Jay Garrulus glandarius

A surprisingly shy bird, its screaming call is most likely to be heard as it flies between trees - watch out for a flash of a bright white rump. Jays eat invertebrates, especially caterpillars and beetles, and are famous for enjoying acorns (and other nuts and fruits) during the autumn; they will also cache their finds for later. Jays are present all year-round, but are most obvious in autumn when they have to move about in the open more often, looking for food.

Conservation status

Classified in the UK as Green under the Birds of Conservation Concern 4: the Red List for Birds (2021), the population is currently stable. Threats that may impact on the population of jays include: loss of wooded habitat, persecution and poor acorn crops.