Ecology and Behavior of Blue Jays In Oklahoma Pecan Orchards

Abstract

Effective stewardship of wildlife resources requires a biological understanding of those resources. My study was initiated to provide baseline data for management of depredating blue jays in Oklahoma pecan orchards. I concentrated my efforts in 3 major areas of jay biology: population characteristics (numbers and composition), habitat-use patterns, and behavior. It is my hope that management practices stemming from these data will provide a material benefit to Oklahoma pecan growers, and that I will have contributed in a small way to the advancement of the wildlife profession.