18th century physician and naturalist, Georg Wilhelm Stoller was the first European to describe this bird. He immigrated to Russia, but the language lacked the vowels needed to spell and pronounce his name, so he changed it to Steller, hence the name Steller’s Jay. That dramatic pointed crest isn’t just for decoration either. Its position can change with the bird’s emotional state and social interactions, so a relaxed Steller’s Jay can look quite different than an agitated one. Scientists have also described 16 subspecies in North and South America, with combinations of blue, white, and black on the crest, head, and body. This particular bird, with its white markings on the crest, can be found in the western interior U.S.