The Bluebird 51 



paler. Nestling. — Wings and tail essentially like those of adult, upper parts dark sooty 

 brown, the back spotted with whitish; below, whitish, but the feathers of the breast and 

 sides widely margined with brown, producing a spotted appearance. This plumage is soon 

 followed by the fall or winter plumage, in which the blue feathers of the back are fringed 

 with rusty, and young and old birds are then alike in color. 



Range. — Eastern United States west to the Rocky Mountains; nests from the Gulf 

 States to Manitoba and Nova Scotia; winters from southern New England southward. 



la. Azure Bluebird {Sialia sialis azurea) 

 Similar to the Eastern Bluebird, but breast paler, upper parts lighter, more cerulean 

 blue. 



Range. — Mountains of eastern Mexico north to southern Arizona. 



2. Western Bluebird {Sialia mexicana occidentalis) 



Adult male. — Above deep blue, the foreback in part chestnut; throat blue, breast and 



sides chestnut, the belly bluish grayish. Adult female. — Above grayish blue, chestnut of 



back faintly indicated, throat grayish blue, breast rusty, paler than in male, belly grayish. 



Range. — Pacific coast region from northern Lower California north to British Columbia, 



east to Nevada. 



2a. Chestnut-backed Bluebird {Salia mexicana bairdi) 

 Similar to the Western Bluebird, but foreback wholly chestnut. (See plate. ) 

 Range. — Rocky Mountain region from Mexico north to Wyoming. 



2b. San Pedro Bluebird {Sialia mexicana anabela) 

 Similar to the Western Bluebird, but back with less chestnut. 

 Range. — San Pedro Martir mountains. Lower California. 



3. Mountain Bluebird {Sialia arctica) 



Adult male. — Almost wholly blue, above beautiful cerulean, below paler, belly whit- 

 ish. Adult female. — Above brownish gray, upper tail coverts, wings and tail bluish, 

 below pale fawn, belly whitish. 



Range. — Western United States from Rocky Mountains to Sierras, and from New 

 Mexico north to the Great Slave Lake region. 



Questions for Teachers and Students 



How many kinds of Bluebirds are there? Trace their distribution on the map. How 

 do they differ from one another? How far north does the Eastern Bluebird remain in 

 winter? Are the Bluebirds we see in winter the same individuals that spend the summer 

 with us? When do the Bluebirds begin to migrate northward? Do they travel singly or 

 in flocks? Which sex comes first? When do the Bluebirds begin to nest? Where do they 

 place their nests ? Of what is the nest composed ? Do both male and female build ? How 

 many eggs are laid? What color are they? Do Bluebirds raise more than one family in a 

 season? What does the Bluebird look like when he leaves the nest? What do Bluebirds 

 eat? 



