Bluebird
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General
- For other uses, see Bluebird (disambiguation).
{{Taxobox | color = pink | name = Bluebirds | image = EasternbluebirdB9.jpg | image_caption = Eastern Bluebird | regnum = Animalia | phylum = Chordata | classis = Aves | ordo = Passeriformes | familia = Turdidae | genus = Sialia | subdivision_ranks = Species | subdivision =
}} Image:Mountainbluebird30.JPG Image:Westernbluebird.jpg The bluebirds are medium-sized, mostly insectivorous or omnivorous birds in the genus Sialia of the thrush family Turdidae.
These are one of the relatively few thrush groups to be restricted to the New World. As the name implies, these are attractive birds with blue, or blue and red, plumage. Female birds are less brightly colored than males, although color patterns are similar and there is no noticeable difference in size between genders.
Bluebirds are territorial and will clash with other songbirds competing for nesting and food resources. They prefer open grassland with scattered trees and are cavity nesters (similar to many species of woodpecker). Bluebirds can typically produce between two to four broods during the spring and summer (March through August in the northeast). Males identify potential nest sites and try to lure perspective female mates to those nesting sites with special behaviors that include singing and flapping wings, and then placing some material in a nesting box or cavity. If the female accepts the male and the nesting site she and she alone builds the nest and incubates the eggs.
Individuals wishing to build and mount nesting boxes for bluebirds should place predator baffles at least 36" in length on poles to prevent predation of young by snakes, cats and raccoons. Also, birdhouses should be placed at least several hundred yards apart, avoiding overhanging limbs which might provide springboards for predators. Non-native bird species competing with American bluebirds for nesting locations include the house wren and house sparrow, both of which have been known to kill young bluebirds.
Bluebirds are attracted to platform bird feeders, filled with grubs of the darkling beetle - sold by many online bird product wholesalers as "mealworms." Some bluebird enthusiasts report the birds will eat raisins soaked in water as well. Birdfeeders with clear sides and small holes drilled to prevent food raids by larger birds are available at websites like Best Nest or Wild Birds Unlimited. In addition, in winter many birders report bluebirds frequenting backyard heated birdbaths.
Bluebird numbers declined by estimates ranging to 70% in the 1970s due to a decline in habitat. However, in late 2005 Cornell University's Lab of Ornithology reported bluebird sightings at many locations in the southern U.S. as part of its yearly Backyard Bird Count, a strong indication of the bluebird's return to the region.
Species:
- Eastern Bluebird, Sialia sialis
- Western Bluebird, Sialia mexicana
- Mountain Bluebird, Sialia currucoides
The two species of Fairy-bluebird found in Southeast Asia and the Philippines, genus Irena, are not closely related to the American species.
See also
External links
More info
- Cornell BLUEBIRD-L email list - Caution: this is a high traffic list. However, users are welcoming and eager to provide information on a range of subjects to bluebird enthusiasts with diverse levels of birding experience.