Date: 10/28/25 8:22 am From: Steve Loitz via Tweeters <tweeters...> Subject: Re: [Tweeters] California scrub jay - Wikipedia
Ann, I have not seen any evidence that CASJs are pushing out STJAs in and
around Ellensburg. There is little overlap of their respective habitats.
Our CASJs are mostly in riparian zones and residential landscaped areas.
STJAs tend to stick to areas with confiers. We have seen them on the same
property, but no obvious antagonism.
OTOH, CASJs may well be competition with Black-billed Magpies in some
places in our areas. I have some bickering between those two species.
YMMV on the Wet Side of the Cascades, of course.
Steve Loitz
Ellensburg
On Mon, Oct 27, 2025 at 9:03 PM Ann Kramer <lens4birds...> wrote:
> I will be sad if the Steller's Jay's are pushed out of our area. We are
> heavily forested with NGPA forests around, and I've only seen one Scrub Jay
> over the years. The Stellar's come to the suet as a family unit, and they
> are the only brave enough to harass a Cooper's or Sharp-Shinned Hawk far
> from the busy feeders we have. They are amazing to watch, as they work as
> a team to chase the Hawks and then quickly fly away, squawking, as it turns
> on them. Such a lot of moxie!!!
>
> Ann
>
> On Mon, Oct 27, 2025 at 12:13 PM Steve Loitz via Tweeters <
> <tweeters...> wrote:
>
>> CASJs are now in and around Ellensburg. A few years ago, it was rare to
>> see one north of Yakima.
>>
>> Steve Loitz
>> Ellensburg WA
>>
>> On Mon, Oct 27, 2025 at 11:45 AM Chuq Von Rospach via Tweeters <
>> <tweeters...> wrote:
>>
>>> On Oct 27, 2025 at 11:36:37, Stephen Elston via Tweeters <
>>> <tweeters...> wrote:
>>>
>>>> I am regularly seeing California Scrub Jay in the Greenwood
>>>> neighborhood of Seattle. The Stelars Jays still outnumber them
>>>> significantly.
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> For better and worse, Scrub Jays are quite good at expanding territory.
>>> Back when I was living in California there was an area I was monitoring
>>> regularly over a number of years, and over about a decade, we saw it go
>>> from being primarily a Stellar’s Jay area to Scrub Jay territory with only
>>> a couple of isolated Stellar’s families in the deeper wooded areas. I
>>> expect by now the Stellar’s have been completely pushed out. Scrub Jays
>>> keep more of a family unit going than Stellar’s, which I think gives them
>>> an advantage when competing for territory (much like Northern Mockingbirds
>>> do). The Scrub Jays adapt much more easily to suburban and urban
>>> environments.
>>>
>>> Chuq
>>>
>>>
>>> ---------------------------------------
>>>
>>> Chuq Von Rospach (http://www.chuq.me)
>>> Silverdale, Washington
>>> Birder, Nature and Wildlife Photographer
>>>
>>> Email me at: <chuqvr...>
>>> Mastodon: @<chuqvr...>
>>>
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>>
>>
>> --
>> Steve Loitz
>> Ellensburg, WA
>> <steveloitz...>
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>
