What Do Blue Jays Eat? A Complete Feeding Guide

Bold, intelligent, and unmistakably blue, Blue Jays are a favourite at backyard feeders across eastern and central North America. They are also easy to feed once you know what they love. Here is what Blue Jays eat and how to attract them to your yard.

What do Blue Jays eat naturally?

Blue Jays are omnivores with a famous fondness for nuts. In the wild their diet includes acorns and other nuts, seeds, insects, fruit, and berries. They are known for caching acorns, and are credited with helping spread oak forests. They will also occasionally take eggs or small creatures, but nuts and seeds dominate.

The best foods to attract Blue Jays

Peanuts

If you want Blue Jays, offer peanuts. They adore them, especially whole or in the shell, which lets them cache and carry. Put out peanuts in the shell on a platform and jays will find them fast.

Black oil sunflower seeds

A backyard staple, black oil sunflower seed is rich in energy and readily taken by jays and most other feeder birds.

Cracked corn and suet

Cracked corn is cheap and popular with jays, and suet gives valuable winter energy. A mix keeps them interested through the year.

The right feeder for Blue Jays

Blue Jays are large and need a sturdy, roomy feeder, they cannot use small clinging feeders. A platform, tray, or large hopper on a solid feeder pole system works best. Because jays and squirrels both love peanuts and corn, a squirrel-proof setup helps.

More tips for attracting Blue Jays

• Offer nuts on an open tray, jays like to see and grab food quickly.
• Provide water, a bird bath is a strong draw, see our bird bath tips.
• Plant oaks or leave leaf litter, natural acorns and insects keep jays around.
• Be patient, once jays learn your yard is reliable they visit loudly and often.

Final thoughts

Blue Jays are one of the most entertaining backyard birds. Put out peanuts and sunflower seed on a sturdy tray feeder, add water, and you will soon have these clever, colourful birds as regulars. For another easy favourite, see what cardinals eat.