Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis)

 

Common Name (in English) Eastern Bluebird
(in Chinese) 東藍鴝
Scientific Name (in Latin) Sialia sialis
Peculiar characteristics / external features: The bright-blue breeding plumage of the male, easily observed on a wire or open perch, makes this species a favorite of birders. The male’s call includes sometimes soft warbles of ‘jeew’ or ‘chir-wi’ or the melodious song ‘chiti WEEW wewidoo’.
Distributions: Eastern bluebirds tend to live in open country around trees, but with little understory and sparse ground cover. Original habitats probably included open, frequently burned pine savannas, beaver ponds, mature but open woods, and forest openings. Today, they’re most common along pastures, agricultural fields, suburban parks, backyards, and even golf courses. This bird also occurs across eastern North America and south as far as Nicaragua.
Habits:
l   Dietary About two-thirds of the diet of an adult consists of insects and other invertebrates. The remainder of the bird’s diet is made up of wild fruits or berries. Favored insect foods include grasshoppers, crickets, katydids, and beetles. Other food items include earthworms, spiders, millipedes, centipedes, sow bugs, and snails.
l   Reproductive (Solitary/Social/Territorial, Courtship Behavior, Taking care of youngs, etc) Eastern bluebirds are usually monogamous. Occasionally, one male will mate with two females. Sometimes, young bluebirds from one brood will stay near the nest to help their parents raise a second brood. However, this is not very common. Eastern bluebirds mate in spring and summer. A mature female will typically raise two broods each season. Females do most of the nest building over about 10 days. The nests are cup-shaped, and lined with soft grass.
l   Whatever appropriate  
Interesting Fact: The Eastern bluebird’s song is one of its most distinguishing characteristics. They use different songs for mating and territoriality, as well as other purposes. The most common bluebird call sounds like “chur lee” or “chir wi”. When repeated a number of times, the call sounds like the words “truly” or “purity”.

References:

  1. https://birdsna.org/Species-Account/bna/species/easblu/breeding
  2. http://www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/Sialia_sialis/
  3. http://www.softschools.com/facts/animals/eastern_bluebird_facts/1784/

 

Voice of Eastern Bluebird:

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Eastern_Bluebird/sounds

Video: