The Melodious Eastern Bluebird: Fun Facts

The Melodious Eastern Bluebird: Fun Facts.

One of the most stunning birds that may be seen in a garden or backyard is the eastern bluebird. Its feathers are a vibrant combination of blue, white, and red. This member of the Turdidae bird family is a favorite visitor for many backyard birders due to its melodic singing, insectivorous diet, and readiness to inhabit birdhouses and nesting boxes. In addition, it is a kind of bird that eats insects.

The widespread appeal of these birds has contributed to their rise to prominence; in fact, the eastern bluebird is recognized as the state bird of both Missouri and New York.

There are always new things to learn about eastern bluebirds, and even birders who are acquainted with these well-known species may benefit from reading this informative profile by gaining a better understanding of what it is about these birds that makes them so remarkable.

A Few Quick Facts
Scientific Name:Sialia sialis
Common Name: Eastern Bluebird, Bluebird
Lifespan: between 6 and 10 years
Size: 6-8 inches
1 to 1.2 troy ounces in weight
Span of the wings: 8–9 inches
Least Concern Regarding Its Conservation Status

The Identification of the Eastern Bluebird

It is crucial for birdwatchers to be able to readily detect the major field features that make this species different, such as its beak, its markings, and the distinctive plumage pattern that youngsters have.

Eastern bluebirds aren’t the only bluebirds that may be seen, but they are the most common. First, the narrow, pointed beak of the eastern bluebird is usually black but has a lighter gape, even in mature birds. This is a distinguishing feature of this species. The general appearance of these birds is that of a typical passerine, with an erect stance and a rounded head.

The chin, neck, chest, and flanks of male Eastern Bluebirds are a rusty red color, while their heads, wings, backs, and tails are a brilliant shade of blue. The underbelly and under tail coverts are white, and the wingtips may seem deeper blue or blue-gray to the untrained eye.

The female birds are similar to the males, but their general appearance is often paler, dustier, or duller, with more gray being apparent on the head and wings. It is possible to see a very thin white ring around the eye of both males and females.

Juveniles have a similar appearance to adult females, but their eye rings are more obvious, and they have lighter spots on their upper parts and grayer spots on their breasts than adult females do. This pattern of spots acts as a kind of camouflage for juvenile birds, but it disappears as the birds become older.

When traveling in large groups, Eastern bluebirds can make a lot of noise. Their calls consist of a quick chatter in a mid-tone as well as many extended cries with a gradually lowering pitch.

A male Eastern Bluebird is perched on a limb.
The members of Spruce and jskbirds
Bluebird of the East perched on the very end of the branch
The Habitat of the Eastern Bluebird and Its Distribution

The Eastern Bluebird may be found with relative ease in wide fields and areas of scant forest, notably at the borders of woodlands. They are often seen in the vicinity of open trails and golf courses in suburban regions.

Their whole range encompasses the entirety of eastern North America, including the southern portion of Canada and the middle portion of Mexico. Even though they are uncommon, you may often see one of these bluebirds in western Texas, western North Dakota, western South Dakota, western Nebraska, and western Kansas.

Typical Migration Routine for Bluebird

Although their summer breeding populations stretch as far north as southern Canada, these bluebirds spend the winter in the southeastern United States where they are permanent inhabitants.

During the winter months, the non-breeding portion of their range extends significantly farther west into Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas. However, the majority of the eastern bluebird’s territory is inhabited throughout the year, as is the case in general.

Behavior Eastern bluebirds are seldom seen to be lonely and instead move in couples, small family groups, or small flocks. These flocks tend to get bigger throughout the winter months as groups congregate closer to food sources.

The birds may be seen foraging for food on the ground or perching in low trees or bushes where they use their sharp vision to search for insects. They can also be seen foraging in low trees and shrubs, where they search for insects and seeds.

They often start their forays from the same vantage point, to which they return again and again as they acquire fresh morsels.

Diet and Feeding

In the spring and summer, eastern bluebirds consume mostly insects, including a broad variety of caterpillars, grubs, beetles, and other insects, in addition to worms. In the winter, eastern bluebirds eat primarily worms. In the late summer, fall, and winter, when there are fewer insects available, they will increase the proportion of their diet that consists of fruit and berries. These birds may sometimes consume tiny amphibians and even lizards if the opportunity presents itself.

If you want bluebirds to nest in your yard, you need to get familiar with the foods they eat.
These birds are monogamous and remain with their mates during the whole mating season. During this time, both adults take part in caring for the young and building the nest. These are birds that lay their eggs in cavities, and the cavities will be lined with grass, pine needles, tiny twigs, and other materials similar to those used for nesting.

Eggs with Baby Chicks

A breeding couple of Eastern Bluebirds will produce two to three broods each year, with each brood producing two to eight eggs that are either light blue or white in color. During the incubation phase of 12 to 16 days, the female bird is responsible for the majority of the nest building and care of the eggs.

After hatching, the young birds remain in the nest for anywhere between 14 and 21 days. It is at this period that both parents will feed the chicks and remove the fecal sacs in order to maintain a clean environment in the nesting place.

The Preservation of the Eastern Bluebird

In spite of the fact that eastern bluebirds are not considered to be in danger of extinction, their numbers have been decreasing because nesting areas have been taken over by other species that are more aggressive, such as house sparrows and European starlings.

These bigger birds have the potential to kill adult bluebirds as well as any babies that are still in the nest. By carefully constructing birdhouses with the appropriate entry hole sizes and taking other precautions to safeguard the house, it is possible to provide bluebirds with an improved nesting place while excluding other species of birds that would be a nuisance.

Other measures of conservation that are vital to the protection of bluebirds include reducing the use of pesticides, which eliminates their food sources and maintaining the environment that bluebirds need. The creation of bluebird trails as well as conservation organizations has assisted in bringing awareness to the threats that these birds face as well as the measures that may be taken to conserve them.

Advice for Those Who Feed the Birds in Their Own Backyards

There are a number of straightforward approaches that backyard birders may use to entice bluebirds. Birdhouses and nesting boxes, which are often positioned in open spaces, are preferred nesting locations for eastern bluebirds.

It is recommended that nesting boxes be kept up throughout the year for roosting birds since bluebirds will easily utilize them as refuge throughout the winter months, whether it is from storms or the terrible cold. Feeders placed on the ground or on platforms, filled with mealworms and suet, may also be used by backyard birdwatchers to attract the colorful birds.

Especially during the autumn and winter months, eastern bluebirds might be drawn to a yard that has bird-friendly landscaping and bushes that produce berries. The provision of water to a flock of bluebirds who are parched is best accomplished with the use of birdbaths that are broad and shallow.

Where to Look for This Bird

In areas where their populations have become well established, Eastern Bluebirds may be simple to locate. If you want to find out where eastern bluebirds are located, you can go to the right habitats and wait for these thrushes to go back and forth multiple times from their preferred perch while they dine.

You may also listen for their wonderful melodies. Eastern bluebirds are often attracted to nature centers and preserves that have feeding stations, providing visitors with good possibilities for watching and photographing of the birds.

The Cultural Role of Eastern Bluebirds

These birds are often depicted in works of art and civilizations all across the world. In 1927, the state of Missouri made the decision to make the eastern bluebird its official state bird. In 1970, the state of New York likewise gave the eastern bluebird the distinction of becoming their state bird.

However, people in every state consider these birds to be representations of pleasure and happiness. You’ll often see the artwork, greeting cards, sculptures, holiday cards, and other decorative things that depict these birds in their designs.

Discover Even More Animals That Belong to This Family

The Eastern bluebird is a member of the Turdidae family of birds, which is comprised of more than 170 different species of blackbirds, thrushes, solitaires, and various types of bluebirds. The following birds are close cousins of the eastern bluebird and are members of other bird groups that include comparable species and are just as fascinating: