Most bird families are together for such a short period of time that it is hard to believe they could develop much of a family bond let alone display such a thing as dysfuntionality. But I have three Gray Jays coming to the yard that I believe are exhibiting such behaviour.

I never understood why most adult-plumaged Gray Jays traveled in groups of three until I read Candace Savage's writings concerning another Jay species. She said that mated Scrub Jay pairs routinely allow one of their brood to stay with them through winter and even assist with raising the next years nestlings.

The chosen bird is usually a male that accompanies the adults longer than the other siblings - and hopefully learns from the adults experiences. As the young bird's learning period is extended, so is its chance of survival. The bird group would benefit from an extra pair of eyes while searching for food and watching for predators, and extra help when rearing the next brood. After reading about Scrub Jays, I accepted that the explanation would most likely explain why Gray Jays often travel in groups of three.

Most groups of three Gray Jays I've noticed in the past always have displayed incredible amounts of gentle camaraderie, patience and civility. Treating each other in this manner makes sense. There would be no wasted energy given to squabbles among the group thus allowing the birds to move smoothly and act in unison throughout the day almost as if they were one being. However, after watching the group of Gray Jays now frequenting my yard, I'm beginning to revise my theories.

Usually, groups of Gray Jays appear to arrive in single file. Without a sound, a lone Jay flutters to just over treetop height, and then sails as someone once aptly remarked, like a paper airplane in the direction of the yard. The next bird follows, each behind the other, executing the same flying technique. The first bird lands on the suet and others arrive shortly thereafter. While the first bird tugs at the suet, the others patiently their turn at the suet, or search nearby for other sources of food. There is no pushing or shoving. It appears to be a bird utopia.

This year I seem to have a dysfunctional group of Gray Jays coming to the feeder. Instead of politeness, patience and cooperation, I watch displays of aggression and intolerance. The first bird to arrive on the suet is bullied off the feeder by the next bird coming along and the next bird does the same to the second bird. It's the rudest, un-Gray-Jay-like behaviour I have ever witnessed.

"There is no I in Gray Jay!" I want to yell as time after time they push each other around. It is so unlike Gray Jays that I may have to rewrite my Gray Jay bird lore. But, there must be another explanation and in order not to let their species fall from grace, I quickly developed a theory.

The other day I noticed one group of three Gray Jays at the feeder, and another group down by the road. I have never seen so many adult Gray Jays in such close proximity to one another. Could it be that there are two groups of competitors and my feeders lie on the edge of both territories? Perhaps I am misreading which bird is bullying which bird? Maybe the birds I see mistreating each other, are birds from competing groups? I am willing to accept this is the case. I may be grasping at straws but I'm desperate. If the Gray Jay family structure falls apart, what could be next?