Diet
What do blue jays eat?
Omnivore dominated by acorns and other nuts, plus insects, seeds and occasionally eggs.
Spring and summer diet
- Caterpillars, beetles and grasshoppers
- Seeds and fruit
Fall and winter diet
- Acorns and beechnuts, heavily cached in fall
- Peanuts, sunflower and suet at feeders
Best feeder foods
- Peanuts in the shell
- Black-oil sunflower
- Suet
- Cracked corn
Jays carry several nuts at once in a throat pouch to cache. A dedicated peanut station reduces crowding at finch and chickadee feeders.
Where blue jays need winter food
Regions where blue jays are present in the cold months:
Frequently asked
What do blue jays eat?
Omnivore dominated by acorns and other nuts, plus insects, seeds and occasionally eggs.
What is the best food to feed blue jays?
Peanuts in the shell, Black-oil sunflower, Suet, Cracked corn.
What do blue jays eat in winter?
Acorns and beechnuts, heavily cached in fall; Peanuts, sunflower and suet at feeders.
Sources
- Blue Jay — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Blue Jay life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Blue Jay — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.