Screaming acorn seekers bathe in formic acid | column Geeke Remmelts

Geeke Remmelts

Today at 10:47

We are working hard in our garden. Two jays are busy on the plot of land where my husband has started a battle with overgrown reed grass.

The birds continue their work diligently, pulling bits of root from the disturbed earth with their beaks. With their beaks full of roots they disappear again. There is clearly a nest in the making here.

You recognize the jay by its reddish color and the bright blue and black striped feathers on its wings. The Flemish that was originally in his name is said to be due to the ‘flaming’ reddish brown of his plumage. Or it was a reference to the beautiful clothing of the wealthy bourgeoisie from Flanders. The migratory behavior of the species could also be an explanation. Sometimes tens of thousands of jays appear here in winter; Previously it was thought that they came from Flanders.

Screech magpie

Jays are related to the crow and a nickname for the bird is the screamed magpie. They can make quite a bit of noise. With his hoarse screams he warns others of intruders in the forest. Other birds gratefully take advantage of this. Jays also seem to be able to sing beautifully, but I have never been able to catch them doing that.

Its Latin name roughly translates to ‘scratching acorn seeker’. The name is appropriate, because in the fall these birds hide thousands of acorns in the ground as winter supplies. With about five acorns in the crop (pharynx) and one in the beak at a time, that is quite a job. During the cold months they dig up those acorns one by one. The forgotten specimens can grow into new trees, which has given the jay another nickname: forester. If the bird notices that someone else is watching, it will come back later to hide the acorn somewhere else. In addition to acorns, jays mainly eat insects in the summer and berries and fruits in the fall. They also eat eggs and young birds. With its sturdy beak, the jay can chop holes in hard shells, such as snail shells and nut shells.

Jays have even more useful tricks. If they suffer from feather lice, they simply take an ant bath. With their wings and tail spread, they sit in the middle of an anthill. To chase away that clumsy intruder, the ants spray their formic acid on the bird. And that acidic stuff helps the jay to get rid of its parasites.