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Dereila Nature Inn Home > Bird's Nest Lounge > Walking in the Wild > The Steller's Jay

#9 - The Steller's Jay

The colourful, noisy and often cheeky Steller's Jay, Cyaanocitta stelleri, the
official bird of British Columbia, is the western counterpart of the Blue Jay.

At a distance the Steller's Jay appears almost black in colour but closer up the striking shades of blue and purple are revealed. One of its prime characteristics is the magnificent crest which goes up and down depending on the bird's mood or situation.


The Steller's Jay is a bold, loud and curious bird. It forages the ground on in tree tops feeding on almost anything including nuts, berries, insects and small invertebrates. However, it is common to see it approach campers and picnickers. It is found throughout forested areas of the Rocky Mountains and Pacific coast.
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The Steller's Jay was named after George Steller who was the first European naturalist to visit Alaska and documented the bird in the 1740s.

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Walking in the Wild

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Dereila Nature Inn Home > Bird's Nest Lounge > Walking in the Wild > The Steller's Jay

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