Chickadees, blue jays and cardinals are especially good “fluffers,” but most birds do this to help stay warm. Another reason birds seem bigger when fluffed up is that they actually have more feathers. Birds that live year-round in areas that get very cold grow more feathers for the winter months.

Some are present throughout winter in all parts of their range. Young jays may be more likely to migrate than adults, but many adults also migrate. Some individual jays migrate south one year, stay north the next winter, and then migrate south again the next year.

The oldest blue jay studied by researchers in the wild lived to be 17 years and 6 months old, most blue jays live to about 7 years old.

At bird feeders, blue jays make off with seeds, suet, and peanuts. The latter appears to be an irresistible draw, ensuring a steady crop of blue jays in and around your backyard. Blue jays have a geographic range that is as expansive as their diet.