During the cold winter months many of Canada’s birds travel south to warmer climates – many, but not all…There are some birds that stay right where they are, surviving through the bitter cold and gusty winds of the great Canadian winter! The Gray Jay is one of these incredible birds that stick around all year long.
Gray Jays laugh in the face of winter. Not only do they stay in the boreal forest throughout the year, they actually start to breed during February, when temperatures are below freezing.
But how can they survive in temperatures that other birds fly far to get away from? That’s where the trees save the day; the forest helps this bird thrive throughout the winter. During the summer and fall, Gray Jays stock up on berries, fungi, insects and other bird snacks and hide them in tree crevices throughout the forest. Then, when winter comes around, Gray Jays have lots of food to eat. Coniferous trees are the best because they have special antibacterial properties that make food last longer.
The boreal forest is important for tons of different animals that call this area home. Now that you know Gray Jays use these trees as their personal refrigerator we have another great reason to protect this forest.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-10/uog-gjw100711.php
Hello, and welcome to the first edition of animal questions!
Thanks to Stacymacy for asking about the fabulous Gray Jay!
Please post questions about animals that you would like
to ask me and I will try to answer them to the best of my ability!
If you can, please post questions as a reply to this post so it’s easier to maintain..
if you can’t, that is okay!
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Gray Jay
Perisoreus canadensis
Thanks to:
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/gray_jay/lifehistory/ac
A resident of Boreal and Sub-Alpine forests ( do not believe they live in Saskatchewan, no),
this tree-dwelling bird stores food in tree crevices and saves it for the long winter ahead.
The Gray Jay is an omnivorous bird.
They are ground foragers and often store berries, fungi.
They prey upon smaller nestling birds and their predator is the hawk.
(If you find more predators, please post me)
Status: They are of least concern at the moment and are not threatened
by unatural and natural occurences.
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That is all for the Gray Jay, if you have any other facts that you would like to share then please post them (proper grammar is appreciated).
Please ask any animal related questions and I will try to answer them.
Everyone can participate! (That means you ER moniters, yes you)
I will check back often!
Thanks,
Your Fellow Earthranger,
Gabjas
Great facts about Gray Jays! I have a question for you to answer. What are elephant tusks used for?
Why, thank you ER_Bubbles!
Here’s a few cool facts about Elephant tusks coming up!
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Check out this website to learn more about Elephants!
http://www.african-elephant.org/faq/elefaq.html
Did you know…
Elephants have six sets of teeth because their diet wears away
their teeth very quickly!
Both male and female African Elaphants have tusks, while only male
Asian elephants have tusks!
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Elephants use their tusks to pry bark off trees and dig roots from the ground.
They are also used in social encounters either as a display
or as a weapon if combat occurs between males.
Glad I could help, thanks for asking a question!
If you have any questions you would like to ask,
please post them and I’ll answer them as soon as possible!
Thanks,
Your Fellow Earthranger,
Gabjas
That’s pretty interesting! Aren’t elephants awesome? I think so!
All animals are awesome, that is what I think!
Thanks for asking about elephants!
Does anyone else have any questions?
what are those things on a giraffs head? not the ears but those stumps.
Great question, I have always caled them horns.. yet, they may be called something else..
Answers coming up!
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To learn more about the giraffe, check out this website!
http://www.kidsplanet.org/factsheets/giraffe.html
Giraffes are one of the tallest animals that inhabit Earth, they live in central, southern and eastern Africa and are frequently seen in various zoos around the world.
They are mostly docile creatures that travel in unorganized herds.
A healthy, wild giraffe can live up to 25 years.
Male giraffes are larger than females, weighing between 2400 and 3000 pounds and can stand up to 19 feet tall! Females weigh between 1600 and 2600 and can stand up to 16 feet tall.
Giraffes have two small horns or ‘knobs’ atop their heads and are used for head protection during fights,
if they do arise.
The giraffe population is steady, but they are vulnerable to endangerment because they are hunted for their coats, meat and tails which are used for an assortment of items such as good luck charms, fly whisks, shield coverings and string for sewing beads. They are also threatened by habitat destruction.
There are no current protective laws that protect the giraffe populatiuon and they are dwindling quickly, learn more and do your part to help these wonderul animals!
Hello, everyone!
Welcome to the Gray Jay page, where I host an awesome, animal-lover guild
where you can ask questions, participate in games and much more!
I wanted to make this page an extra fun page by adding all these things!
You can also vote in polls and share interesting facts!
If you want to join the guild, all you have to do is post a comment on this page
and say your username (not your real name) and that you want to join!
Please spread the word about this page so we can have some fun!
Please don’t post any personal information!
Thanks,
Your Fellow Earthranger,
Gabjas
Hey again!
Regarding my little guild I’m starting, I want
to make the guild’s first poll!
Please answer honestly and only vote once, I will write
down usernames so extra votes won’t be counted…
Here it is!
What animal would you want
to be our guild’s mascot?
a) Gray Jay
b) Arctic Wolf
c) Beaver
d) Barn Owl
e) Snow Leopard
f) Mountain Lion
Thank you for voting!
I am putting my vote towards the Owl, to vote just post a comment saying:
“I vote for the … ”
The animal with the most votes win! I will submit the results
at the end of the month.
IF YOU CAN, PLEASE TRY TO VOTE AS A REPLY TO THIS COMMENT!
Anyone can participate and join the guild, new members will be posted
on frquent ‘guild updates’.
Hope you have fun!
Thanks,
Your Fellow Earthranger,
Gabjas
Can I play?
I vote for the Mountain Lion!
Despie the Guild I am opening up on this page, I will still accept requests
for animal facts and will continue to answer these questions!
Dear ER_Bubbles,
Yes, of course you can join! I will count your vote immediately…
You are our esteemed first memeber!
Welcome to the Guild!
I was thinking that after we get a few more members, over ime I will open up
the ‘Member of the Month’ award for all members of this guild.
How do you win Member of the Month? You simply post comments here on the
Gray Jay page regarding ‘In-Guild’ topics and so on… whoever posts
the most (and most meaningful) comments will win.
Special contributions will also be considered!
If there is a tie in the votes for the ‘Mascot Contest’ (see above)
then we will eliminate the lowest ranking ones and ask members to reconsider
their votes.. I hope that won’t happen because
it will cause a bit of confusion!
Vote wisely!