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Bird name:

Eastern Bluebird

Sialia sialisOrder: PASSERIFORMES Family: Thrushes (Turdidae)

Codes: Common Name: EABL Scientific Name: SIASIA ITIS Taxonomic No.: 179801

Breeding Location:

Grassland with scattered trees

Breeding Type:

Monogamous, Pairs

Breeding Population:

Fairly common in range

Egg Color:

Light blue or white

Number of Eggs:

4 - 6

Incubation Days:

12 - 14

Egg Incubator:

Female

Nest Material:

Grasses and plant stems.

Migration:

Some migrate

General

Eastern Bluebird: Small thrush with bright blue upperparts, rust-brown throat and breast, and white belly and vent. Female is similar but much duller. Juvenile has gray-brown upperparts, white spots on back, brown breast with white scaling, white belly and eye ring, and blue-tinged wings and tail.

Range and Habitat

Eastern Bluebird: Breeds east of Rockies from southeast Canada to Gulf of Mexico; winters in southern portion of breeding range. Inhabits open woodlands, clearings, farmlands, parks, orchards, gardens, fields; often seen along roadsides on utility wires and fences.

Breeding and Nesting

Eastern Bluebird: Four to six light blue or white eggs are laid in a loose cup of grass and plant stems built in a natural tree cavity, old woodpecker hole, fence post or bird box; 2 to 50 feet above the ground. Incubation ranges from 12 to 14 days and is carried out by the female.

Foraging and Feeding

Eastern Bluebird: Feeds on insects, earthworms, snails, and other invertebrates, and is highly dependent upon berries during winter; forages from low perches, usually hawking insects.

Readily Eats

Raisins, Currants, Nut Meal

Vocalization

Eastern Bluebird: Call is a liquid and musical "turee" or "queedle." Song is a soft melodious warble.

Similar Species

Eastern Bluebird: Western Bluebird has gray throat and belly. Female Western Bluebird has a rust-brown tinge on nape and back.

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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.

Eastern Bluebird

Eastern Bluebird: Small thrush with bright blue upperparts, rust-brown throat and breast, and white belly and vent. Forages in the open from low branches for insects, earthworms, and spiders. Eats mostly berries and seeds in winter. Slow, direct flight with shallow, jerky wing beats.

● Song: "turee", "queedle"

● Foraging & Feeding: Eastern Bluebird: Feeds on insects, earthworms, snails, and other invertebrates, and is highly dependent upon berries during winter; forages from low perches, usually hawking insects.

● Breeding & nesting: Eastern Bluebird: Four to six light blue or white eggs are laid in a loose cup of grass and plant stems built in a natural tree cavity, old woodpecker hole, fence post or bird box; 2 to 50 feet above the ground. Incubation ranges from 12 to 14 days and is carried out by the female.

● Similar species: Eastern Bluebird: Western Bluebird has gray throat and belly. Female Western Bluebird has a rust-brown tinge on nape and back.

Flight Pattern

Slow flight with shallow wing beats.

Eastern Bluebird Breeding Male Body Illustration

● Range & Habitat: Eastern Bluebird: Breeds east of Rockies from southeast Canada to Gulf of Mexico; winters in southern portion of breeding range. Inhabits open woodlands, clearings, farmlands, parks, orchards, gardens, fields; often seen along roadsides on utility wires and fences.

^BreedingMonogamous, Pairs

^PopulationFairly common in range

^MigrationSome migrate

^Weight1.1 Ounces

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.

Eye ring

The circle around the eye formed of feathers that are a different color from the rest of the face.

Vent

Birds do not have two separate cavities for excrement and reproduction like humans do. In birds, there is one single entrance/exit that suits both functions called the vent, cloaca or anus.

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

Eastern Bluebird

Breeding Location:

Breeding Type:

Breeding Population:

Egg Color:

Number of Eggs:

Incubation Days:

Egg Incubator:

Nest Material:

Migration:

Recommended Products:

General

Range and Habitat

Breeding and Nesting

Foraging and Feeding

Readily Eats

Vocalization

Similar Species

Eastern Bluebird

Flight Pattern