Pinyon Jay Community Science Project – Volunteer Profiles
In CFO’s 2023 Year of the Pinyon Jay, we’ve seen remarkable growth in participation in the Pinyon Jay Community Science Project. Before 2023, there were only a handful of reports in Colorado, but in 2023 we’ve seen nearly 100 reports come in from around the state! This increase comes as a result of the trainings led by Great Basin Bird Observatory (GBBO,) Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and Colorado Field Ornithologists (CFO).
We would like to introduce you to two people who have participated in this project here in Colorado. In these Q&A’s you’ll find out why they got involved, what participation has meant to them, and, as a side note, their favorite Colorado bird (besides the Pinyon Jay.)
First, meet Carol Ortenzio, who lives on the Western Slope.
How did you find out about the Pinyon Jay Community Science project?
When CFO announced the project in 2022, I went to the Great Basin Observatory website and checked it out. I saw the need, knew I could help, and I signed up immediately.
Have you ever observed Pinyon Jays before the project?
I have had Pinyon Jays coming to my yard and feeders since we moved here from the East Coast in 2004. I also see them on the Colorado National Monument near my home.
Why were you interested in getting involved with this project?
When we first moved here, the Pinyon Jay flocks were new to me. I enjoy watching their activities around my yard. The number of birds varies from a few to about 70. Because I get so many to the yard (at one time I had 110 birds!), I knew this project was for me. I had no idea of the decline in the jay population. I enjoy being a Citizen Scientist. I am happy to be involved & able to collect data relatively regularly.
What was your experience with this project?
Collecting the data for the survey is simple and gives me an excuse to concentrate on the jays (not that I need one). The most common behavior in my experience has been feeding, from eating at the feeders & off our pinyon trees, to food begging & courtship feeding. I have also seen young birds learning about life at the feeder. We have a good number of healthy pinyon pines in our yard. When the pinyon seeds are ready, the Pinyon Jays feed actively.
I have learned a lot about Pinyon Jay behavior since starting the project. I have become alert to their calls and enjoy viewing them, whether at my home or while out hiking.
So we now know you have an affinity for the Pinyon Jay, but what is your other favorite bird in Colorado, and why?
The Gambel’s Quail, aka “My Chickens”. I have an active breeding population in my yard and neighborhood. I get so much pleasure from viewing them all year long, but my favorite time of year is when the chicks are born. Those little guys are so adorable AND amazing to watch. When I first moved to Colorado, the Gambel’s Quail was on my wish list to see. I remember being so excited when I saw a few run across the road as we pulled up to our new home. Now we have more than I could ever have dreamed of seeing.
Now we move on to the Front Range, where we meet another Pinyon Jay Community Science Project participant – Dana Hiatt.
How did you find out about the Pinyon Jay Community Science project?
Last winter, a gracious homeowner on the west side of Loveland invited a group of us birders to watch a small flock of Pinyon Jays feeding at his bird feeder. Afterward, a friend in the group suggested that we take the GBBO training and start monitoring for the project, so I did.
Thank you Everett and Lynette for allowing us to access private property for monitoring the Pinyon Jays in Loveland, we couldn’t do this without you!
Have you ever observed Pinyon Jays before the project?
I had not observed Pinyon Jays before I started watching them for this project. I grew up in Southern Colorado, so it seems likely that I may have seen or heard them at some point before I started birding as a teenager.
Why were you interested in getting involved with this project?
It made me sad to learn that Pinyon Jays might be listed as an endangered species. They are so beautiful, gregarious, and noisy that I wanted to help if I could.
What was your experience with this project?
I have had a great experience with the Pinyon Jay project. The app is so easy to use, it literally takes less than 30 seconds to do an “absence” report, and not much longer to report “presence”. I have found jays on Monarch Pass, south of Buena Vista, near Craig on a Quetzal Tours trip, and, most amazingly, the flock from last winter has reappeared on the west side of Loveland, so I have been able to watch them almost weekly since the first of October. The flock has more than tripled in size, so I hope that means that the Pinyon Jays had many successful nests this spring. I have watched jays flying in large and small flocks, eating at feeders, and foraging on the ground and in trees. And of course, much vocalizing. I hear them before I see them, usually.
So we now know you have an affinity for the Pinyon Jay, but what is your other favorite bird in Colorado, and why?
It is difficult to choose a favorite bird in Colorado. I still like watching House Sparrows! One would be the Wild Turkey for sure. They are so showy and fun to photograph, and practically ubiquitous in Northern Colorado. Such a great success story for conservation.
CFO thanks Carol, Dana, and the many volunteers who participated in the Pinyon Jay Community Science project in 2023. Being a field ornithologist is just this, observing the avian community around us, learning new things, and contributing our observations to local, regional, or global community science projects.
Want to find out more about this ongoing project and how you can participate? Check out the Pinyon Jay Community Science Project on our website.