Sialia sialis

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Eastern Bluebird

G5Secure Found in 52 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.101930
Element CodeABPBJ15010
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassAves
OrderPasseriformes
FamilyTurdidae
GenusSialia
Other Common Names
Azulejo Garganta Canela (ES) eastern bluebird (EN) Merlebleu de l'Est (FR)
Concept Reference
American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1998. Check-list of North American birds. Seventh edition. American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C. [as modified by subsequent supplements and corrections published in The Auk]. Also available online: http://www.aou.org/.
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2016-04-09
Change Date1996-12-03
Edition Date2010-02-01
Edition AuthorsHammerson, G.
Range Extent Comments
Breeding range extends from southern Saskatchewan east across southern Canada to Nova Scotia, and south to Nicaragua, the North American Gulf Coast, southern Florida, and Bermuda, and west to the western Great Plains; also southeastern Arizona. Winter range extends from the middle portions of the eastern United States south through the breeding range and western Cuba.
Threat Impact Comments
Threatened by nest-site competiton with starling and house sparrow, though this has been alleviated by provision of suitable nest boxes.
Ecology & Habitat

Description

Male has blue upperparts, red-orange throat, breast, and flanks, and white lower belly and undertail coverts. Female has blue-gray upperparts, a gray-brown wash across the back, sometimes a vague white eye-ring; the wings and tail are dull blue; and the underparts are paler orange than on male. Both sexes have a short, stout, black bill. Birds in winter are generally duller and more grayish. Juveniles are browner than are adults, with white streaking above and dusky spotting below, and have a white eye-ring. Length is around 7 inches (18 cm).

See Kaufman (1992, Am. Birds 46:159-162) for detailed information on identification of bluebirds.

Habitat

Habitat includes forest edge, open woodland, and partly open situations with scattered trees, from coniferous or deciduous forest to riparian woodland, also pine woodland or savanna in the tropics. Nests are in natural cavities, old woodpecker holes, bird boxes, or similar sites, mostly 3-20 feet (1-6 meters) above ground.

Reproduction

Nesting period varies with location and may begin as early as late February in some areas and extends into late summer. Clutch size is usually 4-5. Individual females in most areas produce 2 broods/year, sometimes 3, very rarely 4. Incubation, mainly by the female, lasts 12-16 days. Young are tended by both parents, leave nest at 15-20 days. Male tends fledged young if female renests. Young of the first brood may help feed the second brood.

Males and females of nesting pairs of eastern bluebirds commonly engage in copulations with other eastern bluebirds. As a result, some nests contain nestlings with different fathers.
Terrestrial Habitats
Woodland - HardwoodWoodland - ConiferWoodland - MixedSavannaOld field
Palustrine Habitats
Riparian
Other Nations (2)
United StatesN5B,N5N
ProvinceRankNative
MaineS4BYes
New HampshireS4BYes
IllinoisS5Yes
South CarolinaS5Yes
OhioS5Yes
VirginiaS5Yes
WisconsinS4BYes
New YorkS5BYes
KansasS5Yes
VermontS5BYes
ArizonaS4Yes
MississippiS5B,S5NYes
MinnesotaSNRBYes
New JerseyS4B,S4NYes
IowaS4B,S5NYes
ArkansasS4Yes
MichiganS5Yes
TexasS5BYes
TennesseeS5Yes
MassachusettsS3B,S4NYes
DelawareS5Yes
Rhode IslandS3BYes
District of ColumbiaS4NYes
ColoradoS2BYes
North DakotaSUYes
GeorgiaS4Yes
WyomingS2Yes
FloridaS4Yes
North CarolinaS5B,S5NYes
MontanaS4BYes
PennsylvaniaS5BYes
OklahomaSNRYes
New MexicoS1B,S5NYes
MissouriSNRYes
West VirginiaS5B,S5NYes
NebraskaS4Yes
IndianaS4BYes
KentuckyS5B,S5NYes
MarylandS5B,S4NYes
ConnecticutS5Yes
AlabamaS5Yes
South DakotaS4BYes
LouisianaS5Yes
CanadaN5B,N4N
ProvinceRankNative
Nova ScotiaS3BYes
Prince Edward IslandS1BYes
ManitobaS4BYes
QuebecS4BYes
New BrunswickS4BYes
SaskatchewanS3BYes
OntarioS5B,S4NYes
Roadless Areas (52)
Arizona (2)
AreaForestAcres
TumacacoriCoronado National Forest44,594
Upper Rincon RoadlessCoronado National Forest2,991
Arkansas (1)
AreaForestAcres
Little BlakelyOuachita National Forest3,342
Florida (1)
AreaForestAcres
Clear LakeApalachicola National Forest5,592
Georgia (2)
AreaForestAcres
Kelly RidgeChattahoochee National Forest8,325
Pink KnobChattahoochee National Forest12,127
Idaho (1)
AreaForestAcres
Bear CreekCaribou-Targhee National Forest118,582
Maine (1)
AreaForestAcres
Caribou - Speckled ExtWhite Mountain National Forest5,988
New Hampshire (6)
AreaForestAcres
Carr MountainWhite Mountain National Forest17,110
JobildunkWhite Mountain National Forest3,660
Kinsman MountainWhite Mountain National Forest8,999
Mt. Wolf - Gordon PondWhite Mountain National Forest11,846
Sandwich RangeWhite Mountain National Forest16,797
Wild RiverWhite Mountain National Forest46,878
New Mexico (1)
AreaForestAcres
Ortega PeakLincoln National Forest11,545
North Carolina (7)
AreaForestAcres
Bald MountainPisgah National Forest11,085
Balsam ConePisgah National Forest10,591
BearwallowPisgah National Forest4,113
Craggy MountainPisgah National Forest2,657
Slide HollowPisgah National Forest193
South Mills RiverPisgah National Forest8,588
Tusquitee BaldNantahala National Forest13,670
North Dakota (2)
AreaForestAcres
Long X DivideDakota Prairie Grasslands10,099
SheyenneDakota Prairie Grasslands14,537
Pennsylvania (1)
AreaForestAcres
Hearts ContentAllegheny National Forest221
South Dakota (1)
AreaForestAcres
Indian CreekBuffalo Gap National Grassland24,666
Tennessee (4)
AreaForestAcres
Beaver Dam CreekCherokee National Forest5,070
Flint Mill GapCherokee National Forest9,494
Slide HollowCherokee National Forest4,057
Stone MountainCherokee National Forest5,367
Texas (2)
AreaForestAcres
Big CreekNational Forests in Texas1,447
Little Lake CreekNational Forests in Texas596
Vermont (2)
AreaForestAcres
Bread LoafGreen Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests1,768
Devil's Den 09083Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests9,169
Virginia (13)
AreaForestAcres
Adams PeakGeorge Washington National Forest7,135
Bear CreekJefferson National Forest18,274
Beaver Dam CreekJefferson National Forest1,135
Broad RunJefferson National Forest10,971
Brush MountainJefferson National Forest6,002
Kelley MountainGeorge Washington National Forest7,590
New London Bridge BranchJefferson National Forest844
Northern MassanuttenGeorge Washington National Forest9,444
Oak KnobGeorge Washington National Forest10,882
Peters Mountain Addition BJefferson National Forest2,909
Raccoon BranchJefferson National Forest4,388
Seng MountainJefferson National Forest6,428
Southern MassanuttenGeorge Washington National Forest11,985
West Virginia (5)
AreaForestAcres
Cranberry AdditionMonongahela National Forest11,123
Dolly Sods Roaring PlainMonongahela National Forest13,392
Falls Of Hills CreekMonongahela National Forest6,925
Little MountainMonongahela National Forest8,172
Mcgowan MountainMonongahela National Forest10,504
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