Scrub jays react to their dead

http://news.ucdavis.edu/search/news_detail.lasso?id=10325

September 11, 2012

Western scrub jays summon others to screech over the body of a dead jay, according to new research from the University of California, Davis. The birds’ cacophonous “funerals” can last for up to half an hour.

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Jays typically gathered within seconds of the first bird calling, Iglesias said. If they did not, the first jay would often fly higher into a tree, apparently to call more widely.

“It looked like they were actively trying to attract attention,” she said.

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There might also be a learning component to the gatherings, if they help teach young jays about dangers in the environment, Iglesias said.