[order] PASSERIFORMES | [family] Turdidae | [latin] Sialia sialis | [UK] Eastern Bluebird | [FR] Merle bleu de l’Est | [DE] Rotkehl-Huttensanger | [ES] Azulejo Oriental | [NL] Roodkeelsialia
Subspecies
| Genus | Species | subspecies | Breeding Range | Breeding Range 2 | Non Breeding Range |
| Sialia | sialis | NA, MA | e, c NA to Nicaragua | ||
| Sialia | sialis | bermudensis | |||
| Sialia | sialis | caribaea | |||
| Sialia | sialis | fulva | |||
| Sialia | sialis | grata | |||
| Sialia | sialis | guatemalae | |||
| Sialia | sialis | meridionalis | |||
| Sialia | sialis | nidificans | |||
| Sialia | sialis | sialis |
Physical charateristics
A bit larger than a sparrow; a blue bird with a rusty red breast; appears round-shouldered when perched. Female duller than male; has a rusty throat and breast, white
belly. Juvenile : Speckle-breasted, grayish, devoid of red, but always with some telltale blue in wings and tail; similar to juvenile Western Bluebird.
belly. Juvenile : Speckle-breasted, grayish, devoid of red, but always with some telltale blue in wings and tail; similar to juvenile Western Bluebird.
Listen to the sound of Eastern Bluebird
[audio:http://www.aviflevoland.nl/sounddb/E/Eastern Bluebird.mp3]
Copyright remark: Most sounds derived from xeno-canto
| wingspan min.: | 0 | cm | wingspan max.: | 0 | cm |
| size min.: | 19 | cm | size max.: | 21 | cm |
| incubation min.: | 13 | days | incubation max.: | 16 | days |
| fledging min.: | 15 | days | fledging max.: | 20 | days |
| broods: | 1 | eggs min.: | 3 | ||
| eggs max.: | 6 |
Range
North America, Middle America : East, Central North America to Nicaragua
Habitat
Open country with scattered trees; farms, roadsides. Breeds in many kinds o
f semi-open habitats, including cut-over or burned areas, forest clearings, farm country, open pine woods; locally in suburbs where there are extensive lawns and good nest sites. Wanders to other habitats in winter.
f semi-open habitats, including cut-over or burned areas, forest clearings, farm country, open pine woods; locally in suburbs where there are extensive lawns and good nest sites. Wanders to other habitats in winter.
Reproduction
As a courtship display, male may sing and flutter in front of the female with his wings and tail partly spread. While perched close together, pairs may preen each other’s feathers; male may feed female.
Nest: Placed in cavity, typically in natural hollow in tree, in old woodpecker hole, or in birdhouse. Usually nests fairly low (2-
20′ above the ground), occasionally up to 50′. Nest in cavity (built mostly by female) is a loosely constructed cup of weeds, twigs, and dry grass, lined with finer grass, sometimes with animal hair or feathers.
Eggs: 4-5, sometimes 3-7. Pale blue, unmarked; sometimes white. Incubation is mostly by female, about 13-16 days.
Young: Both parents bring food to the nestlings, and young from a previous brood also help to feed them in some cases. Young leave the nest at about 18-19 days on average. 2 broods per year, sometimes 3.
Nest: Placed in cavity, typically in natural hollow in tree, in old woodpecker hole, or in birdhouse. Usually nests fairly low (2-
20′ above the ground), occasionally up to 50′. Nest in cavity (built mostly by female) is a loosely constructed cup of weeds, twigs, and dry grass, lined with finer grass, sometimes with animal hair or feathers.
Eggs: 4-5, sometimes 3-7. Pale blue, unmarked; sometimes white. Incubation is mostly by female, about 13-16 days.
Young: Both parents bring food to the nestlings, and young from a previous brood also help to feed them in some cases. Young leave the nest at about 18-19 days on average. 2 broods per year, sometimes 3.
Feeding habits
Mostly insects and berries.
Feeds on a wide variety of insects, including crickets, grasshoppers, beetles, and many others; also spiders, earthworms, snails, rarely small lizards or tree frogs. Also eats many berries, especially in winter.
Behavior: Does much foraging by perchin
g low and fluttering down to ground to catch insects, often hovering to pick up items rather than landing. Also catches some insects in midair, and may take some while hovering among foliage. Feeds on berries by perching or making short hovering flights i
n trees.
Feeds on a wide variety of insects, including crickets, grasshoppers, beetles, and many others; also spiders, earthworms, snails, rarely small lizards or tree frogs. Also eats many berries, especially in winter.
Behavior: Does much foraging by perchin
g low and fluttering down to ground to catch insects, often hovering to pick up items rather than landing. Also catches some insects in midair, and may take some while hovering among foliage. Feeds on berries by perching or making short hovering flights i
n trees.
Conservation
This species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). The population trend appears to be increasing, and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size is extremely large, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.
Migration
East of Rockies; southern Canada to Gulf States; also southeastern Arizona to Nicaragua. Migration: Permanent resident in many southern areas. In the north, arrives quite early in spring, and lingers late in fall.
Distribution map
