Bluebird

Bluebirds are a member of the Thrush family related to the American Robin. Three bluebirds make their home in North America: The Eastern Bluebird, The Western Bluebird and the Mountain Bluebird. The bluebird is very beneficial to us, eating large quantities of insects, such as cutworms and grasshoppers, considered damaging to our crops and gardens.

The Eastern Bluebird is the one you will likely see making it's home in Arkansas. The characteristics of the Eastern Bluebird are, they are 5-7" tall, male bright blue on back, wings and tail, throat and most of underparts orange-rusty, white belly. Female paler, back tinged with brown, throat rusty. Prefers open country, farmlands, orchards, open woodlands and sparse trees on mountain slopes.

These beautiful birds were once very common in the United States. However, over the last century their numbers have diminished due to loss of natural habitat, nest competition from House Sparrows and European Starlings, overuse of pesticides and predators.  In 1978, the North American Bluebird Society was formed.  This society, along with homeowners and birdwatchers, has placed bluebird nesting boxes all over the country.  This is helping the bluebird population recover.

If you would like to build your own nesting box, plans for building a bluebird box are available for download.

Eastern Bluebird Nest Box Plans