Thrushes (Turdidae)
Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) - HBW 10, p. 625
French: Merlebleu de l’Est
German: Rotkehl-Hüttensänger
Spanish: Azulejo Oriental
Other common names: Azure Bluebird
Taxonomy: Motacilla Sialis Linnaeus, 1758, South Carolina, USA.
Occasionally hybridizes with S. currucoides. Geographical variation slight, and level of individual variation in morphology and behaviour within and between populations remarkably high; in addition, lack of a “prealternate” moult results in very worn birds in spring and summer, confounding racial analysis and attribution; bermudensis, grata and meridionalis possibly untenable. Proposed race episcopus (S coastal Texas, in USA, S to S Tamaulipas, in NE Mexico) considered indistinguishable from nominate. Eight subspecies recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution:
- sialis (Linnaeus, 1758) - S & SE Canada and E USA S to NE Mexico; non-breeding also N Mexico and Bermuda.
- fulva Brewster, 1885 - SW USA (SE Arizona) S through montane C Mexico.
- grata Bangs, 1898 - SW USA (S Florida).
- sialis (Linnaeus, 1758) - S & SE Canada and E USA S to NE Mexico; non-breeding also N Mexico and Bermuda.
- fulva Brewster, 1885 - SW USA (SE Arizona) S through montane C Mexico.
- grata Bangs, 1898 - SW USA (S Florida).
- bermudensis Verrill, 1901 - Bermuda.
- nidificans A. R. Phillips, 1991 - Caribbean slope of EC Mexico.
- guatemalae Ridgway, 1882 - SE Mexico (Chiapas) and Guatemala.
- meridionalis Dickey & van Rossem, 1930 - El Salvador, Honduras and N Nicaragua.
- caribaea T. R. Howell, 1965 - E Honduras and NE Nicaragua.
- Least Concern Enlarge map
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An adult feeding a chick with a grasshopper, removing a faecal sac from another chick and flying away. Locality Abita Springs, St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, USA (United States) (ssp sialis)
Bill Wayman 1 May 2007 3 years ago 34 sec 4.7 -
A male on a nest box, looking inside several times and flying away Locality Mount Airy, Maryland, USA (United States) (ssp sialis)
Robert Schaefer 11 March 2002 4 years ago 32 sec 4.7 -
A close lateral view of a female on a nest box Locality Mount Airy, Maryland, USA (United States) (ssp sialis)
Robert Schaefer 8 May 2001 4 years ago 17 sec 4.6 -
A male on a post, scratching his head Locality Mount Airy, Maryland, USA (United States) (ssp sialis)
Robert Schaefer 10 March 2002 4 years ago 21 sec 4.4 -
A male with a caterpillar on the beak to bring to the nest Locality Rock Creek Park, Washington DC, USA (United States) (ssp sialis)
Josep del Hoyo 4 May 2006 4 years ago 15 sec 4.3 -
A female at the entrance of its nestbox, and entering it Locality Rock Creek Park, Washington DC, USA (United States) (ssp sialis)
Josep del Hoyo 4 May 2006 4 years ago 7 sec 4
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Feeding a juvenile.
Locality Longueuil Regional Park, Longueuil, Quebec, Canada
Bruantchanteur 8 July 2008 2 years ago 4.6 -
Bird in tree
Locality Sea Pines Plantation, Hilton Head Island, Beaufort County, South Carolina, USA (United States)
Tom Moxley 15 February 2010 1 year ago 4.3 -
On a pole
Locality Cap Tourmente National Wildlife Area, Quebec, Canada
Guy Poisson 25 May 2011 37 weeks ago 4 -
Fall (molting) bluebird in cottonwood tree
Locality Manhattan, Kansas, USA (United States)
Dave Rintoul 27 September 2011 19 weeks ago 3.9 -
Bird perched on fence line
Locality Sea Pines Plantation, Hilton Head Island, Beaufort County, South Carolina, USA (United States)
Tom Moxley 10 February 2010 1 year ago 3.9 -
Bird on fence in horse stables
Locality Sea Pines Plantation, Hilton Head Island, Beaufort County, South Carolina, USA (United States)
Tom Moxley 24 January 2010 1 year ago 3.9
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Song of a male Locality Atlanta, Georgia, USA (United States)
(ssp sialis)
Stuart Fisher 4 June 2009 2 years ago 3 -
A male singing.
Locality San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas State, Mexico (Southern)
(ssp guatemalae)
Josep del Hoyo 9 April 2009 2 years ago 3
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