Bluebirds are found in every state in the U.S.
except Hawaii, and in much of Canada and Mexico. Distribution
of the three species of bluebirds is as follows. One of more of
the three species breeds in most parts of the lower 48, and in
the extreme southeastern corner of Alaska. They also breed in much
of Canada, except Newfoundland.
The Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) nests throughout eastern North America through Canada, as far west as Saskatchewan and the Great Plains states, south to eastern New Mexico. They winter in the southern part of their breeding range, and south as far as Mexico and Nicaragua.
The Mountain Bluebird(Sialia currucoides) nests in the foothills and mountains of western North America, from east-central Alaska, east to southwestern Manitoba and the Dakotas, south to southern California, northern Arizona, and southern New Mexico. It may winter as far south as Mexico, or as far north as British Columbia. It is the most migratorial bluebird.
The Western Bluebird (Sialia mexicana) nests in western North America from southern British Columbia, east to the Rockies, and south to southern California and western Texas to south-central Mexico. It is the least migratorial bluebird. It winters at lower elevations, where it is common in desert area mesquite groves.
Sources:
Bluebirds in My House, Arnette Heidcamp, 1997
Sialia, Spring 1985, Vol.7, No.2, page 50
.Whither away, Bluebird, Whither away? The blast is chill, yet in the upper sky Thou still canst find the color of thy wing, The hue of May. Warbler, why speed, thy southern flight? ah, why, Thou, too, whose song first told us of the Spring? Whither away?
- Edmund C. Stedman, The Flight of Birds (1833-1908)
If you experience problems with the website/find
broken links/have suggestions/corrections, please contact me!
The purpose of this site is to share information with anyone interested
in bluebird conservation.
Feel free to link to it (preferred as I update content regularly), or use text from it for personal or educational
purposes, with a link back to http://www.sialis.org or
a citation for the author.
No permission is granted for commercial use. Appearance of automatically generated Google or other ads on this site does not constitute endorsement of any of those services or products!
Both young and adult birds need calcium in their diet. Growing nestlings need calcium to develop bone strength. Females need calcium to lay eggs with strong shells. Laying pellets for chickens contain about 4% calcium.
One source you can provide is crushed eggshells.
Note that mealworms can be calcium depleting to growing nestlings.
Preparation:
Making them Avaialble:
Scatter on sidewalks, patios, or driveways.
Mix finely crushed shells with seeds and grains normally put in a bird feeder.
Purple Martins: Purple Martin landlords sometimes scatter eggshells on teh ground where the birds are picking up mud for nests. Some landlords attach sehlves to Martin house poles and put eggshells in there.
References and More Information:
Thanks to Keith Kridler and the Bluebird_L for information
If you experience problems with the website/find
broken links/have suggestions/corrections, please contact me!
The purpose of this site is to share information with anyone interested
in bluebird conservation.
Feel free to link to it (preferred as I update content regularly), or use text from it for personal or educational
purposes, with a link back to http://www.sialis.org or
a citation for the author.
No permission is granted for commercial use. Appearance of automatically generated Google or other ads on this site does not constitute endorsement of any of those services or products!
