whisky-jack
Canadian name for the gray jay (Canada jay), a bold, intelligent bird common across boreal forests.
Definitions
Canadian name for the gray jay (Canada jay), a bold, intelligent bird common across boreal forests. Hyphenated variant of 'whiskyjack'. The name has Indigenous origins and reflects the bird's famously fearless habit of swooping into campsites to steal food. In Canadian outdoors culture it is regarded with affectionate respect -- a reliable companion on remote northern trails. The bird is a reliable presence in northern Canadian wilderness.
A whisky-jack followed the hikers for half a mile, hoping for a handout.
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A Canadian nickname for the gray jay (also called Canada jay), a bold, friendly bird found across the boreal forests of Canada and the northern US. Whisky-jacks are famous for stealing food from campsites and being surprisingly unafraid of humans — which made them a fixture of wilderness life for Indigenous peoples and early settlers alike. The name is a corruption of the Algonquian 'wîskacân'. Canada officially made it the national bird candidate in 2016, though no official designation followed.
A whisky-jack landed on the edge of my bowl and helped itself to a chunk of my lunch before I could react.
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(Canada) (gray jay, Canada jay).
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- whiskyjack95%
Canadian name for the gray jay (Canada jay), a bold, intelligent bird common across boreal forests. The name has Indigenous origins and reflects the bird's famously fearless habit of swooping into campsites to steal food. In Canadian outdoors culture it is regarded with affectionate respect -- the gray jay was even a candidate for national bird. Not slang per se, but a firmly regional common name with real cultural weight.
- whiskyjack84%
(Canada) (gray jay, Canada jay).
- camp robber77%
A colloquial American name for the gray jay (Perisoreus canadensis), also called Canada jay or whiskey jack, notorious for boldly raiding campsites and stealing food from tents, packs, and even hands. Found across boreal and subalpine forests, these birds cache food for winter and have no fear of humans, making them a familiar and slightly exasperating presence for backcountry campers.