New Mexico’s resident western bluebirds will be nesting soon
My favorite time of the year has arrived. I am now checking weekly to see if there is any activity at our bluebird nesting box. The box is clean and ready for immediate occupancy. Our nest box is in the sun and faces southeast. It is on a steel pole, five feet high with a predator guard to keep snakes from raiding the nest box for eggs or young. It is placed a few feet from a tree for an easy first flight for young bluebirds leaving the nest box.
My year-round family of eight resident western bluebirds has been feeding on dried mealworms that are great at attracting not only them, but also robins, chickadees, wrens, nuthatches, thrashers and bushtits. Mix in some live mealworms if you’re not too squeamish. The young bluebirds love them! In the summer, western bluebirds feed on insects, diving down from low perches to catch their prey. They beat large prey against a branch or the ground before eating it. They also supplement their diet with berries. Of course, as with all birds, don’t forget to provide them with plenty of water to keep them coming back.
I love the coloring of the western bluebird. They have a deep purplish-blue head and throat coupled with a brick-red breast and sides. They have a brownish patch on their back and a gray belly. Their bill is thin and straight. Their tails are fairly short. All this makes them very easy to identify. Their song is rarely heard, as it is a very soft, mellow few, few, fawee.
These bluebirds live in western North America — Canada and the U.S. — south to the central part of Mexico. Northern populations fly south in the winter, while those in the south of the range, such as in New Mexico, are resident. Their population dropped dramatically in the early 1900s due to loss of habitat and competition for nests from house sparrows. Bluebird trails, consisting of a number of nest boxes, were begun in the 1970s due to the efforts of national and local bluebird societies. They are no longer endangered, and their population is estimated to be 7.1 million.
For the most part, western bluebirds are monogamous, forming long-term bonds. The males are extremely territorial, with battles often occurring. The males can grab each other by the legs, tumbling to the ground and jabbing each other with their beaks. Courtship involves the male singing and fluttering in front of the female with wings half open and the tail fanned. The male may even preen the female and offer her food. The female builds the nest with some help from the male. Four to six eggs are laid, pale blue in color. The eggs are incubated by the female in 12 to 18 days. Both parents feed the young, who fledge in two or three weeks. After fledging, both parents feed the offspring for another two to three weeks until the young know how to fend for themselves. During that period of time, the male often assumes most of the responsibility since the female will be occupied with adding material to the nest and laying a second clutch. They are cooperative breeders, so there are often “helper” birds assisting the parents in raising the young.
Food, water, native plants and a nest box will bring joy into your life!