Blue Jay was also the local common name for the Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike
when I was growing up (Tamborine Mt., S. Qld, '30s), and I note that it is
given as an alternative name in both Caley's "What Bird is that?" and
Leach's "An Australian Bird Book" - my copy of the latter, 5th edition,
1923. (No "Blue Jay" as such in Gould.)
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrikes have excellent eye-sight. Possibly no better
than many other species, but from time to time I have opportunity to watch a
Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike in a tree outside my study window. Typically one
perches and carefully surveys the foliage and then will fly to pick off a
caterpillar up to several metres from where it was perched - green
caterpillars of exactly the same shade of green as the leaves.
Cheers
Syd
> From: "Mike" <>
> Date: Thu, 24 Jun 2004 20:12:06 +1000
> To: <>, <>
> Subject: RE: [BIRDING-AUS] Blue Jays?
>
> Martin & other "Blue Jay" interests
>
> My mum taught me that the Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike was called a blue jay.
> This was in WA but she did spend some time in the upper Hunter Valley as well,
> so I am not sure of the origin of that usage.
>
> Cheers
>
> Mike
>
> Prof Mike Tarburton
> Dean: School of Science and Technology
> Pacific Adventist University
> PMB, Boroko
> Papua New Guinea
>
>
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