Mountain Bluebird
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| Mountain Bluebird | ||||||||||||||
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| Sialia currucoides (Bechstein, 1798) |
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This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. Please improve this article if you can. (May 2008) |
Description
The Mountain Bluebird (Sialia currucoides)is a medium-sized bird weighing about an ounce, with a length from 6-8 inches. They have light underbellies and black eyes. Adult males have thin bills. They are bright blue and somewhat lighter beneath. Adult females have duller blue wings and tail, grey breast, grey crown, throat and back.
Range
The Mountain Bluebird is migratory. Their range varies from Mexico in the winter to as far north as Alaska, throughout the western U.S. and Canada.
Breeding Range
Their breeding habitat is open country across western North America, including mountain areas, as far north as Alaska. They nest in pre-existing cavities or in nest boxes. In remote areas, these birds are less affected by competition for natural nesting locations than other bluebirds. Females usually build the nests themselves.
Migratory Range
Northern birds migrate to the southern parts of the range; southern birds are often permanent residents. Some birds may move to lower elevations in winter.
Food and Food Sources
These birds hover over the ground and fly down to catch insects, also flying from a perch to catch them. They mainly eat insects and berries. They may forage in flocks in winter.
This is the state bird of Idaho and Nevada.
[edit] References
- BirdLife International (2004). Sialia currucoides. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 12 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
[www.google.ca]
- All About Birds: Mountain Bluebird, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Mountain_Bluebird.html
