Another fun fact about red-tailed hawk screams: blue jays will imitate them, so sometimes when you hear it outside that doesn’t even mean one is close. It’s not known for certain why they do it, but I suspect it’s because they’re little bastards (affectionate)
Interesting! I heard what I thought was a hawk today and eventually the (seemingly) same bird transitioned to another call which I recognized as blue jay. Also two weeks ago I heard some really strange bird noises and when I used Merlin sound ID it first identified a red tailed hawk, then a blue jay. I wonder if it was actually just a blue jay both times?
Another fun fact about red-tailed hawk screams: blue jays will imitate them, so sometimes when you hear it outside that doesn’t even mean one is close. It’s not known for certain why they do it, but I suspect it’s because they’re little bastards (affectionate)
Because blue jays are kind of assholes.
They are corvids, so they’re super smart.
Especially when they kidnap you and drag you though weird time travel adventures
Interesting! I heard what I thought was a hawk today and eventually the (seemingly) same bird transitioned to another call which I recognized as blue jay. Also two weeks ago I heard some really strange bird noises and when I used Merlin sound ID it first identified a red tailed hawk, then a blue jay. I wonder if it was actually just a blue jay both times?
Totally possible! Blue jays are excellent little mimics, and I’ve had Merlin get fooled by mockingbirds before.
I appreciate this bird fact. Highlight of my day!
I’m pretty sure other birds will do this too, we get these little black birds that do it
I assumed jays do it since they are nest robbers trying to scare off a mom/pop.
I’ve heard starlings imitate red kites, so that tracks.