MDI Birds
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    Canada Jay / Perisoreus canadensis

    : Perhaps breeds in very small numbers but not confirmed breeding since the mid 1990s. Scattered records since then might indicate a few pairs remain. No detectable dispersal from further north and/or east into our area since the early 1970s.

    Miscellany: Canada Jays are extraordinarily durable, nesting in the coldest part of winter and provisioning their young using food cached the previous summer and fall. Hundreds, even thousands of items can be stored and retrieved through what must be a remarkable spatial memory. There is some speculation that the disappearance of Canada Jay from the southern edge of its range is due to warmer winters and an increase in spoilage of stored food items.

    Last Updated: June 1st, 2022