Diet
What do California scrub-jays eat?
Acorns, insects, fruit and small animals.
Crows and jays (Corvidae)California Scrub-JayAphelocoma californica
Spring and summer diet
- Insects and fruit
Fall and winter diet
- Cached acorns
Best feeder foods
- Peanuts
- Sunflower
- Suet
Scrub-jays bury thousands of acorns each fall and remember where most of them are.
Where California scrub-jays need winter food
Regions where California scrub-jays are present in the cold months:
Frequently asked
What do California scrub-jays eat?
Acorns, insects, fruit and small animals.
What is the best food to feed California scrub-jays?
Peanuts, Sunflower, Suet.
What do California scrub-jays eat in winter?
Cached acorns.
Sources
- California Scrub-Jay — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- California Scrub-Jay life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- California Scrub-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.