Name: Eastern Bluebird

Description: The red, white and blue Eastern Bluebird is a familiar and welcome tenant of bird houses in suburban yards, parks and golf courses. Eastern Bluebirds are small birds with short, slender beaks and short legs. Eastern Bluebirds are very social, gathering at times in flocks of 100 or more. These birds are found east of the Rocky Mountains from southern Canada to the Gulf states, into Mexico and Honduras.

Other Names: American Bluebird, Wilson's Bluebird, Common Bluebird, Blue Robin, Blue Redbreast, Blew Bird

Color: The Eastern Bluebird is brightly colored with a blue upper body, red breast and white abdomen. Male wing and tail feathers are blue with black or gray shafts and tips. The heads are a lighter shade of blue, which fades into a red throat and breast area. The breast and belly are white with light blue tips on some of the longer feathers. Females tend to be duller than males and have more gray coloring.

Sound: The most common call of the Eastern Bluebird sounds like “cheery” or “chur-lee.” In addition to their call, Eastern Bluebirds also use visual cues to communicate.

Preferred Environment: Eastern Bluebirds prefer open land with scattered trees for perching, nesting and feeding. They're often seen in parks, orchards, gardens, hedges and other areas that provide perches. And they're commonly found sitting on fences and utility wires.

Nesting Habits: The female takes about 10 days to complete the nest, a small, cup-like structure woven of grasses or pine needles lined with grass, feathers, stems and hairs, frequently built in a nest box.

Food Preference: Eastern Bluebirds primarily feed on insects, but will eat berries and seeds in the winter.