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Western Bluebird

Sialia mexicana ORDER: PASSERIFORMES FAMILY: TURDIDAE

IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern

Western Bluebird Photo

© 2004 Cornell Lab of Ornithology

The Western Bluebird is a common sight in parklands of the West. Unlike the other species of bluebirds, it does not like large meadows, preferring open forests instead.

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Appearance

Thrushes
Thrushes
Typical Voice

Adult Description

  • Medium-sized songbird; small thrush.
  • Head large and round.
  • Wings and tail blue.
  • Chest red.
  • Some reddish on back.

Male Description

Head, throat and upperparts bright, deep cobalt blue. Breast chestnut. Blue on belly and undertail coverts. Varying amounts of chestnut on back. Eyes dark. Legs dark.

Female Description

Duller and not extensively blue. Head and throat gray. Back gray-brown. Abdomen and undertail coverts grayish. Blue wings and tail. Chest duller chestnut.

Immature Description

Juvenile with spotted chest and back, blue in wings and tail. Immature similar to adults, but duller.

Range Map Help

Western Bluebird Range Map
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Field MarksHelp

  • Adult male
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    Adult male
    • © 2004 Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Guadalupe Canyon, Baja California, Mexico, December 2005
  • Female
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    Female
    • © James Sanford/CLO
  • Male
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    Male
    • Common bluebird of many western states
    • Small thrush with round head, slender bill
    • Blue throat and brilliant, deep-blue upperparts
    • Many but not all males have rusty-red shoulder/back
    • © Jamie Chavez, Santa Maria , California, February 2009
  • Female
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    Female
    • Small thrush with round head, fairly small bill
    • Gray throat and belly
    • Blue tinges in wings and tail
    • Chestnut wash across breast
    • © Tiny Gehrke/PFW, Manteca, California, January 2009
  • Male
    PopOutZoom In
    Male
    • Small thrush with round head, fairly small bill
    • Blue throat and brilliant, deep-blue upperparts
    • Many but not all males have rusty-red shoulder/back
    • © Barbara Pursell/PFW, Spokane, Washington, July 2006

Similar Species

  • Male (left), female (right)
    PopOutZoom In

    Eastern Bluebird

    Male (left), female (right)
    • Mainly occurs farther east than Western Bluebird
    • Male has rusty throat, not blue throat
    • Male lacks rusty color on back
    • Female has whitish instead of gray throat and belly
    • © Ruthie Kansas, Topeka, Kansas, May 2009
  • Male (left), female (right)
    PopOutZoom In

    Mountain Bluebird

    Male (left), female (right)
    • Male is sky blue above and below; no rusty
    • Female has little or no rusty wash on gray breast
    • Bill more slender than Western Bluebird
    • © Ron Kube, Alberta, Canada, May 2009

Similar Species

  • Eastern Bluebird male has light or orange throat and no red extending onto back.
  • Female bluebirds are all similar in appearance to one another. Eastern Bluebird has white chin, white belly contrasting with reddish on chest, and throat color extending onto side of neck.
  • Mountain Bluebird has gray chest with little if any orange, longer bill, longer legs, and longer wings that nearly reach the end of the tail when folded.