Eastern Bluebird | Audubon Field Guide

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Open Search Bird GuideThrushesEastern Bluebird Listen 6 Eastern Bluebird Eastern Bluebird Sialia sialis At a Glance Range & Identification Behavior Conservation Explore More Back to Top

At a Glance

This is the most widespread of the three bluebirds. Although it is mostly 'eastern' in our area, the total range of the Eastern Bluebird extends south to Nicaragua. A high percentage of Eastern Bluebirds in North America today nest in birdhouses put up especially for them along 'bluebird trails.' When they are not nesting, these birds roam the countryside in small flocks. All bird guide text and rangemaps adapted from Lives of North American Birds by Kenn Kaufman© 1996, used by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved. Category Perching Birds, Thrushes IUCN Status Least Concern Habitat Arroyos and Canyons, Fields, Meadows, and Grasslands, Forests and Woodlands, Shrublands, Savannas, and Thickets, Urban and Suburban Habitats Region Eastern Canada, Florida, Great Lakes, Mid Atlantic, New England, Plains, Rocky Mountains, Southeast, Southwest, Texas, Western Canada Behavior Direct Flight Population 23.000.000

Range & Identification

Migration & Range Maps

Permanent resident in many southern areas. In the north, arrives quite early in spring, and lingers late in fall.

Description

Sexes similar — Length: 6–8 in (15–20 cm); wingspan: 10–13 in (25–33 cm); weight: 1.0–1.1 oz (28–31 g). The male Eastern Bluebird is bright blue above, reddish brown on the throat and chest, and its belly is white. Females are paler and duller than males. The juvenile is heavily spotted and has telltale traces of blue above. Size About the size of a Robin, About the size of a Sparrow Color Blue, Orange, White Wing Shape Rounded Tail Shape Notched, Square-tipped

Songs and Calls

Call a liquid and musical turee or queedle. Song a soft melodious warble. Call Pattern Falling, Flat, Undulating Call Type Chirp/Chip, Whistle

Habitat

Open country with scattered trees; farms, roadsides. Breeds in many kinds of 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. Sign up for Audubon's newsletter to learn more about birds like the Eastern Bluebird Email Zip Phone (optional) By submitting my mobile number I agree to receive text messages from Audubon at 42248 about how I can help birds, including donation requests. Up to 4 msgs/month. Message and data rates may apply. Text HELP for more information. Text STOP to stop receiving messages. Read our Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Behavior

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 Behavior

Does much foraging by perching low and fluttering down to the ground to catch insects, often hovering to pick up items rather than landing. The Eastern Bluebird also catches some insects in mid-air, and may take some while hovering among foliage. Feeds on berries by perching or making short hovering flights in trees.

Diet

Mostly insects and berries. The Eastern Bluebird feeds on a wide variety of insects, including crickets, grasshoppers, beetles, and many others; also spiders, earthworms, snails, and rarely small lizards or tree frogs. Also eats many berries, especially in winter.

Nesting

As a courtship display, the male Eastern Bluebird 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; the male may feed the female. Nest: Placed in a cavity, typically in a natural hollow in a tree, in an old woodpecker hole, or in a birdhouse. Nests are usually located relatively low (2-20 ft above the ground), occasionally reaching heights of up to 50 ft. 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.

Conservation

Conservation Status

In the past, the Eastern Bluebird declined significantly in many areas due to habitat loss and the loss of nesting sites. During recent decades, the number has been increasing again, undoubtedly helped by birdhouses in many areas. Change in Abundance Over Time Drawing on more than a century of community science from the Christmas Bird Count (CBC), this chart shows how this species’ relative abundance has shifted in recent decades. Explore more and get involved in the CBC.

Climate Map

Audubon’s scientists have used 140 million bird observations and sophisticated climate models to project how climate change will affect the range of the Eastern Bluebird. Learn even more in Audubon’s Survival By Degrees project.

Climate Threats Facing the Eastern Bluebird

Choose a temperature scenario below to see which threats will affect this species as warming increases. The same climate change-driven threats that put birds at risk will affect other wildlife and people, too.

Explore More

Murals, Art, and Culture

Artists throughout history and across the U.S. have captured this bird in murals, books, and museum hangings. See what they’ve done: ¡Atención!

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