One of the first birds that came to our attention, probably because of the raucous skwalling that comes out of their mouths, are the Stellar's Jays.
What I love most about them is the color, especially in winter, when the garden needs a little brightening.
Mind you, with observation, you can develop a very clear picture of "bird brain" as a euphemism. They are also handy for keeping wasps at bay in the summer, as their favorite pastime, when they are no longer hungry, is picking off the wasps along the eavestroughs.
