Plate 107: Canada Jay

"I have often been delighted by the sight of their graceful movements on alighting after removing from one tree to another, or while flying across a road or a piece of water. They have an odd way of nodding their head, and jerking their body and tail, while they emit their curiously diversified notes, which at times resemble a low sort of mewing, at others the sound given out by an anvil lightly struck with a hammer. They frequently alight about the middle of a tree, and hop with airy grace from one branch to another until they reach the very top, when they remove to another tree, and thus proceed through the woods. Their flight resembles that of the Blue Jay, although I do not consider it quite so firm or protracted.

...To my eye, the Canada Jay is as elegant in its movements, whether perched or on wing, as any other of our Jays, although its apparel is certainly very homely. It is joyous and lively at all times, even when, pushed by extreme hunger, it approaches the lonely camp of the traveller, with the hope of obtaining a share, however small, of his perhaps scanty fare."

- Birds of America