When do bluebirds nest in texas

I take that back. They first had to chase away the house sparrows who had invaded the box to build their own nest. Undeterred, the annoying sparrows switched their invasion to the second box. Bluebirds seem to prefer more than one nest cavity at a nesting location, for purposes that are unclear to us. Perhaps the female will build a faux nest in a second bluebird box to distract predators.

Whatever the case, the male persistently struggles to keep house sparrows from taking over the second box. Males have radiant blue heads, backs and wings, chestnut throats and breasts, and puffy white going from the belly to the base of the tail. Females have similar but lackluster colors. Coloration of the female is much duller and paler. The young, unlike adults, have mouse-gray backs and the white speckled breasts so characteristic of thrushes.

Only while they are young do these birds display their relationship to the thrush family in their coloration. A tinge of dull blue in the wings and tail give a hint of the bright colors they will wear one day.

When perching, this species appears dumpy and round-shouldered. Flight is considered more or less irregular unless the bird is traveling long distances. Short flights usually are not at a great height. During courtship the male ascends fifty to one hundred feet and then floats down to flutter around the female.

He may even offer her food as he woos her with songs and tries to convince her to examine the nest site he has chosen.

Finally she flies into the cavity and accepts it and the male. After lining it with grass, she lays four to six light blue eggs. Most, if not all, of the incubation during the required twelve-day period is done by the female. Both parents feed the nestlings, but again, the female does the larger share. However, when the young become fledglings and are able to leave the nest, the male takes over so the female can prepare the nest for a second brood.

The male continues to feed the fledglings while teaching them to feed themselves. Sometimes young from the first brood help the parents feed the second brood. About three-fourths of bluebirds' diet consists of insects such as beetles, grasshoppers, and caterpillars. Berries and other fruit make up the rest of their menu. Food preferences make the bluebird one of those species considered beneficial to people. The western bluebird, Sialia mexicana , is very similar to the eastern except the male's throat is blue and he has a rusty patch on his back.

Females are duller than the males and have a whitish throat. This species winters in the Trans-Pecos and breeds in the Guadalupe Mountains. Except for its whitish belly, the mountain bluebird, Sialis currucoides , is a beautiful turquoise blue. No red appears on either the male or the female. Pairs usually raise 2, sometimes 3 broods per year. Helpers at nests are rare as is brood parasitism. Extra-pair copulation occurs. Harrison , Gowaty, and Plissner Lockwood and Freeman describe Eastern Bluebirds as uncommon to locally common summer residents of the eastern half of Texas and common in the Panhandle in the Canadian River drainage.

The pattern of blocks with breeding evidence on the TBBA map is generally similar to that of. Texas counties with breeding or simmer records on the map in Oberholser These results suggest the future of Eastern Bluebirds in Texas is reasonably secure for the foreseeable future.

Carter W.. Eastern Bluebird Sialia sialis. In Oklahoma breeding bird atlas, pp. Reinking, ed. University of Oklahoma Press, Norman. In Arizona breeding bird atlas. Corman and C. Wise-Gervais, eds. As their name suggests, Mountain Bluebirds are observed at elevations up to 12, feet during the breeding season. Once winter arrives, they typically fly down to lower elevations. These birds are found in open areas, such as meadows, prairies, or pastures.

They also enjoy habitat with a mix of grasses, shrubs, and trees, such as open woodlands, burned areas, or places that have had the forests thinned by logging. Mountain Bluebirds feast on insects during warm months and switch their diet to mostly berries in winter. But unlike other bluebird species, they are excellent aerial hunters and routinely grab insects out of midair!

These birds take readily to human-made nest boxes. Providing bluebirds with a suitable house is extremely helpful to them but also enjoyable for humans to watch! Competition for nesting cavities is fierce for Mountain Bluebirds. In fact, finding a suitable nesting location is so important for female Mountain Bluebirds, they rarely care about anything else.

She chooses her mate almost solely based on the quality of his nesting cavity, ignoring things like looks, singing skills, and flying ability!

Next time you are in a mountain valley or meadow, keep your ears open and listen for a Mountain Bluebird! While visiting ft worth during mid April this year I spotted this lovely average sized bird.

Body shape similar to morning dove found in my home state, ohio. Color was a dark grayish blue. Zero white in plumage. Wondering if I had spotted the western texas mountain blue bird?