An Eastern Bluebird searches for insects while sitting on a stump.
Understanding the types of bluebirds and their habitat is essential when looking for them. Where you live actually depends on the type of bluebird to look for, where to look and what the bluebird eats. Before searching for those brilliant blue feathers, knowing the bird's characteristics is beneficial. For instance, a bluebird can be confused with a bunting because they share colors and habitats.
Types
A female Eastern Bluebird shows off the white ring circling her eye.
Three types of bluebirds are in North America: Eastern Bluebird, Western Bluebird and Mountain Bluebird. The Eastern Bluebird has a red throat and breast, the Western Bluebird has a red breast but a blue throat, and the Mountain Bluebird is all blue. The females of all three types are duskier in color than the males and have a white ring around their eyes that the males do not have.
Geography
Dead trees with mistletoe make winter homes for Western and Mountain Bluebirds.
Eastern Bluebirds, also known as Common Bluebirds, cover 2/3 of the United States, from the middle of Texas year round clear to coastal Maine in summer. Of the three types of North American bluebirds, the Eastern Bluebird has the highest distance of migration. The Western Bluebird resides along the Pacific coastline from Canada into Mexico. Research from the National Audubon Society states that the Western Bluebird "does not extend to the Mountains but sticks to the same settings as Common does only on the Pacific Coast." It also requires the shortest distance for migration. The Mountain Bluebird covers the 1/3 of the United States that the Eastern does not. It has been seen throughout Canada and Alaska and sometimes is spotted in Mexico. It stays mainly above the 5,000-foot elevation, except in winter when it travels into open lowlands and deserts. The Mountain Bluebird is the most migratory of the bluebirds. All three types of bluebirds prefer habitats with open woodlands, farmland, orchards and meadows. During winter months, the Western and Mountain bluebirds have been seen migrating to desert areas such as mesquite and mistletoe groves.
Diet
A Mountain Bluebird cranes its neck for a mouth full of seeds.
The Eastern, Western and Mountain bluebirds all share their love of the same foods. Insects such as small spiders, grasshoppers and centipedes cover the majority of their diets along with some ripe fruit such as persimmon and grapes as well as some seeds. Freshly tilled fields and late-summer vines and shrubs provide a smorgasbord for these birds.
Behavior
A bluebird perches on a dead branch.
During nesting season, the bluebirds can raise two to three sets of fledglings. The male feeds the female while she sits on the nest. After the eggs hatch, the adults alternate feeding themselves and the babies every 20 minutes. The first fledglings stay with the male while the female stays on the nest with the second set of offspring. During this time, the bluebirds are very territorial of their habitat. Due to high bluebird numbers and poor nesting sites, they kill other bluebirds in some instances. Bluebirds also dive-bomb people and animals along with pecking at their reflections in windows.
Houses and Feeders
A bluebird house rests on a post, replicating once-prominent wooden fenceposts.
Placing bluebird houses and feeders can bring habitats closer to back yards. Hanging the bluebird houses typical to where old trees or fenceposts would be located helps to imitate their natural habitats. After each nesting season, the old nests should be removed and washed with hot water and dish soap to kill germs. Bluebird houses usually have a hinged top or roof to make this process easier. Because bluebirds are ground feeders and also eat seeds, insects and fruits from fields and trees, a few tactics may help to attract them to different feeders. A suet should be hung about 5 feet off the ground. The Audubon Society suggests making or purchasing a peanut butter-based suet as opposed to a fat-based suet in summer months to avoid the suet becoming rancid. Ground feeders also can be used, and meal worms in early spring or raisins soaked in water overnight during autumn can be sprinkled in them for season-appropriate treats.
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