Description: The
beautiful male Mountain Bluebird is vivid,
sky-blue with a lighter breast and white
abdomen. The female is grayer with splashes
of sky blue. Mountain Bluebirds measure
about seven inches in length and have long,
swallow-like wings; giving them a graceful
appearance in flight.
Diet: Mountain
Bluebirds feed on insects. They often hunt
from conspicuous perches and drop to the
ground to catch prey. Mountain Bluebirds
occasionally dart out from branches and
catch insects in mid-air.
Range: The
Mountain Bluebird breeds throughout much
of western North America from central Alaska
south to southern New Mexico. They occur
east to the western fringes of the Dakotas.
In winter, the Mountain Bluebird may range
east to Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas.
Habitat: Mountain
Bluebirds prefer open woodlands and alpine
meadows with small groves of trees and
shrubs.
Nesting: The
Mountain Bluebird nests in natural tree
cavities, or, in man-made nest boxes.
Females lay 4-8 pale blue eggs.
Status: The
Mountain Bluebird is common and populations
are stable.
