THE NORTH AMERICAN BLUEBIRD

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GENERAL

The Bluebird is a member of the thrush family related to the American Robin. The Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) is generally found in the eastern half of North America to the Rocky Mountains. The Mountain Bluebird (Sialia currucoides) is found from the eastern foothills of the Rocky Mountains west to the Pacific coast of the North America. The Western Bluebird (Sialia mexicana) is typically found west of the Rocky Mountains. All three species are blue on the back. The Eastern has a red breast and white belly. The Mountain is slightly larger than the Eastern and does not have the red breast. The Western is similar to the Eastern with the red of the breast spreading around to the back. Bluebirds are not 'Bluejays', Indigo Buntings', or any other species of bird that is blue in colour.

Bluebird - a member of the Thrush family

HABITAT

The natural habitat of Bluebirds are open fields, prairies, and meadows with few trees or shrubs. The natural nest location is an old woodpecker hole or rotted (hollow) limb on a tree. The artificial habitat that man has created that is usable by the Bluebird includes broome fields, horse and cattle pastures, cemeteries, golf courses etc. This artificial habitat should be one that does not include the use of pesticides, as they can be harmful to the insect eating birds. Man has taken up the Bluebird cause and has created nest boxes for the Bluebirds on both the natural and artificial habitat areas. Woodland habitat is less favorable to bluebirds, but there are a number of other species that would make use of a Bluebird nest box in such habitat. These would include House Wrens, Chickadees, Great-Crested Flycatcher, Nuthatches, Titmice. Placing a Bluebird box in woodland habitat is not necessarily bad but, Bluebirds nesting there would probably be usurped by other birds (most probably house wrens).  Where house wrens or flying squirrels are present in your area then these two species may take over use of your bluebird nestboxes in mostly wooded areas. Other wrens are not considered a problem.

Bluebird - the trademark

Our 'Bluebird' trademark accurately depicts the bird's colouration, twin tail feathers, beak and head shape. Many songs and poems have been written about this lively little animal.  The Bluebird became immortalized in Maurice Maeterlinck's play: 'The Bluebird' which first inspired Malcolm Campbell to adopt the name for his racing vehicles in the 1930's.  This name was carried on by Donald Campbell and in turn by Nelson Kruschandl with Don Wales as the early driver of his Bluebird Electric designs in 1991.  We in turn are similarly inspired with our vehicles, parts and racing endeavours.

DESCRIPTION

The bluebirds are medium-sized, mostly insectivorous or omnivorous birds in the genus Sialia of the thrush family Turdidae.

These are one of the relatively few thrush genera to be restricted to the Americas. As the name implies, these are attractive birds with blue, or blue and red, plumage. Female birds are less brightly colored than males, although color patterns are similar and there is no noticeable difference in size between sexes.

Species:

Eastern Bluebird, Sialia sialis 
Western Bluebird, Sialia mexicana 
Mountain Bluebird, Sialia currucoides 


Behavior

Bluebirds are territorial, prefer open grassland with scattered trees and are cavity nesters (similar to many species of woodpecker). Bluebirds can typically produce between two to four broods during the spring and summer (March through August in the Northeastern United States). Males identify potential nest sites and try to attract prospective female mates to those nesting sites with special behaviors that include singing and flapping wings, and then placing some material in a nesting box or cavity. If the female accepts the male and the nesting site, she alone builds the nest and incubates the eggs.

Predators of young bluebirds in the nests can include snakes, cats and raccoons. Non-native bird species competing with bluebirds for nesting locations include the Common Starling and House Sparrow, both of which kill adult bluebirds sitting on their nests along with the young and eggs in order to claim the nesting site.

Bluebirds are attracted to platform bird feeders, filled with grubs of the darkling beetle, sold by many online bird product wholesalers as mealworms. Bluebirds will also eat raisins soaked in water. In addition, in winter bluebirds use backyard heated birdbaths.

By the 1970s, bluebird numbers had declined by estimates ranging to 70% due to unsuccessful competition with house sparrows and starlings, both introduced species, for nesting cavities, coupled with a decline in habitat. However, in late 2005 Cornell University's Lab of Ornithology reported bluebird sightings at many locations in the southern U.S. as part of its yearly Backyard Bird Count, a strong indication of the bluebird's return to the region. This upsurge can largely be attributed to a movement of volunteers establishing and maintaining bluebird trails.

Eastern Bluebird

In Song

Bluebirds are featured in several songs. Al Jolson sang of Bluebirds in "April Showers". Vera Lynn famously proclaimed that there would be "Bluebirds Over The White Cliffs Of Dover" in her popular war-time melody. But perhaps the artist most associated with the bluebird is Judy Garland. Her immortal "Over the Rainbow" from the equally legendary The Wizard of Oz, proclaimed her belief that "If happy little bluebirds fly above the rainbow, why oh why can't I". A few years later in the movie Ziegfeld Girl she admitted in the song "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows" that she was "waiting to find a little bluebird in vain." Indeed one of the final songs Garland sang in a movie was "Hello Bluebird" from I Could Go On Singing. Also in the 1934 famous Christmas Song "Winter Wonderland" (eg performed by the Andrew Sisters) the bluebird at least appears as "being gone", suggesting that this bird is indeed a migrating one.

The Origins Of The Song

    The original song Bluebird of Happiness was introduced at Radio City Music Hall.  Popularized by Jan Peerce in the 1948 best-selling record by Art Mooney and
his Orchestra.  Lyricss by Edward Heyman & Harry Parr Davies, music by Sandor Harmati.

(verse)
The beggar man and his mighty king are only
diff'rent in name,
For they are treated just the same by fate.
Today a smile and tomorrow tears,
We're never sure what's in store,
So learn your lesson before too late, so

(refrain)
Be like I, hold your head up high,
Till you find a bluebird of happiness.
You will find greater peace of mind
Knowing there's a bluebird of happiness.
And when he sings to you,
Though you're deep in blue,
You will see a ray of light creep through,
And so remember this, life is no abyss,
Somewhere there's a bluebird of happiness.

Life is sweet, tender and complete
When you find the bluebird of happiness.
You will find perfect peace of mind
When you find the bluebird of happiness.
Two hearts that beat as one,
'Neath a new found sun,
We are in a world that's just begun,
And you must sing his song, as you go along,
When you find the bluebird of happiness.

--------------- 

BLUEBIRD LINKS

Arlene Ripley's The Nest Box

Attracting Eastern Bluebirds by Ed Nied jr

Bluebird Fancying by Terry Washburn

Phil's Bluebird Page

Linda Violett

Birds in spring, & other bird lover's resources!

Blue Ridge Mountain Bluebirds

UMBC BLUEBIRD TRAIL (University of Maryland Baltimore College) 

Richard & Diane Van Vleck - The Home Habitat

Green River Cemetery and Bluebird Sanctuary

George M. Radcliffe Bluebird Monitoring Program

Boyd Anthony's The Eastern Bluebird

The Spark in Clarke

Davidson College - Dr. Mark Stanback

Fawzi P. Emad

Bluebird Groups

Joe Huber's Sparrow Control/Roosting Bluebirds

Bruce Johnson

Matt's Eastern Bluebird Page

Christy's Bluebird Project

American Family Bluebird Trail Project

Bluebird Hollow: A Nestbox Trail in New Jersey

The Benz Bluebirds of Howard County

Wendell Long 

Joanne's Backyard

University of Georgia Institute of Ecology P.A. Gowaty Bluebirds

Bluebird Information & Awareness

Shirl's Bluebird Acres

Sarah's Purple Martins & Bluebird Trail

http://www.elizaduck.com/nests.htm Nest/Egg I

Bluebird Reference Guide

Terry Whitworth Blowfly

Mountain Bluebird

The Bluebird-Electric story 1991-2008   Copyright © 2008 Bluebird Electric Racing Limited and Electrick Publications.

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