Blue jays are confident, daring, and intelligent birds, but not more than humans. They may appear bold and aggressive, but not in the presence of threats.
However, you could be disappointed trying to chase them by harming them. They would instead attack you.
So, you need to know their fears and use them against them. Now, the multi-dollar question is what these possessive animals are afraid of. We answered that and more in this post.
Blue jays are pretty possessive when they find a comfort zone. But, on the other hand, they are known to be daring and seemingly unafraid.
But that doesn’t mean they have no weak points. Of course, certain things still terrify them, and that’s what you can use against them.
So, what are these terrifying creatures? Here are some of them:
- Metallic sound from windchimes.
- Owls.
- Reflective objects.
- Loud music.
- Hawks.
In the sections below, we will discuss five things blue jays are afraid of and how to apply them against them. We will also answer some frequently asked questions about these daring critters. Let’s get started!
5 Things That Scare Away Blue Jays
Although daring, several things scare blue jays, but below are our top picks:
1. Metallic Sound From Windchimes
As funny as this sounds, blue jays fear and fly away at the sound of a windchime. Who would imagine the melodious sound from a wind chime could scare off a blue jay?
The sound from a windchime sounds like the cry of an enormous bird which puts the blue jay to flight.
So, placing a windchime over your garden or close to where they are likely to perch is a great strategy.
Blue jays can pick up the metallic sound from a wind chime as long as it is anywhere around your yard. It is even scarier when it cannot see the object producing the sound. Windchimes made of metal and crystal are the best at scaring off blue jays.
2. Owls
These bulgy-eyed creatures scare blue jays as much as they scare you in an unconscious moment. With an owl around, not even the smallest and boldest blue jays can make it to your yard.
At least, they are smart enough to know what danger awaits them when there’s an owl. So, do you want to scare off blue jays? Get yourself an owl.
You may be wondering how to keep a wild owl for this purpose. You don’t have to own a real owl, as you can find faux owls in the market that serve these purposes. These faux owls are to blue jays what a scarecrow is to crows.
You must be creative enough to move the owls around every time so that the blue jays don’t get used to their static posture.
3. Reflective Objects
Blue jays are strange birds. It’s also mysterious how they flee at their reflection. Blue jays are a set of birds that don’t even know what they look like as they escape at the sight of their own shadow. It’s even worse when they come face to face with a mirror.
Reflective objects are another thing that scares off a blue jay. So, to scare off blue jays, help them see what they look like by placing a mirror, CD plates, or any object that reflects another object.
You can place them strategically in or around feeders, where they are likely to visit. But, unfortunately, shiny and light flashes from reflective objects repel birds generally, and blue jays are not exempt. So, even your windows that are reflective can scare them too.
But to keep them from specific places like where you keep your birds, CDs will do. You can get a threadlike cord and connect several CD plates until it is long enough to go around the yard. Do not hang them haphazardly.
Ensure that you hang them in a discomforting way for blue jays. At least you can now put disks out of use to better use.
4. Loud Music
The quality of your speakers makes this method more effective. For example, you can stop a blue jay in the middle of its feast in your feeders with a loud thud from your speakers.
Birds like blue jays are very conscious of threats and easily perceive indistinct sounds as threats. This is why loud music scares them easily.
It is ironic how a noisy blue jay flees at the sound of loud music. This reaction from blue jays makes you understand that they don’t hear and understand sound as we do.
5. Hawks
Hawks do not just go for smaller birds and chicks; they also hunt after bluejays. Blue jays are wise enough to realize that they are dangerous and flee at the sight of the hawks.
This is why you will also hear them crying like a hawk to warn other blue jays of the presence of a hawk.
Unlike owls, these large predators hunt their prey during the day and take them down with their dangerous talons. With time, blue jays keep off from areas full of hawks.
Conclusion
No matter how fearless most animals may look, some things are uniquely threatening to them.
Discovering their threats brings an end to their reign. Though a terror to smaller birds, blue jay has its fear. But blue jays are better scared off than killed.
To recap, blue jays are scared of metallic sounds from windchimes, owls, reflective objects, loud music, and hawks.
You only have to ensure that you follow the above instructions carefully, and they are gone for good.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Blue Jays Scared of Humans?
Blue jays flee from humans, but not when you go for their nests or play with them in a way that they find threatening. Otherwise, they mind their business with humans around.
What Attracts a Blue Jay?
If peanuts or groundnut seeds are in your yard, you will host many bluejays soon. They also fancy bird feeds, so if you raise birds, you may find them rambling for bird food.
How Are Blue Jays Aggressive?
You get to see the aggressive side of a blue jay when it is scrambling for food or when its nest is threatened. But, unfortunately, it can also be aggressive when you play with it carelessly.
The moment a blue jay raises its crest, it’s time you find safety.
What Damages Do Blue Jays Do?
With blue jays around, your birds may stay hungry most of the time. Also, if there’s a blue jay around, its loud cry will give you second thoughts about staying in your neighborhood.
