MDC Aug. 16 virtual program to focus on crows and blue jays

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - Crows and blue jays are known best for the un-melodic bird noises they make, but beyond a crow's caws and a blue jay's chattering are two birds with some very interesting characteristics.

People can learn more about crows and blue jays at the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) virtual program "Corvids: Crows and Jays." This free online program will be Aug. 16 from 2-3 p.m. and is being put on by the staff at MDC's Springfield Conservation Nature Center. This program is for all ages. People can register at:

https://mdc-event-web.s3licensing.com/Event/EventDetails/201588

At the Aug. 16 program, MDC Naturalist Sam Grove will explain that the more people know about crows and blue jays, the more they'll appreciate these birds' interesting and beneficial characteristics.

While it's true crows have a long-time reputation of being a crop pest to farmers, it's equally true that, in the course of a year, a crow family will consume approximately 40,000 grubs, caterpillars, army worms, and other insects that can be troublesome for agricultural crops. Multiply that number to what would be consumed by a murder (flock) of crows and that's a lot of free pest control that these birds provide to farmers.

Crows are also known to be extremely intelligent birds. Biologists have recorded several instances where they use various items in a tool-like fashion to accomplish tasks. Crows have also exhibited remarkable memory skills.

Blue jays may be best-known for their chattering, but a lesser known but valuable trait they have is their caching of acorns in the ground to retrieve later for food. In one study, 50 bluejays were observed caching 150,000 acorns over a period of 28 days. Not all of these acorns are retrieved by blue jays and these un-retrieved acorns often result in newly planted oak trees. This symbiotic relationship between blue jay and oaks has developed to the point that 11 species of oak trees in North America are heavily dependent on blue jays to disperse their acorns.

Though Aug. 16 program is free, registration is required. Use the link above. Registrants must provide an e-mail, so a program link can be sent to them. This program will include a chat-based question-and-answer period where participants can interact with presenters.

People can stay informed about upcoming programs at MDC's Springfield Conservation Nature Center and other MDC facilities by signing up for text alerts and e-mail bulletins. People who have questions about how to sign up for text alerts from the nature center can call 417-888-4237.

Staff at MDC facilities across the state are holding virtual and in-person programs. A listing of these programs can be found at mdc.mo.gov/events.