As we round out the remaining week of National Bird Feeding Month, I decided to feature the Eastern Bluebird, a highly sought after backyard visitor.
- In 1903, WL Dawson wrote in Birds of Ohio “How the waiting countryside thrills with joy when Bluebird brings us the first word of returning spring … reflecting heaven from his back and the ground from his breast, he floats between sky and earth like the winged voice of hope.”
This royal blue and chestnut colored beauty is sure to stir excitement, even in not-as-of-yet bird lovers! And, for good reason—the brilliant colors quickly brighten up any backyard!
- “A man’s interest in a single bluebird is worth more than a complete but dry list of the fauna and flora of a town.”
Henry David Thoreau
Common Name: Eastern Bluebird
Latin Name: Sialis sialis
Range: Found year-round throughout the Southeast and southern Midwest regions of the United States, as well as areas of Mexico and parts of Central America. Summer range is in the Northeast and north Midwest of the United States and Eastern parts of Canada.
Habitat: Open areas, particularly meadows. Also commonly seen along roads, in parks and backyards.
Diet: Mainly insects and berries.
Conservation Status: Least Concern.
Feeding Tip: Want Bluebirds in your backyard? Try including Mealworms in your backyard feast, as Bluebirds do not eat seeds! Whether you choose to provide live, canned, or dried Mealworms, these snacks will prove to be irresistible to Bluebirds in your area! Don’t forget to offer them in an appropriate feeder, which is an essential component to attracting wild birds to your backyard.
- A Western Bluebird!
For those of you West Coasters, fear not, the beautiful Western Bluebird is also enticed by this protein-rich offering.
Happy Birding!
Michelle
