Hi, my name is Dustin Brewer. I’m an Assistant Professor of Wildlife Management at Lake Superior State University. Among other things related to wildlife ecology and conservation, I study Blue Jays.

When I mention to folks that I study Blue Jays, usually they tell me how bossy individuals of this species tend to be at bird feeders. But there is a lot more to Blue Jays than being bossy, which by the way is sometimes what it takes to make it in Nature. I began to learn how interesting Blue Jays are when I studied their vocal repertoire while working on my Master’s thesis (see below picture), and boy do they have a lot to say!

LSSU Assistant Professor Dustin Brewer with a Blue Jay

I documented 36 distinct vocalization types and noted what contexts they were used in. Given that Blue Jays are Corvids, which have been referred to as ‘primates of the bird world’ due to their problem-solving abilities, I’ve been especially fascinated by trying to decode the language of these intelligent birds. I’m also interested in answering basic questions about their lives, which are surprisingly little understood, due in large part to how difficult they are to catch. Due to how important they are as seed dispersers—think acorns or chestnuts—understanding Blue Jays could help to advance our knowledge of forest ecology and what trees are found where.

Blue Jays have been at the back of my mind for several years, as my focus shifted to other projects like marsh bird conservation, and now I’m excited to study this special species again. Trips to Whitefish Point with my ornithology class this spring, when migrating Blue Jays seemed to be everywhere I looked, reminded me of my time as a Master’s student and how much there is to learn about the lives of Blue Jays. So, I’m very excited to start getting to know Blue Jays at Whitefish Point in the coming months, when I hope to begin banding individuals. Doing that will set the stage for future projects that could answer questions about how Blue Jays use vocalizations, how/when they migrate, and how they interact both with each other and with other species.

So, if you see me around the Point this fall or at some later date, I’d be glad to talk Blue Jays with you. I look forward to hearing about anything related to your experiences with them, except that they are bossy at your feeder!

Dustin will be banding Blue Jays on August 5th, 2025 near the banding blind behind the Owl’s Roost from sunrise until around 10 am. Since Blue Jays are notoriously difficult to catch and can be deterred by people, we ask that you avoid the area around the banding blind during this time. Thank you for your cooperation as we start this exciting new phase of collaborative research at Whitefish Point Bird Observatory.