Eastern Bluebird

Photo: Roland Jordahl

• Scientific Name: Sialia sialis.
• Family: Thrush.
• Length: 7 inches.
• Wingspan: 13 inches.
• Distinctive Markings: Male has blue back, wings and head, with a white belly. Orange on breast extends onto throat. Females have the same markings, but duller.
• Nest: Built mostly by the female, in cavity or birdhouse. She lays four to six pale-blue, sometimes white, eggs between March and July.
• Song: Soft warble, "tru-al-ly, tru-al-ly."
• Habitat: Open backyards and farmland.
• Diet: Insects and berries.
• Backyard Favorite: Live mealworms.