Keeping Common Birds Common

In this photo a Blue Jay carrying an acorn in its bill flies through an abstract composition of out-of-focus sumac leaves. In autumn Blue Jays are a constant presence near the arboretum’s numerous oak trees, harvesting acorns for winter consumption.

Beginning in late September, Blue Jays begin gathering numerous acorns, flying off to bury them in the soil to provide a winter food resource. They bury them individually under leaf litter or in shallow holes in the ground, a fascinating activity called food caching. While Blue Jays remember the locations of many of their acorns, those they forget may germinate and become new oak trees, making the Blue Jay an important agent of forest regeneration.