There are no words to describe the beauty of the male Mountain Bluebird when the sun hits its stunning blue iridescent wings, back, and tail feathers at just the right angle. I stopped dead in my tracks the first time I saw a male in the crisp morning light here in Aldea. I see them frequently in contrast to the green junipers zipping through the arroyos. I love that flash of electric blue. We are truly privileged to have them here year-round in northern New Mexico.
This winter, a male has inconsistently roosted on the inside of the steel I-beams that frame one of the portals of our house. Last winter there were two females roosting every night on the beam and a male would come and fetch them at dawn. Wonderful to witness the daily ritual while sipping morning coffee.
Although Mountain Bluebirds tolerate people somewhat, they are more skittish than Western Bluebirds and other birds also chase them out of our yard. The Mountain Bluebirds readily eat the freeze-dried mealworms we put out. Especially when the worms are placed in a shallow saucer of water. But again, other birds tend to scurry them away. Competition for mealworms is fierce.
Mountain Bluebirds are cavity nesters generally, although we have heard they will nest in boxes. We noted that a pair had built a nest in one of the large rock retaining walls here in Aldea last season. The eggs did hatch as we heard the newborns, but we fear that the brood did not make it as we never saw any fledglings in our area after that initial chirping emanating from the wall.
We are hopeful that this coming breeding season the Mountain Bluebirds we have seen this winter will stay and have a successful brood or two. Hopefully the daily fresh water and mealworms we put out will contribute to that goal.
A group of bluebirds are collectively known by the same nouns as for thrushes. A “hermitage” or a “mutation” of thrushes or bluebirds. The Mountain Bluebird is the state bird of Idaho and Nevada.
Male, female Mountain Bluebirds in Aldea. Click on photos to enlarge.
Your photos are reMARKable. Thank you for providing this superb reference for those of us learning to identify birds in Aldea.
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome. My goal is take the best possible photos so we can all learn from them. There is a long list of birds here in Aldea to photograph.
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