Re: [cobirds] American Blue Kestrel Jay, Denver Co.

We have a Swainson's Hawk pair that nests in our neighborhood and the Blue Jays take full advantage of the Swainson's Hawk call year-round, giving me quite a scare in winter!  I have learned the subtle differences over time, but it took quite some time and especially today awaiting the next push of Swainson's Hawks I was caught off guard.

Bryan Guarente

Meteorologist/Instructional Designer

UCAR/The COMET Program

Boulder, CO

On Fri, Mar 27, 2020 at 4:18 PM Doug Ward <dougward@frontier.com> wrote:

I'd usually come up with a story like this one for the middle of next week (check the dates), but was thrown off enough with this true encounter this morning (Fri., 27 Mar.'20), felt I would share and see if anyone else has had a similar experience.  Anyway, we were respecting the current lock down/in/whatever you want to call it, out in the back yard (Denver, Denver Co.) playing with the dogs when I heard the characteristic "ki-ki-ki..." of an American Kestrel nearby.  We get kestrels coming around only very periodically, so thought "cool, where is he?"  Scanned the sky, looked to the tree tops, to see if I could find him, nothing.  However, it kept calling, so walked around trying to find the now frustrating bird.  Only when I noticed a bird fly out of a tree down the alley, still giving the call, that I had my WTF moment - it was a BLUE JAY!!  Now we are all familiar with jays of all flavors giving Red-tailed Hawk type cries, but this was the first time I'd heard one giving a perfect American Kestrel call!

So have any of y'all had this specific (I guess inter-species) fake out happen with Blue Jays, or any other jay, before?  Interested in your experiences.  Stay safe and healthy.

Cheers,

Doug

Denver

27 March 2020 – Home in Southwest Denver, Denver Co., CO

Canada Goose – 2 (flyover)

Rock Pigeon – 5

Eurasian Collared-Dove – 3

Ring-billed Gull – 1ad (flyover)

Northern Flicker – 4 "Red-shafted"

American Kestrel – FAKE NEWS!!

Blue Jay – 5

Black-capped Chickadee – 6

Bushtit – 5

European Starling – 1

American Robin – 2

House Finch – 15

Dark-eyed Junco – 2 "Slate-colored"

    -        1 "Oregon"

    -        5 "Pink-sided"

Spotted Towhee – 1m

Red-winged Blackbird – 1m

 

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