Blue jays planted the oak forests

A blue jay will pick up an acorn and carry it as far as two and a half miles before burying it—farther than any other bird is known to move a seed.

It chooses well, too. Acorns planted by jays sprout better than the ones that simply fall.

Then it forgets where some of them are. After the last ice age, oaks spread north faster than wind-blown seeds could possibly manage, and the leading explanation is birds with bad memories.

Have you ever planted things without intending to?

Sources

• Jays Plant Acorns — UC Oaks, University of California

Sources checked 2026-08-12.