Jay

Garrulus glandarius

The Jay is the most colourful member of the British corvids (crow family) with pinkish plumage, bright blue and black flash, black moustache/trimmings and white chin and rump. It has a surprisingly short beak for its size. It is very timid, usually travelling in pairs where one keeps watch while the other dashes out of cover or feeds.

As its Latin name suggests, it is garrulous (talkative) but can also mimic other birds' calls and even human speech.

It also buries food (mainly acorns) for storage and can remember hundreds of storage sites while doing a service to tree propagation.

Jay feeding juvenile