Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis)

In our sheep field, on the top of a fencepost, we have a Bluebird house. This dwelling hosts about two broods of chicks per year. Bluebirds are magnificent songbirds, medium-sized thrushes really, that love open woodlands, farmlands and orchards. Bluebirds have a white belly, blue wings, and a reddish brown throat and breast. They range east of the Rockies from southern Canada to the Gulf States and as far south as Nicaragua. Bluebirds are very territorial and this evening four or five males were trying to claim the ground over the house as their own.

Bluebirds like to nest in old Woodpecker holes, natural cavities, or nesting boxes. Bluebirds are particular about their houses. This birdhouse sits about five feet off the ground, has an eight inch tall cavity, with the entrance that’s 1.5 inches in diameter and six inches above the door. As I said, they are particular.

We see all kinds of birds on our farm including Yellow Finches, Blue Jays, Red birds, Crows, Turkey Vultures, Red Tailed Hawks, Wild Turkeys, Killdeer, Great Blue Heron, ducks, Canada Geese, Meadowlarks, Swifts, Humming Birds, and occasionally Pileated Woodpeckers, Red-Headed Woodpeckers, and American Kestrels. Some times at night we hear Whip-Poor-Wills, Barn Owls, and Mocking Birds. We usually leave a field uncut in winter – the birds pick off the grass seeds all the way through spring.