some flowers like coreopsis and larkspur to mature and go to seed provides an additional food source.
Address root causes making blue jays aggressive
Reduce blue jay motivation to compete with hummingbirds:
Supplement blue jay diet
Offer supplemental food specifically for blue jays away from hummingbird areas, like acorns, beechnuts, sunflower seeds, and suet.
Provide a water source
Add a birdbath, waterfall, or mister for blue jays if lack of water may be causing them to target feeders.
Reduce overcrowding
Limit the number of blue jays in your yard by not overfeeding. Reduce food at other feeders to disperse some blue jays if overcrowding is an issue.
Remove problem nests humanely
As a last resort if a specific nest location is causing repeated issues near feeders, have it removed after the breeding season ends when it is empty.
Be patient during hatching season
Blue jays may be especially protective and competitive for food when they have active nests. Extra patience and deterrents will be needed at this time of year.
When to seek help
In extreme cases of aggressive blue jays, you may need to contact wildlife professionals:
- If blue jays are injuring hummingbirds
- If no deterrents are working
- If there are more than 3-4 blue jays attacking feeders in a small area
Wildlife rehabilitators can capture and relocate habitual aggressors. Seek advice if blue jay raids continue despite multiple deterrent techniques.
Conclusion
Blue jays can be clever, persistent adversaries but there are many effective ways to safeguard hummingbirds. Combine multiple deterrents tailored to how blue jays access your feeders. Reduce appealing food sources and roosting spots in your landscape. With patience and a multi-pronged approach, you can achieve a peaceful balance and meet the needs of both species.
Most importantly, guard hummingbird feeders while leaving blue jay feeders separate and undisturbed. Supplement both birds’ diets with additional habitat and food sources. Address aggressive behavior humanely through exclusion and aversion rather than harm. With some diligence, your yard can be a sanctuary for both tiny hummingbirds and flashy blue jays.
