Dr. Ray L. Winstead
Professor of Biology (retired), Indiana University of Pennsylvania

"White Feather's" Solution
to Those Pesky, Bothersome Blue Jays!

The video below shows a male Downy Woodpecker eating his peanut nearby - one nibble at a time - after taking it from my hand and after putting it in a crevice in the bark of a nearby tree to stabilize the peanut as he eats it. This particular Downy Woodpecker "White Feather" is a "regular," having been coming to my hand almost every winter day for three winter seasons. Earlier this winter, the pesky Blue Jays kept stealing his peanut as he tried to eat it, so his eventual solution was to stay close to me. Now, he eats it very close to me, since the Blue Jays don't get that close to me - since I have discouraged the Blue Jays from getting closer - with my movements - even though they still try occasionally. I have discouraged them since they bully the smaller birds and inhibit them from coming to my hand when they get too close.

On a couple of encounters between feedings, White Feather flew to my shoulder and sat there for over a minute - reminding me of a pirate's parrot - before flying down to my hand. On other occasions, he would land on my leg first before flying up to my hand.

Here is White Feather taking a peanut out of my hand the day before the video. Photo by Cheri Widzowski.

There's always something neat going on at Blue Spruce Park!

Check it out for yourself!

 

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