Jeff Wendorff's photography portfolio of Bluebirds in the family, Turdidae.
The
bluebirds are a group of medium-sized, mostly insectivorous or omnivorous bird in the order of Passerines in the genus Sialia of the thrush family (Turdidae).
Bluebirds are one of the few thrush genera in the Americas. They have blue, or blue and rose beige plumage. Female birds are less brightly colored than males, although color patterns are similar and there is no noticeable difference in size between the two sexes.
Bluebirds are territorial and prefer open grassland with scattered trees.
Bluebirds can typically produce between two and four broods during the spring and summer (March through August in the Northeastern United States). Males identify potential nest sites and try to attract prospective female mates to those nesting sites with particular behaviors that include singing and flapping wings, and then placing some material in a nesting box or cavity. If the female accepts the male and the nesting site, she alone builds the nest and incubates the eggs.
There are three species of
bluebirds, and despite having similar coloration, they are readily distinguished. The
Western Bluebird has a blue (male) or gray (female) throat, the
Eastern Bluebird has an orange throat, and the
Mountain Bluebird lacks orange color anywhere on its body.
Bluebirds Photographed Eastern Bluebird, Sialia sialis
Mountain Bluebird, Siala currucoides
Western Bluebird, Sialia mexicana Collective Noun Bluebirds Once again no official collective noun for the
bluebird, the collective noun people are slackers! On my photography blog, I named them a box, an uninspired albeit practical name. I now have decided that a group of
bluebirds will be a beauteous!
Photography Workshops and Tours I often see Mountain Bluebirds on my summer time
Wildlife Workshops, and we can make a plan to find them if you join me in Montana. Check out my website, Wildlife Workshops for details.