Bird guide · Sialia sialis
Eastern Bluebird
What the eastern bluebird eats, where it lives, when it comes to feeders and how to recognise it – with sightings from every US state.
- Season
- Partial migrant
- Size
- 7 in (17.5 cm)
- Eats
- mealworms, berries
- Feeds
- tray/platform
- Most common
- Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee
Food
What do eastern bluebirds eat?
At feeders, eastern bluebirds take mealworms, berries.
Perches low and drops or hovers to catch insects on the ground; also eats berries.
Feeder that suits it
A tray with chopped fruit, berries or mealworms.
Range
Where do eastern bluebirds live?
Eastern North America, south to Nicaragua; resident in many southern areas. By share of all bird sightings, eastern bluebirds are most common in Georgia (2.4%).
States where eastern bluebirds are most common
- Georgia2.4%
- North Carolina2.3%
- Tennessee2.3%
- South Carolina2.2%
- Alabama2.1%
- Virginia2.1%
- Mississippi1.8%
- Maryland1.8%
- Arkansas1.7%
- West Virginia1.5%
Share of all bird sightings in each state that are eastern bluebirds, 2019–2024.
Season
Does the eastern bluebird migrate?
Partial migrant. Across the US it is reported in every month; its share of bird sightings is highest in February.
Share of all bird sightings in the US that are eastern bluebirds, by month.
Identification
How to identify the eastern bluebird
Male: Bright blue above, reddish-brown throat and chest, white belly.
Female: Paler and duller than male.
Young birds: Heavily spotted with traces of blue.
Size: 7 in (17.5 cm)
Nesting
Does the eastern bluebird use nest boxes?
Yes. Many nest in birdhouses on 'bluebird trails'.
On camera
Getting the eastern bluebird on a feeder camera
Use a camera feeder with an open tray for fruit and mealworms; many fruit eaters ignore seed.
Questions
Eastern Bluebird: questions
What do eastern bluebirds eat?
At feeders, mealworms, berries.
Do eastern bluebirds migrate?
Partial migrant. Across the US it is reported in every month; its share of bird sightings is highest in February.
Where do eastern bluebirds live?
By share of all bird sightings, they are most common in Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, South Carolina, Alabama. They are rare or absent in Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana.
What does a female eastern bluebird look like?
Paler and duller than male.
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