# Western Bluebird

*Sialia mexicana*

Because they cannot excavate their own nest holes, they rely entirely on abandoned woodpecker cavities or human-made nest boxes.

- **Taxonomy:** Animalia › Chordata › Aves › Passeriformes › Turdidae › Sialia
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** forest
- **Habitat:** Open woodlands, oak savannas, forest edges, burned forests, and agricultural areas.
- **Diet:** Insects like beetles, caterpillars, and ants in spring and summer; berries and seeds during winter.
- **Range:** Western United States, Mexico, Southwestern Canada
- **Size:** Length: 15-18 cm, Wingspan: 29-34 cm, Weight: 24-31 g
- **Lifespan:** 1 to 6 years in the wild
- **Active:** diurnal
- **Threats:** Loss of natural nesting cavities due to dead tree removal, and competition for nest sites from invasive starlings and house sparrows.
- **Safe to approach?:** Harmless and peaceful. Observe from a respectful distance of 10-15 feet, especially near nesting sites. Do not disturb active nests. If you find an injured bird, contact a local licensed wildlife rehabilitator.

## About

The western bluebird ( Sialia mexicana ) is a small thrush, about 15 to 18 cm (5.9 to 7.1 in) in length. Adult males are bright blue on top and on the throat with an orange breast and sides, a brownish patch on back, and a gray belly and undertail coverts. Adult females have a duller blue body, wings, and tail than the male, a gray throat, a dull orange breast, and a gray belly and undertail coverts. Immature western...

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/e39d403f-8cd5-49ab-a710-efc1b4eeee2b
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/12937
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sialia mexicana
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/36139360/medium.jpg (Jonathan Eisen, CC-BY, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.