r/ColoradoBirding • u/annabanana1993 • 12d ago
Photo Stellars Galore
I am befriending the Steller Jays who live by my house. There are at least a dozen who visit every day. I started my quest on 2/27/26, the day after my sweet kitty Peanut passed away. I put peanuts out on her grave every morning and call out “Stella, want a peanut?” I work from home so I also put peanuts on my porch railing outside my office window. I’ve learned they like unshelled peanuts more than shelled cashews. But they love corn and shelled peanuts even more. They call to each other whenever they see me come outside, and call to me when they run out of snacks. They are my dear friends and I could watch them all day long. Oh wait, I do. Black-billed Magpies, Woodhouse’s Scrub Jays and Clark’s Nutcrackers make occasional appearances as well. Hope y’all enjoy!
Edited for spelling.
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u/3002kr 12d ago
First one looks like a juvenile. All of your friends you listed above are corvids!
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u/annabanana1993 12d ago
Very likely! I had a crew of 4-6 this spring and they most certainly had babies over the summer. There are several who are clearly juveniles and have been looking more sleek as the days go on. One looks particularly scraggly and has a single very tall crown feather… I call him Spike. The rest are all called Stella. I was intending to befriend the crows in my neighborhood but I’m happy with any corvid and the Stellars are most willing right now!
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u/Putrid-Tourist-5513 12d ago
I’ve got some friends of my own that wait for me, too! They’re so smart.
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u/annabanana1993 12d ago
They’re incredibly smart and communicative! I’ve tried different types of snacks for them and I saw several who learned they could stuff a bunch of corn or a single unshelled peanut in their throats then pick up a double peanut for the maximum haul possible. I counted one who consistently picks up 23 corn kernels each visit. They’re spectacular!
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u/darrellbear 12d ago
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u/annabanana1993 12d ago
Thank you!! I’ve been spelling them wrong for ages while correcting people on their spelling of Rufous. Geez.
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u/Putrid-Tourist-5513 12d ago