The Siberian jay is the smallest of the western Palearctic corvids, weighing 75 – 90g and measuring about 30 cm in length.
Their overall colouration is fairly inconspicuous to visually conceal them from predators within their forest habitat. In flight their colour comes to life to give the appearance of fire.
The Siberian Jay is omnivorous and feeds mainly on berries, seeds, insects and spiders. They gather at animal carcasses and we have created special wire mesh feeders attached to trees in which we put sausages. They hide food in stashes to get them through the cold winter.
Siberian Jays are strictly monogamous and an established pair will stay together and hold the same territory for life. We see them throughout the year very close to our property.
The Siberian jay has now gained flagship status as a conservation concern both because of threats from modern forestry and because active territories are considered a sign of high-quality biodiverse forest.
We recently encountered a group of four while driving to the local ski slopes. We pulled over and took these photos.
