Western Bluebird

Sialia mexicanaOrder: PASSERIFORMES Family: Thrushes (Turdidae)

Codes: Common Name: WEBL Scientific Name: SIAMEX ITIS Taxonomic No.: 179806

Western Bluebird: The breeding male Western Bluebird has a deep blue hood and upperparts, crescent mark across the upper back, red-brown breast, and white belly.

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Overview

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.

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.

Topo Map: Perching-like Body

Listen to Call

Similar Sounding

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.

Bird Term Glossary

Author

Gary Owen Dick

Related Birds

Varied Thrush
American Robin
Eastern Bluebird
Mountain Bluebird
Townsend's Solitaire

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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.

Western Bluebird

● 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

Perching-like Body

Upperparts

Back, rump, hindneck, wings, and crown.

Belly

The ventral part of the bird, or the area between the flanks on each side and the crissum and breast. Flight muscles are located between the belly and the breast.

Breast

The upper front part of a bird.

4 and 6 letter alpha codes

The four letter common name alpha code is is derived from the first two letters of the common first name and the first two letters of common last name. The six letter species name alpha code is derived from the first three letters of the scientific name (genus) and the first three letters of the scientific name (species). See (1) below for the rules used to create the codes..

Four-letter (for English common names) and six-letter (for scientific names) species alpha codes were developed by Pyle and DeSante (2003, North American Bird-Bander 28:64-79) to reflect A.O.U. taxonomy and nomenclature (A.O.U. 1998) as modified by Supplements 42 (Auk 117:847-858, 2000) and 43 (Auk 119:897-906, 2002). The list has been updated by Pyle and DeSante to reflect changes reported by the A.O.U from 2003 through 2006.

Field Guide to Birds of North America