MYSTERY BIRD: A couple more people have weighed in on that mystery bird photo.
Local outdoor columnist Rocky Holland said, simply, “It’s a Blue Jay!”
At the same time, Leon Hillyard came to a similar conclusion, but he explained his process: “Seeing the ‘mystery bird’ comments in ’Round the Square, I was intent on trying to find out just what the bird was. First glance I thought blue jay, but closer examination left me doubtful that I was correct.
“Grabbing a bird book after reading today’s remarks from two individuals who had responded to the article with one thinking it was a Stellar’s jay and the other thinking it might be a Scrub jay. It was confusing so I began comparing the mystery bird to both the Stellar’s and Scrub jays.
“Steller’s jays are normally found near the West Coast and have a range from Mexico to southern Alaska. It has a totally black head, crest, throat and mostly black back. The remainder of the back including the tail is a blue several shades darker than a common blue jay. The only white on a Steller’s jay is a thin streak above the eyes. The mystery had quite an amount of white plumage.
“Scrub jays, also a West Coast resident, has a range from Mexico to Washington State, has a thin white line over the eyes and the breast, is white with a thin blue fringe on the bottom of the breast. The tail is blue with small white feathers at the end.
“The mystery bird in the picture has what appears to be a black upward pointing crest and black head. The distinctive ‘necklace’ from head to throat, white throat and breast and a blue back with tail feathers ending with white feathers.
“Common blue jays have some characteristics similar to the mystery bird but different also. Blue jays have a dark upward point crest, blue back and a blue tail ending with white feathers and also has a streak of black feathers on the wings.
“The comparison leads me to believe that the mystery bird may be an immature blue jay or one that somehow possesses abnormal or unusual plumage. Still confused, I believe the bird is a blue jay, but anyone who can solve this mystery may have another opinion.”
