The mountain bluebird is a migratory small thrush that is found in mountainous districts of western North America. It has a light underbelly and black eyes. Adult males have thin bills and are bright turquoise-blue and somewhat lighter underneath. Adult females have duller blue wings and tail, grey breast, grey crown, throat and back. In fresh fall plumage, the female's throat and breast are tinged with red-orange which is brownish near the flank, contrasting with white tail underparts. Their call is a thin 'few' while their song is a warbled high 'chur chur'. The mountain bluebird is the state bird of Idaho and Nevada. This bird is an omnivore and it can live 6 to 10 years in the wild. It eats spiders, grasshoppers, flies and other insects, and small fruits. The mountain bluebird is a relative of the eastern and western bluebirds.
Region
Western North America
Typical Environment
Breeds in open habitats from Alaska and western Canada south through the Rocky Mountains and Great Basin into the high plains and montane regions of the western United States. Prefers open country such as mountain meadows, sagebrush steppe, shortgrass prairie, and open coniferous forests with scattered perches. Frequently uses burned areas, fence lines, and edges of pastures where nest cavities are available. In winter it moves to lower elevations, including shrublands, desert edges, and agricultural fields. It readily occupies nest boxes where natural cavities are scarce.
Altitude Range
0–3500 m
Climate Zone
Temperate
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Mountain bluebirds are cavity nesters that readily use nest boxes, and citizen-led nest-box trails have helped sustain local populations. Males are vivid sky-blue while females are gray-brown with bluish wings, lacking the rufous breast seen in other bluebirds. They often hover over open ground to spot prey, an unusual behavior among thrushes. It is the state bird of Idaho and Nevada.
Can be a powder blue or have a gray chest
Temperament
territorial in breeding season, social in winter
Flight Pattern
buoyant, direct flight; capable of short hovering while foraging
Social Behavior
Monogamous cavity nester, often using old woodpecker holes or nest boxes. Pairs defend nesting territories but may form loose flocks outside the breeding season. Both parents feed the young; males may feed incubating females.
Migratory Pattern
Seasonal migrant
Song Description
Song is a soft, warbling series of mellow notes. Calls include a thin, high few and short chur phrases, often given in flight or from exposed perches.
Plumage
Male is bright sky- to turquoise-blue with paler blue underparts and whitish belly; female is gray-brown with bluish wings and tail, pale gray breast, and whitish underside. Fresh fall females may show a faint rufous wash on the throat and breast. Both sexes have thin, straight bills and dark eyes.
Diet
Primarily eats insects such as beetles, grasshoppers, caterpillars, and flies taken by sallying from low perches or by brief hovering. In cooler months it adds fruits and berries, including juniper, currants, and mistletoe. Occasionally gleans prey from the ground or low vegetation, especially in open fields and meadows.
Preferred Environment
Feeds in open habitats with scattered perches like fence posts, shrubs, and low tree branches. Often forages along pasture edges, sagebrush flats, and meadows, and moves to lower, more open country in winter.
