Eastern Bluebirds
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In addition to using some of the nest boxes set up by people, bluebirds also use existing holes in trees. This picture, the audio file, and videos are from a pair of bluebirds in my yard this year.
Bluebirds do not prefer to nest deep in the woods, but rather in fields, parks, and edges of woods. The might use an abandoned woodpecker hole. Males will display/show off near possible nest sites, but females will basically do all the nest building and egg incubating. Other birds that use tree holes or bird boxes for nesting include chickadees, wood ducks, nuthatches, and some swallows & wrens. |
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Female bluebird in nest hole
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Male bluebird on watch
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The Mad Bluebird
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Maybe you have seen the famous image of the "The Mad Bluebird." That unique photo was taken about 40 years ago by a Maryland photographer, Michael Smith, who didn't really like the image. But it was a big hit among the general public, and has been reprinted innumerable times on a wide variety of objects (framed photo and vase in my house)!
His 'mad bluebird story' has been featured many times, including in this Baltimore Sun article from 2000. |
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