OUR FRIENDLY ENEMY -- THE CAMP ROBBER

You who are not acquainted with the Camp Robber would not ask why this fellow is known thus once you try to eat your lunch in the mountains. He is correctly named and what's more seems to take keen delight in living up to his title.

The Camp Robber, or Gray Jay as he is sometimes called, is a very common bird about the Mountain here in the Park and his casual habit of inviting himself to dinner whenever and wherever he pleases makes it seem that he is even more abundant than he really is. He is a close relative of the well known Blue Jay, is about that size, and has all the "brass" of the Blue Jay's nature if not a little bit more. In fact, he is sometimes termed a blue jay that is not blue for he is marked by greyish feathers on the back wings and head with white underparts--features, which with his bold habits, make him easily identified. We find him quite often in the deep woods, where others of our feathered neighbors seldom occur and he is quite abundant in the open meadows at 5,000 feet and above. Even in the winter, when the deep snows cover the land, one may see a few of these hardy fellows, the sharp winter winds ruffling their feathers. At this time he pillages whenever possible but often they have a wan and hungry look when summer again brings the influx of tourists with their well filled larders.

They rarely admit other birds into their company and often fight among themselves for the possession of food. They even resent the presence of the chipmunk and will drive these little animals away if they are too close about. But with all his faults, he is well liked--provided he doesn't carry his friendliness to extremes.