Introduction
The bluebird is an extraordinary bird. The bluebird is part of the medium sized family of birds and is insectivorous or omnivorous. They are usually blue in color, hence the name bluebird, but they sometimes are mixed with some red tones. There are three different species of bluebirds, The Eastern Bluebird, The Western Bluebird and The Mountain Bluebird.
History
Bluebirds often prefer grass lands with a lot of trees as well as areas for them to nest in. Bluebirds are often recognized as America's favorite back yard bird because they are present in basically any type of area. They mainly will eat insects, as they are ground dwelling birds. Back in the 1920's, the bluebird was almost extinct but they have recently made a big come back thanks to bluebird enthusiasts who go out of their way to preserve this beautiful creature. Western Bluebirds: The Western Bluebird is the largest of the bluebird species. They are a tad bit bigger in size than a regular sparrow. However, only their wings, tails and heads are colored blue. They are often seen in western areas such as California, Arizona, New Mexico and parts of Mexico.
The Mountain Bluebird: The Mountain Bluebird is a bit smaller in size than The Western Bluebird. Both male and female Mountain Bluebirds don’t vary in size much as they are just about the same size over all. They are colored almost all blue, except for a white belly. The Mountain Bluebird is often seen in mountainous areas such as Nevada, parts of Canada, Honduras and in many spots found east of the Rockies.
The Eastern Bluebird: The Eastern Bluebird is the most common species of bluebird. They look almost identical to The Western Bluebird, except for their rusty colored necks and throats. The Eastern Bluebird is found in places like Georgia, Florida, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware and in parts of Canada.
The Three Types of Bluebirds
Western Bluebird: The Western Bluebird is the largest of the bluebird species. They are a tad bit bigger in size than a regular sparrow. However, only their wings, tails and heads are colored blue. They are often seen in western areas such as California, Arizona, New Mexico and parts of Mexico.
The Mountain Bluebird: The Mountain Bluebird is a bit smaller in size than The Western Bluebird. Both male and female Mountain Bluebirds don’t vary in size much as they are just about the same size over all. They are colored almost all blue, except for a white belly. The Mountain Bluebird is often seen in mountainous areas such as Nevada, parts of Canada, Honduras and in many spots found east of the Rockies.
The Eastern Bluebird: The Eastern Bluebird is the most common species of bluebird. They look almost identical to The Western Bluebird, except for their rusty colored necks and throats. The Eastern Bluebird is found in places like Georgia, Florida, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware and in parts of Canada.
Tips and comments
All bluebirds are known for their gorgeous sounding bluebird songs. They often will sing in a melodious whistling sound, which is their form of communication with one another. You can find bluebirds in all different types of habitats, such as: orchards, farmlands, woodlands, suburban parks, meadows, gardens, hedges and even on roadsides. During summer months, bluebirds will prey mostly on insects such as: caterpillars, grasshoppers, meal worms, spiders and earthworms but their dietary needs will change during the colder months. Not only are they breathtaking creatures, but they also have fantastic speed and eye sight. They can fly as fast as 17 miles per hour and can see as far as 100 feet away. In recent years, bluebird lovers have began helping conserve this beautiful species by putting up nesting boxes. Nest boxes are put up to help bluebirds have a safe space to live and to help them with their diet requirements. Nest boxes should be built at least four to five feet off the ground and should have predator guards placed around it's entrance, to keep other bird species away, such as the Sparrow which is a known predator to the bluebird. If you're interested in making a nest box for your bluebird friends, make sure you properly maintain and clean the nest box often, in order to keep the bluebirds healthy and safe.
