Blue Jays feast on mainly plants, vegetables, and nuts as well as some insects. Some of their favorites are shelled peanuts, sunflower seeds, elder berries, cherries, dogwood, acorns, and suet. Offer nuts through a spring or mesh feeder, and set additional food items out on large trays or platform feeders. Select stable ground feeders or mount the feeder on a pole since Blue Jays are heavy, and a hanging feeder that sways will make them feel uneasy. Blue Jays are large birds, typically ranging from 9 to 12 inches long and weighing between 2 ½ to 3 ½ oz.
Tray feeders, hopper feeders, platform feeders, and peanut feeders work well for Blue Jays. While these birds prefer to be on a platform and not a swinging feeder, peanut wreaths often attract them. Or, offer a pine cone that is covered with peanut butter and bird seed.
Offer a mix of bird food that includes insects, fruits, nuts, and grains. They also like sunflower seeds and peanuts. Offer them shelled or whole peanuts. Ration peanuts to daily servings so the Blue Jays notice the food but do not gulp it down too fast. Keep the feeder filled at all times, because if the food supply dwindles, the Blue Jay will leave to find more in another backyard. Don’t choose nuts that have seasoning and spices on them. Choose unsalted nuts that are roasted to set out in bird feeders to make sure they don’t sprout and try to root.
Also offer suet, meal worms, cracked corn, and sunflower seeds along with small fruits like berries, elderberries, wild grapes, blackberries, or cherries. Add peanuts to a platform feeder. Blue Jays prefer to eat off of a platform rather than from a ground bird feeder. Only provide one days’ worth of food at a time. Keep the feeder clean, and clean up bird droppings.