Bye Jay Jay

Sad news at Bird TLC. Jay Jay, shown above with Lisa, passed away on Monday. He was the first injured bird rescued by Bird TLC in 1985. When it was determined that he could no longer function in a natural environment after his injuries healed (he was permanently visually impared), Bird TLC's Education Program was born. Jay Jay became the first bird used in educational presentations that help to explain how the 405 species of Alaska's resident and migratory birds are valuable barometers of the state of our environment.

Jay Jay lived to a ripe old age of 19. For a Stellar's Jay, that's over twice the age he would have lived in the wild. He stayed active with education programs up to the end. I have no idea how many times he was shown at presentations, but I know there were a great many. There are a lot of Alaskan school kids, teachers and parents that got to see him. He had a personality all his own. He was the first bird that I got to hold at Bird TLC. He will be dearly missed.