Eastern Bluebird

While out doing some normal birding in the South Kettle Moraine I came across an Eastern Bluebird nest in a natural cavity. They were feeding the young on a regular basis. I set for some shooting under a honeysuckle bush to capture some of the action. On one set of images a female comes out of the bluebird house with some new bugs that the male had just brought her, only to do a 360° turn right back into the house to feed the young.

Photographs were taken on May 30, 2013.

Eastern Bluebird

Eastern Bluebird

Binomial name: Sialia sialis

Category: Thrushes

Description: Both male and female birds have blue plumage on top with rusty-colored throat and breast.  However, the male enjoys a much brighter blue color compared to the female’s pale blue feathers.  The female also has a gray head.

Size: 6.3″-8.3″ long, 9.8” – 13” wingspan

Weight: 1.0 oz. – 1.2 oz.

Habitat: Forests adjacent to meadows or with clearings and near lakes or rivers

Diet: Insects (grasshoppers, beetles, crickets), spiders, snails, and wild fruit and seeds

Nesting: Eastern Bluebirds seek out nesting areas abandoned by other birds such as woodpecker holes.  The female will build the nest over the course of 1-2 weeks using feathers and plant materials.  She will lay 3-7 eggs at a time, raising 2 broods over the course of a summer.  Both parents will feed the young  for 2-3 weeks before the fledglings leave the nest.

Notes: If you can offer a suitable habitat with trees and a water source, invite Eastern Bluebirds into your backyard with a nestbox.  Click here for a blueprint and more information on this easy DIY project.

Eastern Bluebird

Eastern Bluebird

Eastern Bluebird

Eastern Bluebird

Eastern Bluebird

Eastern Bluebird

Eastern Bluebird

Eastern Bluebird

Eastern Bluebird

To see the full gallery of images, please click here.

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About admin

Window to Wildlife features the photography of Jim Edlhuber. A lifelong native of Wisconsin, Jim has been photographing wildlife for 20 years. He considers himself an avid photographer and is always trying to capture nature and wildlife through his lens. He is in several photography clubs and has won numerous awards for his work. In recent years, Jim has focused mostly on birding photography and finds it to be the most challenging.

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