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Mountain
Bluebird
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Turdidae
Genus: Sialia
Species: currucoides
La. passer sparrow, small
bird
La. forma form, kind,
species
La. turdus a thrush
Gr. sialis a kind of bird
La. curruca a bird in writings by Juvenal
About six or seven inches long. Blue head,
neck, back, rump and tail (lighter blue than the other bluebirds.) Grayish white
underside. Black bill and eyes. |
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Inhabits the Rocky Mountains
and higher elevated plains throughout most of western North America from southern Alaska,
the Yukon, above Alberta in the Northwest Territories around the Great Slave Lake area, as
far east as Manitoba, south to northern Mexico, overlapping both the Western and Eastern
Bluebird ranges. Migrates to the U.S. and Mexico.
Builds nests of grass and the shredded inner bark of cedar trees in
natural or abandoned tree and post hollows, cliff crevices, abandoned
mines, barns, cabins, odd building nooks and
crannies, and birdhouses
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Bluebird trails have become very popular
including in the far northern reaches of its range.
Lays three to seven greenish blue eggs which hatch after about two weeks incubation and
young leave the nest in about another three weeks.
Nestbox for Western & Mountain Bluebirds
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A.R. Dugmore
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Eats mostly insects which it preys for near or on the ground.
The
Mountain Bluebird Mountain Bluebird
House (same as for Western Bluebird) has a 5" by 5" floor, 9"
inside ceiling, 1 9/16" diameter entrance hole located 7" above the floor and
ventilation openings. Hinged roof is secured with shutter hooks.
English sparrows, tree swallows,
violet
green swallows, chickadees, titmice,
wrens, nuthatches and
downy
woodpeckers may use this box.
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| Mount bluebird houses 3’
- 6’ high on a post in woodland clearings, shelter belt edges bordering
fields, among scattered trees, or pasture fence lines. Make a "bluebird
trail" of several houses about 100 yards apart; further in wide open
expanses and closer in clearings of wooded areas. On
fence lines mount houses on the sides of posts facing the next post. The recessed position
helps avoid cattle or other large animals that like to rub against them. Monitor the boxes
for unwanted squatters. Deter predators with steel posts or sheet metal wrapped around
wood posts. Avoid shade, but also avoid direct sunlight through the entrance if possible.
Tree Swallows and
Violet
Green Swallows make good neighbors and will help defend
Bluebirds from sparrows.
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