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New York State Bird
Eastern Bluebird
- Official New York State Bird: Eastern Bluebird
- Family: Turdidae, Thrushes
- Scientific name: Sialia sialis
- Length: 7" (18 cm)
- Diet: Insects, fruit, earthworms, snails, other
invertebrates; especially berries. Young fed primarily insects.
Hawking often from low perch, catching insects near ground. Very
dependent on berries in winter.
- Voice:
Listen to Eastern Bluebird Song (recorded by Cornell Lab of Ornithology)
Song a pleasing soft phrase of mellow whitstles
chiti WEEW wewidoo and variations. Call of similar pleasant
musical quality: a soft, husky whistle jeew or jeew wiwi;
also a short, dry chatter.
- Habitat: Found in open woodlands, farmlands,
orchards.
- Displays: Courting male sings and flutters in front of
female, wings half open, tail spread, then perches beside and preens
female, and may offer food.
- Number of broods: 2, occasionally 3.
- Nest: Often in woodpecker-excavated cavity; loose
cup of grass, weed stems, pine needles, twigs, occasionally with hair
or feathers. Built in average of 10-11 days. Female occasionally
builds more than one nest.
- Eggs: Averages 4-5 pale blue, occasionally white,
unmarked eggs. 0.8" (21 mm).
- Incubation period: 12-14 days
- Fledge: 15-20 days after hatching
- Longevity Record: 10 Years and 5 months (according to USGS
Bird Banding Lab)
The Eastern Bluebird was adopted as the New York State Bird in 1970.
The once-prolific, Eastern Bluebird has been making a comeback from low numbers
in the 1950s. Many people provide special
nesting boxes along fence rows for
bluebirds, to supplement natural nesting cavities.
Bluebirds are the State Birds of three other States besides New York.
Go to
Missouri
State Bird (also the Eastern Bluebird).
Go to
Idaho State
Bird and
Nevada State
Bird (Mountain Bluebird).
For more information about bird houses or nest boxes for bluebirds:
Go to
bluebird
house plans.
Live Eastern Bluebird Webcam
New York State Bird Books
Return to 50 State
Birds Page
Return to Birdwatching-Bliss Home Page
 Get
this cute
Singing Eastern Bluebird Plush Toy. Design input from Audubon and the authentic Bluebird song is from the world famous Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
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