Are you bald? Do you know any bald men? Of course, there is usually a perfectly rational, medical reason for the loss of hair in the male of the species - male pattern baldness, alopecia, or too much testosterone, among others. Before we discovered the scientific reasons for hair loss, we used stories to help us understand it and this tale from the logging camps of northern New England and the Maritimes is one of the most famous. Remember, be kind to our fine feathered friends - any bird could be somebody's mother...

Many of the animals of New England have their own story, with each one reflecting either the animal's personality or their place in history. Both prehistoric and historic New Englanders have always seen a part of their own personality when they watched animals in their natural environment and it is that perceived relationship that brings us a very strange tale from the northern woods from the time of the big logging camps.

One specific species of bird, common to the deep woods of Maine and Canada, has become a more obscure story as the logging camps in New Brunswick and Maine were closed. Back when logging was a larger industry in the north, however, the stories associated with the Canada Jay or "Gorbey" were commonplace among the men who worked their trade in the deep forests. Because the Gorbey is a deep woods bird that doesn't venture into urban settings, it's stories became obscured as the lumberjacks moved out from the logging camps and into alternative jobs.

It was the work of folklorist Sandy D. Ives, founder of the Northeast Archives of Folklore and Oral History,  that helped record the stories of the Gorbey and save them from being forever lost. Through the audio and text recordings that Dr. Ives made, information about this bird's behavior and it's impression on New Englanders can be seen through the tall tales it inspired.

The first aspect of the legends are the folk names the Gorbey has been given: Gray Jay, Camp Robber, Venison Hawk, Hudson Bay, Caribou Bird, Moose Bird, Meat Bird, Grease Bird, Woodsman's Friend, Whiskey Jack or Whiskey John. The original Native American name for this bird is the 'wisk-i-djak', which is similar to 'whiskey jack'. Both names are derived from the bird's call. Other unusual traits that the Gorbey possesses are further implied by their names. The name may come from either Scotland or France. It might be either from the French-Canadian pronunciation of the French word "Corveaux", for a bird who is related to ravens and crows. The Scottish origin might come from the word "Gorb", which has a double meaning: 'glutton' and 'unfledged bird'.

According to some sources, this bird helped hunters to find moose or caribou. This bird would signal to a hunter where they could be found and in exchange, the hunter would give meat to this bird to eat. Those who tell this story suggest that this is because the Gorbey is not satisfied with eating ticks and fleas off moose and caribou and wants a more substantial meal. The Native Americans believed this animal had a powerful spirit living inside of it and would listen for its call while hunting, as well as give the bird meat after the kill was made. Another Native American legend associated with the Gorbey states that cold weather comes when someone pulls a few feathers off of the bird's chest. Whether this was a magical spell or a warning against harming the birds is not made clear.

In later years, when logging camps were more commonplace in rivers across Maine and New Brunswick, the Gorbey did not have to get hunters to give them filling meals anymore. It was said that whole flocks of them would fly out of the trees and steal food straight from the lumberjack's hands and lunch pails. While only one or two would show up on the first day, more and more would appear to make off with the lunches of the lumberjacks as time wore on. They would also hide in the clothes of the lumberjacks, not caring if they were worn or not. T