Quantcast

Western Bluebird

Sialia mexicanaOrder: PASSERIFORMESFamily: Thrushes (Turdidae)

Western Bluebird Breeding Male Portrait
  Copyright 2002-2007 Whatbird.com
Click here for licensing information Splitbar

General

Western Bluebird: Small thrush with deep blue hood and upperparts, crescent mark across upper back, red-brown breast, and white belly. Female is gray above with dull blue wings and tail. Breast and flanks are chestnut, throat is pale gray. Juvenile resembles female but is grayer and has speckled underparts.

Range and Habitat

Western Bluebird: Breeds from southern British Columbia and western Alberta south to Baja and east throughout the mountains of the west to eastern New Mexico and extreme western Texas. Spends winters throughout most of its breeding range, although northernmost populations usually withdraw slightly southward. Preferred habitats include open woodlands and pastures where old trees provide nest sites.

Listen to Call

Voice Text

"kew-kew-kew-kew-kew"

Interesting Facts

 Western Bluebirds have suffered from competition for nest sites from European Starlings and House Sparrows.

 According to genetic studies, 45% of Western Bluebirds' nests carried young that were not offspring of the defending male.

 Swallows have been seen feeding and defending the nests of Western Bluebirds.

 A group of thrushes are collectively known as a "hermitage" and a "mutation" of thrushes.



Author

Gary Owen Dick

Splitbar
Range Map for Western Bluebird
.
Bird database and its related content, illustrations and media is Copyright © 2002 - 2007  Whatbird.com
All rights reserved. No part of this web site may be reproduced without written permission from Mitch Waite Group.
 Privacy Policy.
Percevia® Registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.
Family Thrush (Turdidae)_blue
Species Sialia mexicana
Length7 - 7.75 Inches
Wingspan12.25 Inches

Western Bluebird

Western Bluebird: Small thrush with deep blue hood and upperparts, crescent mark across upper back, red-brown breast, and white belly. Bill, legs and feet are black. Populations are declining due to competition for nest sites with European Starlings, Tree Swallows and House Sparrows.

● Song: "kew-kew-kew-kew-kew"

● Foraging & Feeding: Western Bluebird: Diet consists of insects, earthworms, spiders, and snails. Takes berries during winter. Often hunts from low perches, from which it drops down to the ground to capture prey; also catches flying insects.

● Breeding & nesting: Western Bluebird: Three to eight pale blue eggs are laid in a grass nest built in a tree cavity or woodpecker hole. Incubation ranges from 13 to 14 days and is carried out by the female.

● Similar species: Western Bluebird: Eastern Bluebird has red-brown throat and breast, white belly and undertail coverts, and blue back.

Flight Pattern

Slow flight with shallow wing beats.
Western Bluebird Breeding Male Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Western Bluebird: Breeds from southern British Columbia and western Alberta south to Baja and east throughout the mountains of the west to eastern New Mexico and extreme western Texas. Spends winters throughout most of its breeding range, although northernmost populations usually withdraw slightly southward. Preferred habitats include open woodlands and pastures where old trees provide nest sites.
BreedingMonogamous, Solitary nester
Population
MigrationNorthern birds migrate
Weight1 Ounces