Bird Spotlight-The Eastern Bluebird

Volume 5 in a Series

Welcome back to my series on birds. Spring has sprung here in Central NY State and nothing says Spring more than the Eastern Bluebird, which happens to be the official bird of NY State. Yesterday, I spotted a pair in my yard investigating the birdhouses I have available. There are ten to choose from, and they are all available and the price is right. Although I didn’t get a photo, it was fun to watch them as they flew from birdhouse to birdhouse, and were peeking inside. Must be a hard decision.

According to All About Birds, the Eastern Bluebird is a year-round resident in this area, but I have never seen them in the winter. They always arrive here in the Spring. They have nested in our yard some years, but not every year. They may be intimated by the Tree Swallows that always nest in some of our birdhouses. Bluebirds also nest in natural cavities, such as holes in trees created by woodpeckers.

On rare occasions, they will come to the feeder, as a male did yesterday. By the time I got out the camera, he was gone. However, they typically do not eat seeds and prefer mealworms at the feeder. They also eat insects, fruit, and berries. I put some mealworms out yesterday after the male left, so we will see if I get a return visit today.

They are easy to spot in the yard and certainly fun to watch. I can only hope that I end up with a nesting pair.

Interesting Fact

Bluebirds typically have more than one brood per year.