With winter winding its way into spring, initially I had planned on writing this article with the challenge of seeing who might capture the first glimpse of one of the earliest signs of change we see locally. The specific sign I speak of being the annual return of our beautiful cerulean summer neighbors, the Mountain Bluebird. Alas, during a late-winter escape to visit my parents in Florida, the first was already spotted, as was seen on March 3rd in the Facebook group Nederland Area Nature.
These visually striking creatures tend to be easily spotted, as their brilliant plumage provides a sharp contrast as they flit about the still-white blankets of snow. The male, as with most bird species, has the more brilliant coat, typically all blue while the female is mostly brown with a blue rump and wings. Even without the snow, the intensity of blue that graces both sexes is unmistakable among the lingering brown and gold of tall grasses yet to be flush with the green of summer.
Mountain Bluebirds tend to live in or around meadows, especially if the meadow is accompanied by their favorite nesting trees, the Aspens. We certainly have an abundance of both, so they can be a common sight perching on a low shrub, fence post or wire as one drives, walks or bikes along our country roads. As a natural home, they prefer Aspens due to the common presence of ample holes in the dead trunks of a stand, ideal for nesting. If you happen to live in or near such meadows, you can also encourage them to move in, as they tend to greatly enjoy bird boxes that are easily constructed or purchased. It is best to have a box up before they arrive, but it is never too late (or early) to try, and you may still end up with a happy resident, even if it’s not a bluebird.
While they traditionally nest in tree cavities such as those hollowed out by woodpeckers, they have become quite accustomed to the man-made nesting boxes. If one is interested in attracting the species, here are a few tips that naturalists have discovered regarding the placement of the box(s). It is ideal to provide a pair of boxes, spaced about 20 or so feet apart, to provide for competitive species. Competition for nesting can be fierce as the migratory neighbors return, so it helps if one can accommodate more than one species (their biggest competitor for boxes being the swallows) if one’s heart is set on the bluebirds.
Make sure the entrance hole faces away from prevailing winds, and if near a road, faced away from the road. Bluebirds do not tend to nest high up in the treetops, so it is ideal to keep the entrance hole within a few feet of the ground, making fence poles an ideal spot. Their main food source is insects, which they hunt from perches on fences or atop smaller shrubs, so for “ease of access”, it is also recommended there be such structures or plants within 20-30 feet of the box.
It also bears noting that when it comes to partnership, the female of the species prefers an ideal nesting site over the brilliance of the coat or the song of a male, so providing a solid home is a great way to help a guy out (and land you a beautiful pair to “decorate” your property during the summer). The male will scout out a location, but it is the female who ultimately makes the decision on the location and does the actual nest building. A successfully mated pair will produce 1-2 broods of 4-8 eggs per clutch each summer. The eggs will be incubated by the female for about 2 weeks, and once hatched, the babies will stay in the nest for about 3 weeks before fledging. Once fledged, the birds will form a flock with one or both broods, and with the additions of non-breeding birds, and come and go from the nesting area for the remainder of the summer.
Best of luck to you if you attempt setting up nesting boxes! It can take some patience to see results, as it can sometimes take a few years from setting a box up to hosting a family but is a nice addition to your home regardless of species. If you are graced with the pleasure of calling these brilliant, winged delights your neighbors, enjoy hosting arguably one of the most beautiful passerine birds of the American west!
Originally published in The Mountain-Ear
