Mountain Bluebird

Overview

Mountain Bluebird: Small thrush with brilliant blue back, head, and wings. Throat and breast are paler blue, and belly and undertail coverts are white. Hovers more than other bluebirds and drops on prey from above, also catches insects in flight. Eats mostly insects in the summer.

Range and Habitat

Mountain Bluebird: Breeds in southern Alaska, Mackenzie, and Manitoba south to western Nebraska, New Mexico, Arizona, and southern California. Spends winters in British Columbia and Montana south through western U.S. Inhabits high mountain meadows with scattered trees and bushes; in winter, descends to lower elevations in plains and grasslands.

INTERESTING FACTS

Mountain Bluebirds can be seen hovering in the air, in a hawk-like manner, a meter or more above the ground searching for a food item.
It is the state bird of Idaho and Nevada.
They are partial to insects—studies indicate that up to 92% of their diet is composed of animal matter.
A group of thrushes are collectively known as a "hermitage" and a "mutation" of thrushes.

The Mountain Bluebird has a large range, estimated globally at 4,400,000 square kilometers. Native to Canada, the United States, and Mexico, this bird prefers grassland, forest, and shrubland ecosystems. The global population of this bird is estimated at 5,200,000 individuals and does not show signs of decline that would necessitate inclusion on the IUCN Red List. For this reason, the current evaluation status of the Mountain Bluebird is Least Concern.