M. Amsler—Recently Imported Bluebirds



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The male of this species has the blues much more brilliant than the

Eastern, but the difference which at once strikes the observer is the

fact that the blue extends forward from the back and cheeks and forms

a beautiful blue collar or gorget with a sharp line of demarcation from

the chestnut of the upper breast.


I do not know why it is, but the cock of the species under con¬

sideration always reminds me of the Kufous-bellied Niltava. I hate to

say so, for it seems almost disloyal, but the Western is a much more

beautiful bird than our old Eastern friend. The female has already

been partly described. She is in her turn not quite so attractive as the

Eastern hen, her blues being if anything a little duller, but this may

be due to the fact that my own hen of the latter species is an old and

well-coloured specimen.


Although these two species much resemble each other and although

they are obviously very closely allied it is said that their territories

do not overlap, and that interbreeding does not take place. When

one has used a good many superlatives in describing the two foregoing

birds, it is difficult to find adjectives suitable to the Arctic or Mountain

Bluebird (Sialia corrucoides ). Male, all solid metallic light sky-blue,

paling on head and breast. Lower abdomen white. Female with blue

very much reduced, head and back with blue veiled with ashy grey.

Under parts pale brownish ash, the strongest on face and throat, the

blue shows clearly only on wings, rump, and tail.


Juvenile plumage almost identical with parallel plumage of Eastern

and Western Bluebird, namely the back is a brownish blue flecked with

white spots, throat spotted with rich brown and white.


The wings and tail only show any definite blue and this is much

darker in the Eastern and Western than in the Mountain Bluebird.


Habitats


Eastern Bluebird: temperate Eastern North America, in Canada

across the southern part of the Dominion, commonly to Manitoba

more rarely in Saskatchewan.


Western Bluebird: western North America, in Canada, southern

British Columbia—this is the common Bluebird of the south-west

coast.



