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This species is a small swallow at 18–25 centimetres (7.1–9.8 in). The adult birds have a highly lustrous dark metallic steel-blue appearance with long tail streamers, which are particularly noticeable in males. White feathers are visible on the rump and flanks when the birds are preening and especially during courtship.
Bluebirds have two or three nestings per year so do not give up trying to attract them. Keep monitoring your bluebird nest boxes and make sure that they aren’t occupied by house sparrows.
Eastern bluebirds measure 16–21 cm (6.3–8.3 in) long, span 25–32 cm (9.8–12.6 in) across the wings, and weigh 27–34 g (0.95–1.20 oz). [12] [11] Male bluebirds have a bright head, back, and wings. Their breast is a brownish red. [12] Females are lighter with gray on the head and back and some blue on their wings and tail.
The bluebirds are a North American [1] group of medium-sized, mostly insectivorous or omnivorous birds in the order of Passerines in the genus Sialia of the thrush family (Turdidae). Bluebirds are one of the few thrush genera in the Americas. Bluebirds lay an average of 4 to 6 eggs per clutch. They will usually brood two or three times in a year.
In many species, parents continue to care for their fledged young, either by leading them to food sources, or feeding them. Birds are vulnerable after they have left the nest, but before they can fly, though once fledged their chances of survival increase dramatically. [5] A pigeon fledgling on a tiled floor
Young birds generally stop producing fecal sacs shortly before they fledge. [8] Removal of fecal material helps to improve nest sanitation, which in turn helps to increase the likelihood that nestlings will remain healthy. [9] It also helps to reduce the chance that predators will see it or smell it and thereby find the nest. [10]
They generally fledge about 18 to 22 days after hatching. The tree swallow is sometimes considered a model organism, due to the large amount of research done on it. An aerial insectivore, the tree swallow forages both alone and in groups, eating mostly insects, in addition to mollusks, spiders, and fruit. The nestlings, like the adult ...
After the juveniles fledge, the family travels and forages together until early fall, when the young birds disperse to avoid competition for food during the winter. Sexual maturity is reached after one year of age. The oldest known wild, banded Blue Jay was at least 26 years, 11 months old when it was found dead after being caught in fishing gear.