APPENDIX A

Summary of Behavior of Florida Scrub-Jays

Florida scrub-jays have specific behaviors which are indicative of whether or not they are located within their territorial boundaries.  The summary here is taken from Woolfenden and Fitzpatrick (1996).  If any of these behaviors are noted when observing scrub-jays in an area, then the scrub-jays are located within an active territory.

Scrub-jays have an extensive vocabulary.  Rapid multiple weep calls are associated with territorial defense year-round but are highest in January through February (just before nesting) and August through October (after heavy molt and when dispersal is most common).  November through December and June through July are annual lows in frequency.  Territorial encounters eliciting vocal display are most common during early or mid-morning, but may occur any time during the day.  Territorial vocalizations are typically given from the tops of high shrubs or trees, especially near a territory boundary, or in flight toward a territorial intruder, and are usually loud.  Some examples follow:

• Rapid weep, weep, weep, weep (3 to 10 in series at about 4 calls per second), usually accompanied with undulating flight pattern during territorial display.
• Single or widely-spaced weep!, usually delivered from sentinel perch during or preceding territorial disputes.
• Single short high-pitched kweep!, given when adult detects predator near dependent young.
• Single or several rapidly-repeated, sweet-sounding, high-pitched kweep! notes, given as warning of an aerial predator, varying somewhat according to intensity of alarm. 
• Hiccup call (given only by female), given in contexts of alarm, most commonly during combative encounters with territory intruders.
• Screech scold (wide frequency range, about 1/3 of a second in duration), usually given repeatedly from top of shrubbery.  Most often used when mobbing predators on ground or perched in tree or shrub.  Also given immediately after spotting another scrub-jay which is not part of the family or during intense territorial disputes.
• Single short, harsh, guttural attack growl, not carrying, given by aggressor in flight at onset of physical attack, indicating imminent contact.  Most often given during intense territorial defense.
• Soft but extremely raspy snarl (about 2/10 of a second in duration), given while perched.  Delivered in contexts eliciting anxiety, usually during territorial encounters.
• Soft, single, sweet, staccato chiop, given while perched.  Delivered in contexts eliciting anxiety, usually during territorial encounters.

Some nonvocal sounds of scrub-jays can also be interpreted as territorial behaviors:

• Wingbeats are more audible than during normal flight when a scrub-jay approaches a scrub-jay from another territory and when shifting perches during a territorial display.
• During territorial encounters, and when a human approaches a nest, scrub-jays may hammer on a shrub branch or dried palmetto frond with its beak.

Territorial behaviors of scrub-jays, in addition to those noted above, include:

• Flight is normally silent, but during territorial disputes, scrub-jays sometimes perform undulating display flight, accompanied by flapping noise. 
• Caching of acorns takes place almost entirely within a scrub-jay's territory.
• Bobbing motions (sometimes with slight upward pointing of beak) are done when a scrub-jay from another territory intrudes.
• Preceding onset of territorial display and during high anxiety, bobbing is accompanied by raising of the tail well above horizontal.
• During a hiccup call (described above), the female emphasizes bobbing and points the beak straight upward or even over back.
• Undulating flight display is usually engaged in by either sex, mainly be the breeding pair during territorial displays in which intruding or neighboring scrub-jays are visible.  Opposing breeders often perform this display in parallel along the shared boundary.
• Lateral display occurs on the ground, most often by male breeder during a territorial encounter with a neighboring male breeder when they are about within about 3 feet of each other.  In a slightly crouched posture, but with legs stiff, the male hops sideways toward the opposing scrub-jay.  During a mutual encounter, each scrub-jay orients towards the other's tail, and the two awkwardly circle one another, sometimes with shrub stalks or palmetto in between.  They often rap on a palmetto frond or dig in the sand with their beak while in full display.
• Threat display is made most often by a male during territorial encounters.  Body plumage is compressed; the feathers of the lateral neck, nape, sides of head, and especially the eyebrows are extended, but feathers of the forecrown are compressed, giving a "flat headed" and "eared" appearance. 

Territorial spacing:

• Boundaries of territories are often associated with breaks in oak scrub, such as grassy depressions or palmetto flats.

In short, territorial behaviors include any of the following:

• Rapid weep, weep, weep, weep
• Single or widely-spaced weep!
• Single short high-pitched kweep!
• Single or several rapidly-repeated, sweet-sounding, high-pitched kweep!
• Hiccup call
• Screech scold
• Attack growl
• Snarl
• Soft, single, sweet, staccato chiop, given while perched
• Audible wingbeats
• Hammer on branch or dried palmetto with beak
• Undulating flight
• Acorn caching
• Bobbing motion
• Raising of tail with bobbing motion
• Beak straight up with bobbing motion
• Lateral display
• Threat display

Reference cited:

Woolfenden, G.E. and J.W. Fitzpatrick.  1996.  Florida scrub-jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens).  In The Birds of North America, No. 228 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.).  The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, and The American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C.