Dangers of Human Feeding
An inquisitive and intelligent species, the most striking attribute of the Florida Scrub Jay's behavior is its remarkable tameness. As such, scrub jays willingly take food from human hands.
Unfortunately, this tameness is dangerous to the well-being of the species. Florida Scrub Jays that are fed by humans will reproduce earlier in the year than those that are not. However, fledgling scrub jays feed primarily on caterpillars present in the late spring and summer; if they hatch too early in the year when the caterpillars are not available, this can lead to their malnutrition or starvation.
Another potential danger of feeding Florida Scrub Jays occurs when people feed them near a road, as one major cause of death for scrub jays in urban areas is collision with vehicles.
Read more about this topic: Florida Scrub Jay
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