How Rare Is This Fantastic Bird in Great Falls, Montana?

How Rare Is This Fantastic Bird in Great Falls, Montana?

Having spent a good portion of my time in the outdoors of Montana, I have become pretty well adept at identifying certain birds and their respective warbles and songs.  I may not be able to directly tell the name of the bird but have a general idea of what it is.

via GIPHY

Recently however, I have had a sound in my backyard that both my wife and I have been baffled by.  Until the weekend hit.  We now have our answers, and apparently a new feathered friend to keep fed.

The Bird of Paradise Almost Flew Right Up My Nose

Last week sitting on my deck, an unfamiliar sound kept coming from a close tree.  Not being able to see what it was, we kind of forgot about it.  Until sitting on my deck, feeding some of the local squirrels, did I find out what it was creating the chaos.

After placing a peanut on a branch, I turned to be suddenly accosted by a flurry of feathers swooping in to retrieve the delicacy left for the squirrels.  Instead of brown, this creature was a beautiful blue hue with whites and blacks throughout.  We had a blue jay joining us suddenly.  And boy, was he vocal about getting something to eat.

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How Common Are Blue Jays in Montana?  Did I See a Rarity?

As much as I would like to brag about seeing something uncommon in Great Falls or even Montana, I quickly learned that I really hadn't seen an anomaly.  The blue jay is actually quite common in our state, especially in the eastern areas.  The bird will make its way westerly in the fall months to winter.

The blue jay is a part of the crow family, related to the American Crow, the Raven and even the Magpie.

They commonly travel in families, often being very vocal.  They are extremely intelligent birds, growing up to 11 inches in height.  They prefer nuts, insects, seeds and grains.  You can often find them near feeders that are often replenished.

Have you seen one?  Send us a picture on our app chat feature, post it to our socials or you can email me here.