Steller's Jays

This Steller's Jay wishes you a stellar day (and weekend)! For a while, I used to think the name referred to the bird's striking 'stellar' beauty. However, it is named after the German naturalist Georg Wilhelm Steller, the first European to record them in North America, in 1741. . The Steller's Jay has been described as bold, inquisitive, intelligent and noisy. They have many vocalizations and can imitate the eagle, red-tailed hawk, even dogs, roosters and even lawn mowers! . The Makah Tribe, the Native Peoples of the Olympic Peninsula, tell a story about how the Steller's Jay (Kwish-kwishee) got its crest. The mink (Kwahtie) tried to shoot a jay with an arrow but missed so the crest is ruffled to this day.