Do Blue Jays Mate For Life?

Bluebirds are prominent in backyards, forests, and urban parks, often foraging in pairs or flocks. But how likely are they to be with the same partner every time you spot them?

Do bluebirds mate for life, or do they stay together for the entire breeding season? If you’re interested in learning more, read on.

Once bluebirds pair with a mate, they bond for life, raising chicks together throughout the breeding season year after year. Mate selection follows an elaborate courtship ritual, with potential suitors dwindling down to a single successful male.

In the event of the death of a mate, newly single bluebirds seek new mates to breed. However, this is usually the only situation where a blue jay will seek out a different partner.

They maintain a strong bond with their chosen mate, exchanging tokens such as food or twigs to show their ongoing commitment.

While some bluejays do migrate, most remain within their territories throughout the day, meaning the pair can bond year-round as the birds come together as part of larger family groups during the winter , until the start of the next breeding season.

To learn more about how bluejays maintain strong pairings year after year, and the initially calm and somewhat civilized mate selection process that marks the beginning of their life together, read on.

Bluebirds form strong lifelong bonds, meaning they mate for life

Why do bluebirds mate for life?

Bluebirds form strong pair bonds, raising chicks with the same mate year after year. The average lifespan of blue jays is about 7 years, and since they are generally non-migratory birds, they are in the same area year-round, making it easier to keep in touch from one year to the next.

The way bluebirds form such a strong bond involves giving each other gifts of food, twigs, bark, and other nesting materials throughout the year, which helps strengthen their mutual commitment.

Due to the investment of two adult birds in raising their young and protecting them from predators, strong pair bonds have a positive effect in the short term on the survival of the chicks and the eventual future continuation of a species.

A breeding pair of bluebirds perched on a tree stump

How do blue jays attract a mate?

Male bluebirds undergo a series of lengthy courtship tests to ensure themselves the chosen mate of a female bluebird. The process is in many ways similar to rounds of auditions or trials until the field is whittled down to a successful suitor.

At the start of the breeding season, a female blue jay takes off in the company of 6 to 10 males, competing for her attention and subsequent approval. After a short flight, the female lands on a nearby branch, pursued by a pack of courting males. The males will stop on the surrounding branches and begin grooming, whistling and shaking their heads to impress the females.

At this point, a pair of males may decide that it’s not their time and they will back out, leaving the rest of the birds to repeat the cycle. The females fly again, land on a different branch, are pursued by potential suitors, and again dwindle in number. Eventually, only one male remains, the selection process is complete, and a pair is formed.

The winning male will then bring food and twigs to his new mate, strengthening his ability to provide food for any future chicks the pair may have, as well as his willingness to participate in nest building.

The entire courtship proceeded in a civilized manner without any quarrels or physical conflicts, even though the initial members of the courtship group were eliminated one by one.

Male blue jay showing his feathers during courtship

How many times do bluebirds mate a year?

Northern bluejays brood only one clutch per year, whereas bluebirds living in the southern United States typically lay two separate clutches of eggs in one breeding season.

What happens when a bluebird mate dies?

The death of a mate is usually the only situation where blue jays are looking for a new mate. A “widowed” female blue jay will seek out a new mate, follow the same courtship rituals that were used to choose her original mate, and will mate again for life (or until her current mate dies).

A pair of bluebirds together on a feeder, eating seeds

Do bluebirds mourn the loss of a mate?

There is no evidence to support bluebirds mourning or mourning the loss of a mate. They seem to be relatively pragmatic, turning to a new “partner for life” if they find themselves alone after the death of their current partner.

Do female bluebirds mate?

There are no records of female bluebirds mating with each other. After a complex courtship ritual and mate selection process, blue jay pairs form, but these pairs are exclusively male and female.

Male and female bluebirds have the same, distinct bright colors and indeed look very similar from a distance. Males are slightly larger than females, though, so there shouldn’t be any confusion as to which bird is which when a pair is side by side.

A small flock of bluebirds having breakfast at a bird feeder

Do Bluebird Breeding Pairs Stay Together Year-Round?

Bluebirds are generally not migratory birds, and most of them stay in their territory all year round. This makes it easier to be part of the same winter flock with the same mates, avoiding the dangers associated with long-distance migrations.

Each spring, the pair leave the flock to reunite and start working together again to build a new nest for that season. While the female is incubating her eggs, the male is nearby, bringing her food.

After the blue jay chicks hatch, the male and female continue to work together to raise them, with the female foraging with the male and bringing them back to the nest about 4 or 5 days later. After the young bluebirds have fledged, both parents continue to raise them for a week or two.

Outside of the breeding season, the pair’s bond remains strong, with male and female bluebirds exchanging symbolic “gifts” such as food or branches.