The Canada jay (Perisoreus canadensis), also known as the gray jay, whisky jack, or moosebird, is a year-round boreal forest bird found in Alaska, Canada, and the northern United States. These friendly songbirds have gray plumage and a distinctive head with a white throat and cheek patch. Canada jays are highly curious and intelligent, and they can become quite tame around humans, especially if you offer them food rewards. This allows for excellent opportunities to observe and photograph these charismatic birds up close. If you’d like to attract Canada jays to your home or cabin in their range, here are some tips to entice them to visit.
Offer Tasty Food Rewards
The key to attracting Canada jays is offering enticing food rewards. These omnivorous birds are opportunistic foragers with a taste for both sweet and savory foods. Some great options to try include:
– Peanut butter – Spread some on a pinecone, stick, or platform feeder. The high fat and protein content makes this a nutritious treat.
– Suet – Hang a suet feeder stocked with beef fat and nut suet cakes to provide lots of calories.
– Bread – Tear pieces of bread into small bits and scatter them on a platform feeder, stump, or the ground.
– Fruit – Canada jays love raisins, currants, blueberries, apple pieces, and other fruits.
– Nuts – Whole or pieces of peanuts, almonds, pistachios, and other nuts make tasty, high-protein offerings.
– Seeds – Sprinkle black oil sunflower seeds, raw sunflower hearts, mixed birdseed, cracked corn, and millet in platform feeders or on the ground.
– Meat – Bits of cooked lean meats like chicken, turkey, beef, or fish are eagerly consumed. Always remove any spoiled meat right away.
– Cheese – Grated cheese or small cubes of mild cheese are often gobbled up.
– Sugary sweets – Offer just small amounts of jelly, sugar water, or syrup as occasional treats.
The key is to experiment with different foods to see which your local Canada jays find most appealing. Always start with small amounts and clean up any old, spoiled food promptly to avoid attracting bears.
Set Up Proper Feeders
You’ll need to put out the food you’re offering in suitable feeding stations that Canada jays can perch on and access the treats. Some good options include:
– Platform feeders – A simple wooden platform with a surrounded lip and drainage holes allows you to scatter various food items on top. Place on a stump, railing, or pole at least 5 feet off the ground.
– Hopper feeders – These enclosed feeders with trays, perches, and seed ports are great for nuts, seeds, and other dry foods. Mount on a tree or pole.
– Suet feeders – Use wire cage styles that allow the jays to cling on and peck. Hang from trees, eaves, or poles.
– Tray feeders – These open trays have a wire mesh bottom to allow drainage. You can add various food items on top. Mount on poles, trees, or railings.
– Peanut feeders – Specialty feeders with built-in mesh tail props specifically designed for peanuts in the shell. Hang them from suitable perches.
Position your feeders in open areas 5-10 feet off the ground near trees the jays can land in first. Space multiple feeders 10 feet apart so more jays can visit at once. Place near forest edges for quick access but not too close to bushes where predators may hide.
Offer Fresh Water
Canada jays will also appreciate a source of fresh drinking and bathing water. Provide it in a shallow birdbath or dish on the ground placed at least 10 feet from feeders to avoid contamination. Add some rocks or sticks for perching. Change the water daily to prevent mosquitoes. A bubbler, drip fountain, or mister will help keep the water from freezing as quickly. Drain and clean birdbaths weekly.
You can also try placing moist soil, moss, or leaf litter in a shallow tray to provide moisture and minerals. Sprinkling sand allows the jays to take dust baths to clean their feathers.
Be Patient
It may take some time for Canada jays to discover your new food sources and feel comfortable using them. Start feeding in late summer or fall before winter arrives. Offer small amounts of food at first, then gradually increase the volume once jays start visiting.
Watch for Canada jays silently approaching from the trees and resist the urge to rush toward them. Move slowly and sit quietly at a distance. Let them get comfortable taking the food while you observe. After a period of routine visits, they will often allow much closer approach. But always let the jays come to you.
Provide Shelter
Canada jays may appreciate some protected places to duck into during harsh weather. You can provide simple shelters like:
– Evergreen boughs – Pile loose on flat platforms or lean against walls. Arrange with gaps jays can hop into and out of easily.
– Nest boxes – Mount open-fronted wood boxes filled with pine needles for nesting material. Place small perches outside the holes.
– Roosting pouches – Hang dark cloth hammock-style pouches with roof covers from branches.
– Wood shelters – Erect small plank lean-to style shelters on poles or railings. Face openings away from prevailing winds.
Place shelters on their own, near feeders or some distance away to give the jays options. Ensure they are in locations with good visibility and multiple escape routes so the jays feel secure.
Follow Bird Feeder Best Practices
Whenever you put out food for wild birds, be sure to follow some basic guidelines to keep your feathered visitors safe and healthy:
– Keep feeders clean – Scrub wooden feeders with a weak bleach solution and rinse well. Use long bottle brushes to reach inside hoppers. Disinfect plastic feeders with hot water.
– Prevent moldy food – Discard wet, rotten, or moldy food right away. Store seeds/nuts in sealed containers in cool locations.
– Remove old food remains – Rake or sweep up any food debris from the ground regularly to avoid contamination.
– Avoid overcrowding – Space feeders far enough apart to allow easy access for multiple birds. Reduce amounts of food if the area gets overrun.
– Favor native plants – Plant native trees, shrubs, and flowers that provide natural sources of food and shelter for birds.
– Deter predators – Discourage prowling pets, avoid leaving pet food outdoors, and trim bushes where predators hide.
– Keep watch – Check feeders often for problems. Observe bird behavior to ensure they look healthy and alert.
Following these tips will help provide a safe and healthy bird feeding experience that encourages Canada jays and other species to visit.
Enjoy the Show
Once your backyard habitat is ready, you can look forward to the treat of Canada jays making frequent appearances. Watching their antics provides a connection with nature and hours of free entertainment. Have your camera ready to capture charming photos of them in action. Following these tips, you’ll have the opportunity to admire these bold yet gentle jays going about their day. And if you’re patient and earn their trust, they may even land on your hand to grab a snack! So get your feeders set up and enjoy observing your new wild friends.
Conclusion
Attracting visiting Canada jays to your home or cabin takes a bit of planning and patience, but the payoff is well worth the effort. By offering tasty foods from quality feeders and fresh water sources, providing natural shelters, and following good bird feeding practices, you’ll stand the best chance of having these adorable birds become your regular backyard visitors. Keep a pair of binoculars and your camera close by to observe and photograph these playful, fluffy jays. In no time, the Canada jays’ antics will provide endless entertainment and a valued connection with nature right outside your window.