What they like

Messy corners with shrubs and trees. Preferably oak, beech and hazel. A park with old trees, a yard with hedgerows, a garden with a thick hedge: perfect. Leave acorns where they are. Leave leaves under shrubs. And leave an untrimmed edge: hawthorn, blackthorn, elder. He'll dive right into that.

Ecological importance

The jay is a walking forest-planter. He hides acorns and beech nuts as food stores. He forgets some. Hello new saplings. In the breeding season they switches to insects and caterpillars for the chicks: handy clean-up work. He themself is on the menu of the goshawk and sometimes the sparrowhawk.

When in the Netherlands

All year round. Extra visible in autumn when there are acorns to be had. In spring you'll often hear them before you see them.

Status

Common. Doing fine, as long as we don't trim trees, shrubs and old margins everywhere.