A Deep Dive into Bluebirds and Blue Jays: What Sets Them Apart?

The term bluebird can refer to several different birds. What you call a bluebird might be an Eastern bluebird, a blue jay, an indigo bunting, a giant pitta, a blue whistling thrush, or a blue grosbeak, depending on where you live. Two of the more prominent North American birds of blue are the bluebird (Sialia) and the blue jay (Cyanocitta cristata). While these birds are both blue, they are quite different in appearance and temperament. Continue reading to discover more about these beautiful birds.

Comparing Bluebirds to Blue Jays

The blue jay is much larger and louder than the bluebird. Though it is classified as a passerine (songbird), it doesn’t sing so much as it shrieks, squawks, caws, and makes other interesting noises. It’s a member of the Corvidae family, which means it’s related to the crow and the raven, which are also big, aggressive, intelligent birds. The bluebird belongs to the Turdidae family which means it’s a thrush.

Taxonomy

There are four subspecies of the blue jay and three bluebird species. The blue jay is divided into four subspecies, but they are so much alike that some scientists don’t believe they are subspecies at all. The largest blue jay is Northern blue jay (Cyanocitta cristata bromia), which is found in the Northern United States and Canada. The smallest blue jay is the Florida blue jay (Cyanocitta cristata semplei), which is found in Southern Florida. The coastal blue jay (Cyanocitta cristata cristata) ranges throughout the Southern United States, and the interior blue jay (Cyanocitta cristata cyanotephra), is found in the U.S. Great Plains, from Wyoming to New Mexico.

The Eastern bluebird (Sialia sialis) has seven subspecies while the Western bluebird (Sialia mexicana) has six subspecies, most of which are found in Mexico. The Mountain bluebird (Sialia currucoides) known for the overall sapphire blue plumage of the male, lives in mountainous regions of North America.

The Five Key Differences Between Bluebirds and Blue Jays

Size

The blue jay is considerably larger than the bluebird. The largest of the blue jays, the Northern blue jay, can be 12 inches long compared to a large bluebird’s 8 inches. The blue jay’s size and aggressiveness give it the edge over the bluebird where they share a habitat.

Where the Blue Is Located

The blue color is distributed differently around the bodies of the bluebird and the blue jay. The male mountain bluebird is vivid blue all over, while the female is principally gray, and the blue on her wings and tail is gray-blue. The wings, back, and head of the male Eastern bluebird are sapphire blue, and it has a rust-red breast. Females have a gray head, streaks of blue on their tail and wings, and their breast is more orange than rust.

The male western bluebird has a bright blue head and throat, its breast and sides are orange, and its belly is gray. It has a brown patch on its back. The female is a less vivid blue on her wings, tail, and body. Her throat and belly are gray, and her breast is a dull orange.

Blue jays have a white face, and blue on their wings, tail, back, and crest, with a black collar around their neck that goes up the sides of their head. The wings are beautifully patterned with bars of black, blue, and white. The bird’s underparts are off-white. Unlike bluebirds, males and females have the same coloration, but males are a little bigger. Blue jays also have that crest on top of their head that rises when the bird is annoyed and bristles when it is scared. The crest lowers when the bird is relaxed. Bluebirds lack a crest.

Behavior

Jays are belligerent, outspoken, bullies who will take on all comers, while bluebirds actively avoid confrontation whenever possible. Blue jays are notorious for being aggressive and not just to other birds. They’ve been known to attack birds of prey and humans that get too close to their nests. They sometimes raid the nests of other birds, including bluebirds, for their eggs and chicks. They run other birds away from feeders or force them to drop their food. In regions where they have become overpopulated, they will even kill and eat other birds. The blue jay is a slow flyer and a favorite meal of birds of prey such as hawks.

Blue jays are gregarious and active birds that live in groups and are highly social. Much like crows, they will gather in whatever size group their environment will support. Also like crows, they are opportunistic scavengers. They are quite territorial and try to chase off any invaders.

Bluebirds are not necessarily timid birds, but their small size makes them vulnerable to attacks by birds that are larger and bolder. While not timid, they are solitary and shy. House sparrows are smaller than bluebirds, for example, but assertive and numerous so they will take over nests and feeding stations. Bluebirds, who naturally nest in tree cavities, are also attacked by cats, raccoons, squirrels, snakes, and opossums, as well as birds of prey.

Vocalizations

While bluebirds are known for the sweetness of their song and calls, blue jays are known for their alarm call and other interesting vocalizations. As corvids, they can imitate both the speech of humans and the calls of hawks. Other calls sound like squeaky water pumps, rattles, or bells.

Reproduction

Blue jays mate for life, while bluebirds are somewhat monogamous. Bluebirds will form pairs, at least for one breeding season, but aren’t above mating with other birds on the side. Bluebirds from an older brood often help raise the hatchlings from the latest brood, a behavior that is not seen in blue jays.