Blue Jay Symbolism
Updated 2024.11.20
Blue Jays (Cyanocitta cristata) are loud and colorful birds that are native to eastern backyards and the woodlots of North America. They are considered to be intelligent and adaptable, and they do take advantage of bird feeders, making them easy to spot.
If you have Blue Jay as your totem, you may have no problem getting in front of a room to express your needs or vocalize your concerns. That’s just one of the signs you have a Blue Jay as your animal guide.
Wondering what else it means when a Blue Jay crosses your path?
Below are 10 spiritual meanings of Blue Jays:
1 - Speak your mind
Blue jays are very talkative birds and use their calls to communicate information, such as environmental information, like if there is a predator nearby. A Blue Jay can be a reminder to speak up, and that others in your group will hear you and listen when you do.
2 - Be assertive
Blue Jays can exhibit aggressive and assertive behaviors. They will chase other birds away from food spots. They will also attack others who get too close to nest sites. A Blue Jay can symbolize that standing up for what you value, with assertiveness, is a good thing. They may show up to help you learn how to be more assertive.
3 - Express confidence
Blue Jays can be bold, fearless, talkative and curious. All features of a creature exuding confidence. Seeing a Blue Jay can mean that it’s time to turn up the confidence and to help you exhibit more confidence.
4 - Protect others
When alone, Blue Jays are attacked by predator birds like Eagles and Hawks. But when together Blue Jays will mob larger, predatory birds in their habitat, to protect their group and nesting sites. Blue Jays can symbolize fearlessness and be a reminder of the value of displaying a protective nature for your group.
5 - Use cleverness
Blue Jays are known to test their food before they eat it. They will rub ants on their feathers to remove the ant’s formic acid coating. Ants without the coating, they eat without the preparation.
Being able to identify small differences in the ‘same thing’ and applying their ideas to them accordingly, is a mark of clever thinking. Seeing a Blue Jay may be a sign that it’s time to use some cleverness to solve a problem.
6 - Embrace curiosity
Blue Jays are highly curious and their young are known to play with ‘toys’ like aluminum foil and bottle caps. They can be a sign that it is time to be more curious in life and may appear to help you think of ways to increase your level of curious play in life.
7 - Warning… deceit
Blue Jays are known to take and eat the eggs of other birds. They also have been witnessed mimicking the call of a Hawk to keep smaller birds away from an area with treasures they want to keep to themselves.
Seeing a Blue Jay can be a reminder to stay alert for deceit around you, and to question the intention of certain others, if your intuition warrants it.
8 - Watch out, danger!
Blue Jays mimic Hawk calls not just to deceive other birds into believing a Hawk is around, but to also alert other Blue Jays that a Hawk is actually around.
Next time you hear a raspy Hawk-like call, look around and see if you can spot the Jay. Then, continue looking, as there may be an actual Hawk nearby. Sometimes Blue Jays really do more than just cry wolf!
Seeing a Blue Jay or hearing one can be a sign to watch out, that something dangerous is around.
9 - You are supported by loyalty
Some Blue Jays are permanent residents of their territory. They live in flocks and can be highly protective of their nesting site. Both parents incubate the eggs and feed their young. Seeing a Blue Jay can symbolize loyalty to a family, a group and to an area. They can also appear to remind you that loyalty matters right now.
10 - Let intelligence be your asset
Blue Jays are members of the Corvid family. They are related to Ravens, Magpies and Crows. Corvids are thought to be some of the most intelligent of all birds.
As such, Blue Jays are sometimes considered sentinels for other birds of the area. Seeing a Blue Jay can be a sign that you too have this intelligence and they can appear to help you find ways to bring this quality out.
So to recap, seeing a Blue Jay could be a sign:
Photo of Blue Jay on tree branch in gray sky with back facing camera, displaying feathers
To speak your mind
To be assertive
To express confidence
That it’s time to protect others
To use cleverness
To embrace curiosity
Of a warning… deceit
To watch out, danger!
That you are supported by loyalty
To let intelligence be your asset
Think a Blue Jay might be your Animal Totem?
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