Eastern Bluebird
Eastern Bluebird
Eastern Bluebirds stay in the Southern Appalachians year-round. They are often seen perched on telephone wires, fenceposts, and other locations optimal for bug-hunting.
| food | nesting |
|---|---|
| Eastern Bluebirds eat insects caught on the ground, wild fruit and berries. Sometimes they have been seen eating larger prey. | Males claim existing nesting holes and attract females by carrying nest
materials in and out of the hole. Once a female chooses to nest with a
particular male, she builds the nest and stays with the eggs. She lays
from two to seven pale blue eggs, which take between 11 and 19 days to
hatch. Once birds pair up, they usually stay together for several seasons. Bluebirds have more than one brood a year. The young from the later brood often over-winter with their parents. |
| habitat |
nest box location |
| The Bluebirds prefer open woodlands and meadows/lawns with scattered trees. | Eastern
Bluebirds readily use birdboxes. The entrance hole should face an open
field. Bluebirds prefer the hole to face (in order of preference)
east, north, south, and then west. The birdbox should be 3-6 feet above
the ground. Boxes should be placed at least 300 feet apart. |
