Bluebird (Eastern)

Range

They spend the winter from Kansas to Connecticut and south. They are also in New Mexico and west Texas. They breed in the eastern U.S. and Canada, south to Texas and Florida, Arizona through central Mexico and Nicaragua.

Habitat

They are found in open woodlands, fields, and farms.

Body Traits

They are bright blue above with a reddish breast and white belly. The female is drab gray-blue with duller reddish chest. They are 6-8 in long.

Habits

Bluebird pairs arrive in the spring to nest and will use the same nest box from year to year. They can be quite aggressive toward other birds (swallows or sparrows) that try to use their nest box or nest boxes nearby.

Diet

They sit up on a high perch to hunt for insects.

Reproduction

They nest in tree cavities, weaving a nest of grass or pine needles, lined with grass, hair, or feathers. They lay 3-7 pale blue to white eggs.  If available, they will nest in bird boxes and will defend the boxes from other birds trying to nest there (and sometimes nest in nearby boxes). Bluebird parents both bring food to their chicks. Young from earlier broods may also helps feed the new chicks. Bluebirds may have two and sometimes three broods of chicks.

Classification

• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Chordata
• Subphylum: Vertebrata
• Class: Aves
• Order: Passeriformes
• Family: Turdidae
• Genus: Sialia
• Species: S. sialis