Feather Fly

Can a blue jay fly without tail feathers? Are they ever born without tail feathers?

We’ve been seeing a blue jay in our back yard for the past week without tail feathers. We think we’ve seen him fly once, but he usually just hops. Is this common?

It is quite possible that your Blue Jay has encountered a Predator and has had a lucky escape.

from a Cat,Raccoon,Bird of Prey.

Part of any birds defense mechanism is the ability to shed feathers when attacked and that is why it has lost it’s tail.

It will grow back. and they can still fly without them

Feather Fly