Sialia mexicana
The Western Bluebird (Sialia mexicana) is a medium-sized thrush, typically measuring 6 to 7.5 inches (15-19 cm) in length with a wingspan of 11 to 13 inches (28-33 cm) and weighing around 1 ounce (28-32 g). Males are strikingly colored, boasting a vibrant sky-blue head and back, rich rusty-orange breast and flanks, and a white lower belly, often with a patch of blue on the upper back, while females are duller with grayer heads and less intense blue and rusty coloration. Distinctive field mark...
Found in open woodlands, Ponderosa Pine forests, oak savannas, clearings, and orchards, preferring areas with scattered trees, snags, and short grass. Typically occurs from lowlands up to mid-elevations.
Feeds primarily on insects (grasshoppers, beetles, caterpillars, ants) during the warmer months, supplemented by a significant intake of various berries and small fruits (mistletoe, juniper, elderberry, hackberry) in fall and winter.
Western Bluebirds are diurnal, actively foraging throughout the day and often forming communal roosts in tree cavities or dense foliage during the non-breeding season. Their primary foraging strategy is "drop-hunting," where they perch on an elevated spot, scan for prey, and then swoop down to sn...
The Western Bluebird's breeding range extends across western North America, from southern British Columbia, through much of the western United States (including Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and parts of Montana, Wyoming, Oklahoma, and Texas) ...
Least Concern
- Western Bluebirds can hover briefly in mid-air while foraging, scanning for insects on the ground. - They are known to reuse the same nest cavities or nest boxes year after year, if available and safe. - Among the three North American bluebird species, the male Western Bluebird often displays t...