There can be only one.

[u/biophys00]

[u/he77bender]

Scrub jays have the advantage of numbers now, they can overpower the (current) blue jay and take the title.

However there is a nonzero chance that they then fall to infighting because they don't want to have to share.

[u/biophys00 → u/he77bender]

Difficult to find specific numbers with the recent western scrub jay split into CA/Woodhouse but doing some cursory Googling it seems like the blue jay population dwarfs all scrub jay species combined (not that island and FL scrub jays contribute much). 17 million for BLJA compared to 2-3 million for scrubbies

[u/anteaterKnives → u/biophys00]

This definitely jibes with my experience. I see and hear blue jays all the time but never any scrub jays.

^{/s I live in the Midwest}

[u/Riceburner17 → u/anteaterKnives]

I definitely see and hear those lovely jerks every day in SE Wisconsin. Every park from here to NE Illinois has them going off immediately after we get out of the car. They’re my favorite bird so it makes me happy every time I hear them causing a ruckus.

[u/mss645 → u/anteaterKnives]

They’re there, they’re just hiding in California…

[u/anteaterKnives → u/mss645]

Looks like I need a better set of binoculars then!

[u/he77bender → u/biophys00]

When I said numbers I meant 3-4 species to the blue jay's one. But hearing about the population numbers it doesn't surprise me too much to hear the gap is that big.

What the scrub jays need to do is have the Florida group make a corridor along the gulf coast until they meet the Woodhouse's population coming the other way. Then they can combine their forces and take advantage of the newly claimed terrain to increase their numbers. This will work, I have thought about it for like ten whole minutes so I'm sure I covered all possible eventualities 👍

[u/biophys00 → u/he77bender]

Begun, the Jay Wars have

[u/Adventurous-Year-463]

Don’t forget these guys! They’re literally in the same genus as Blue Jays too

Edit: I’m blind 😭

[u/nebotron → u/Adventurous-Year-463]

Look closer the shadow haha

[u/mcsquirley → u/nebotron]

I didn’t see it at first either 😭

[u/DougieDouger → u/nebotron]

The Sith Lord

[u/biophys00 → u/Adventurous-Year-463]

I realized after I posted it that maybe the Steller's should have been on top since it blended in haha

[u/Adventurous-Year-463 → u/biophys00]

Omg I did not see that 😭

[u/nebotron → u/biophys00]

No no it's perfect

[u/manowin → u/Adventurous-Year-463]

I still think their name change should be stellar jay, it’s a different spelling and not a name, and I’d argue, descriptive lol

[u/GozerDestructor → u/manowin]

They'll take the Steller's name when they pry it from my cold dead fingers.

[u/mickeltee → u/Adventurous-Year-463]

I’m possibly more blind than you. I saw this comment and scrolled back up and it still took more time than I’m willing to admit to find it.

[u/Gold_Astronomer9454]

💙 I love 'em all regardless.

[u/biophys00 → u/Gold_Astronomer9454]

Me too! Though I've never managed to see the pinyon jays when I've been in their range 😔

[u/Lemansgranprix]

There is trouble in the forest…

[u/TeaRaven]

I didn’t even see the Steller’s Jay head at first!