Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)

Blue jays are songbirds common in backyards across North America. However, “songbird” is a bit of an overstatement for this species, as there call sounds like a scolding yell more than anything. Furthermore, blue jay feathers are not actually pigmented blue, they are a dark, iridescent brown that reflects blue light - making them appear blue to the eye. Blue jays are very social creatures, hence why they can often be heard all day. The black markings on their faces vary quite a lot across individuals, giving them a means of differentiating each other by face. They also notably possess crests of feathers that protrude from the tops of their heads. This crest usually remains up, but they will lower it when feeding with family members or when around their young. Perhaps the lowering of the crest is a sign of showing peace in some sort of blue jay culture.