The Birds

[richard]

I read an article recently that said you shouldn`t feed the Grey Jays !! I enjoy feeding them when I see them. I don`t see any harm. I even consider it one of many other pleasant experiences of hiking in the White Mts. They just want to survive, and I like to think I `ve helped. I enjoy seeing them.

 

[Hillwalker]

Me too richard.

 

[SpencerVT]

I liked Psycho better, but the Birds and North by Northwest are great too.

 

[peakbagger]

I went to a long term researchers presentation over at Weeks State Park several years ago. he had been researching them for over 20 years, he had no issues with feeding Gray Jays. In nature they follow the apex predator around and eat whatever is left over after a kill. The biggest issue with feeding them is they can get aggressive, doesn't hurt the birds but they can get real annoying.

 

[sierra]

The subject of feeding the Grey jay's comes up in many forums. Myself, I do it sometimes, not so much now that I hike with my dog, as he doesn't allow it. I'm no expert, but I highly doubt they need your help to survive. Animals are simply open to free food if they can get it. I also don't think it hurts them, although there certainly may be foods that are not safe for birds, that is a chance your taking. These birds have been stealing and being fed from people in the mountains for many years and their numbers do not seem to go down.
As far as the birds go, I wish I never saw it.

 

[dug]

I've fed them, but honestly...they can be major pain once they get used to humans. The gang near the top of Mt. Pierce seem particularly aggressive, dive-bombing sandwiches right from my hand before.

 

[sdways01]

I admit I have fed them and even shown others how easy it is to get them to land on your hand with food. I don't see a huge deal with it personally, but the article you read probably discourages it because of the type of foods we feed them. Some animals don't digest "human" food well or aren't built to get the nutrients out of things other than their natural diet. So while you may think you are helping them, you might not be doing them any good in the long run. Plus, if they get too dependent on humans, they might not do as well on their own when the humans aren't there.

I've never seen them be aggressive to the point where I think they would bite me or cause harm, but they certainly do get brave. It takes a few landings on your hand to get used to the grip/texture of their feet. At the top of the state where we snowmobile, there are a few places and intersections where you know as soon as you stop the jays will be out and looking for handouts.

 

[Tom Rankin]

So what should we feed them, nuts, seeds, etc. ?

 

[peakbagger]

They can eat just about anything being scavengers, that said natural is probably a better option than processed. They cache food extensively, you will note that they swoop in and fly away and then return, while gone they are stuffing the goodies into a crack in tree, so they can survive hikers not being around for awhile.

 

[DayTrip]

I admit I have fed them and even shown others how easy it is to get them to land on your hand with food. I don't see a huge deal with it personally, but the article you read probably discourages it because of the type of foods we feed them. Some animals don't digest "human" food well or aren't built to get the nutrients out of things other than their natural diet. So while you may think you are helping them, you might not be doing them any good in the long run. Plus, if they get too dependent on humans, they might not do as well on their own when the humans aren't there.

I've never seen them be aggressive to the point where I think they would bite me or cause harm, but they certainly do get brave. It takes a few landings on your hand to get used to the grip/texture of their feet. At the top of the state where we snowmobile, there are a few places and intersections where you know as soon as you stop the jays will be out and looking for handouts.

Yes. Some foods are bad for the birds. I'm sure everyone has seen recent articles about feeding bread to Canadian Geese causing issues that affect their ability to fly and thus survive. And extensive feeding of any wild animal could alter their behavior and lead to longer term problems. As more and more hikers go to these prime Gray Jay feeding areas for the "show" I'm sure it is disrupting nature's balance to some extent. When you look at all the horrible effects these food have had on people (cancer, diabetes, tooth decay, etc) it would be fairly foolish to assume nothing is happening to the birds. (I'm talking sugars here, nitrates in lunch meat, salts, chemicals and preservatives, etc. I'm sure there are plenty of natural foods like seeds and nuts that are perfectly fine).

I wouldn't think it would be a huge deal but who knows. If experts in the field don't see an issue with it I'd imagine it's OK. I'd hate to learn years down the road that we've been killing the Jays all this time because of some stupid additive in the snacks we've been giving them or some other unforeseen consequence. Always feel it's best not to tamper with nature. If you hold your hand out they'll land on it a few times even if you don't give them anything.

 

[Stan]

They don't need our help to survive except for preserving the habitat which, in the WMNF, covers that. Enjoying wildlife is an important objective of my hikes and I've never shied away from feeding them a piece of bread or something from my trail mix. Fun to have them perch in the hand and, when guiding, I use it as a teachable moment. In fact, I once learned something myself ... one gray jay on Hancock North kept landing on my hand, presumably collecting for its cache, and I thought about what might happen if I captured it by its teenie toes. It never landed again ... teaching me that it could read my mind!

I think the purists who say we shouldn't feed them at all are killjoys. I've seen children having great fun and likely developing a stronger appreciation for the outdoors. Our interaction with these birds is a minor and likely insignificant event for the birds but often with a bigger memory for the human. ... on the other hand, I don't feed bears but am happy to share some bear spray.

 

[peakbagger]

The biggest issue with the small populations of Gray Jays is climate change, they hang out up and the boreal zone near the summits as if they try to go lower the blue jays apparently drive them out. Les boreal zone equals less Gray Jays. Whatever the cause, the long term studies at Camels Hump on tree growth show the boreal zone shrinking and the hardwood moving up the slope. (the good news is that the damage from acid rain deposition appears to be no longer present.

I have never seen a trace of Gray Jays when bushwhacking so they do seem to habituate to hikers. I expect if the hikers were not there they would follow bobcats and linx to pick up scraps but given the low density of these predators, I expect they may not be in the region and would stick farther north.

 

[sierra]

Having grown up here in the Whites, I just assumed these birds were from the Northeast and Canada. On a climb up MT. Elbert in CO, I sat down just below treeline to snack and drink for the summit push. Low and behold a Grey Jay swooped down and grabbed at my food. It gave me a good laugh and a better concept of their range.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

I only feed them dried fruits, nuts and seeds when I feed them. It's still a kick after many dozens of encounters. Last weekend between Jackson and pierce, they were so bold I thought maybe I could get them to eat off of Gryffin's head.

Tim

 

[sierra]

I only feed them dried fruits, nuts and seeds when I feed them. It's still a kick after many dozens of encounters. Last weekend between Jackson and pierce, they were so bold I thought maybe I could get them to eat off of Gryffin's head.

Tim

I'd love to see them try and eat off Bud's head, he has a thing with birds, thinks it's his mission to knock them out of the sky.

 

[Grey J]

Feed me !!!

 

[KV]

So what should we feed them, nuts, seeds, etc. ?

I feed them nuts and seeds. I can tell you from experience, however, they will scoff at bird seed. A friend carried sunflower seeds for months before finally coming across gray jays and was so excited to have "good" food for them. The first landed on her outstretched hand, took one in his little beak and promptly spit it out. The second landed on her hand and didn't even take one. Just glared at her. HA HA. She tossed them on the rock nearby and though they checked them out they did not eat them. Walked all over them though.

 

[DougPaul]

I feed them nuts and seeds. I can tell you from experience, however, they will scoff at bird seed. A friend carried sunflower seeds for months before finally coming across gray jays and was so excited to have "good" food for them. The first landed on her outstretched hand, took one in his little beak and promptly spit it out. The second landed on her hand and didn't even take one. Just glared at her. HA HA. She tossed them on the rock nearby and though they checked them out they did not eat them. Walked all over them though.

I guess they prefer junk food to "good" food. A trait also found in certain other species... (Of course, they may eat the sunflower seeds after you leave.)

I don't know specifically about birds, but the rangers at a number of western national parks advise the visitors not to feed the cute (often begging) ground squirrels because it shortens their life-spans by ~1/3. Typical human food alters the bacteria in their digestive systems and makes it more difficult for them to digest their natural food (which they have to return to after tourist season ends).

Doug

 

[Hillwalker]

I have always preferred calling them by the name used in the Rockies. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gray_jay Sounds earthier eh?

 

[dug]

I go to campsites and shelters, and feed the mice little bits of cheese, granola, and bits of peanuts.

Bad?