Blue jays use a similar technique, even though their beaks are much longer. The shapes of their beaks, however, render their jaws unable to crush sunflower seeds.

Blue jays are Jekyll-and-Hyde birds with an attitude, maybe even a temper, ready to blow. I'm betting you either love 'em or hate 'em. No one can miss their backyard arrivals. And that’s surely ...

The Atlantic covers news, politics, culture, technology, health, and more, through its articles, podcasts, videos, and flagship magazine.

He also watched the jay feed a squished earthworm to another. I get a variation on this question every year. The bird he saw, while the dominant color was blue, was not a Blue Jay. It is either a ...