The Bird Error In The Big Bang Theory You Never Noticed

Birder and Big Bang Theory viewer Sharon Stiteler (who tweets under the handle @birdchick) took to Twitter on the day the episode aired to notify the series' executive producer and co-creator Bill Prady that birders were "buzzing" about Sheldon "misidentifying a blue jay." 

Prady responded the same night the episode aired, confirming that Sheldon did make a mistake and clarifying what type of bird it actually is: "The bird was a black-throated magpie jay. Sheldon misidentifies it because he doesn't know birds." It clearly wasn't a huge issue amongst casual, non-bird-watcher fans, though, as the tweet only got ten likes.

For the uninitiated, one clue to identifying a blue jay from a black-throated magpie-jay is in the tail. The magpie-jay's tail is very long — longer than the rest of the bird's body. The blue jay, however, has a much shorter tail with black markings on it.

Generally, the two birds won't be anywhere near each other. Black-throated magpie-jays live along the west coast of Mexico, while blue jays live in the northwest and eastern half of the United States. So, what exactly was a magpie-jay doing in Pasadena, California, where The Big Bang Theory takes place? Well, Bernadette said it may have been a pet, and this species is occasionally kept in captivity. After all, Sheldon himself was ready to keep it by the end of the episode. Sounds like we'll have to chalk the bird's appearance in California up to someone keeping a very uncommon pet and rather than an oversight on bird species.