Eastern Bluebird

Description:

It is easy to be charmed by the brilliant colours of this little thrush, and it likes to show off around its nest or burrow in built-up areas in the central and eastern United States. It is a bird often studied by scientists and amateurs, because it is easy to see and because its life and distribution can tell us about important environmental changes.

Appearance:

The male has a bright blue head, back, and wings. The breast is rusty orange, and the belly is white. The female has a paler version of the male's colours, with blue on the wings and a grey-blue head. It is slightly smaller than a starling, about 17 centimetres.

Similar bird:

Although eastern bluebirds are confusingly similar to western bluebirds, they do not live in the same geographical area. The West Bluebird is found in the western part of the United States and Mexico.

Sounds and songs:

Soft whistles in rather short stanzas.

Diet:

Its diet consists of insects and larvae, but it also eats berries and fruits.

Nest:

It uses the nests of other birds or finds a cavity in a dead conifer or oak tree. The Eastern Bluebird likes to nest in burrows around people.

Geographic range:

The Eastern Bluebird is found throughout the eastern part of the United States. The northern population moves south in the winter.

Summer Resident Winter