Class Aves
Order Songbirds
Family Old World Flycatcher
Genus Sialia

Credit: Larry Bond

North American field guide

Eastern Bluebird

Sialia sialis

Explore this bird

Identification

Field notes

18 cm (7") Uncommon. Eastern North America. Open country with scattered trees, farmlands, roadsides.

Male: blue upperparts. Rusty red throat, breast and sides. White belly. Similar male Western Bluebird has a blue throat.

Female: bluish gray upperparts. Blue tail. Pale rusty throat, breast and sides. White belly. Similar female Western Bluebird has a grayish throat and belly.

Building and tending nest boxes by concerned individuals and groups has greatly helped this bird.

Song: soft warble; call is musical "churee" or "tru-ly".

Details in the field

Photo gallery

2 photos

Credit: Larry Bond

Credit: Larry Bond

Watch and learn

Videos

1 video

Eastern Bluebird Portrait

Credit: Larry Bond

Where it lives

Distribution maps

Source legend · original intervals

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Unshaded in source · does not imply absence

Generic and winter maps may use different intervals.

Bird Advisor Identification rules 2 variants 8 rules

These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.

Eastern Bluebird (Male)

4 rules

Rule 1 13 criteria confidence 4

What was the sex of the bird ?: Male · Unknown
Did the WINGS have STRIPES or PATCHES ?: No · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Blue · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Short · Medium · Unknown
What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?: Light area between the bill and the eye · Light area running up the side of the neck or head · Sideburn stripe running down beneath the eye · Dark area behind, under, through or around the eye · Ear "tufts" or horns · NONE of the above or a PLAIN unmarked FACE · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Blue · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Northeastern Canada or United States · Southeastern United States

result:702-eastern-bluebird-male:1:1 Source: 702 Eastern Bluebird (Male), row 1

Rule 2 13 criteria confidence 1

What was the sex of the bird ?: Male · Unknown
Did the WINGS have STRIPES or PATCHES ?: No · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Blue · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Short · Medium · Unknown
What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?: Light area between the bill and the eye · Light area running up the side of the neck or head · Sideburn stripe running down beneath the eye · Dark area behind, under, through or around the eye · Ear "tufts" or horns · NONE of the above or a PLAIN unmarked FACE · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Blue · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States · Northwestern Canada or United States

result:702-eastern-bluebird-male:2:1 Source: 702 Eastern Bluebird (Male), row 2

Rule 3 7 criteria confidence 4

What was the sex of the bird ?: Male · Unknown
Was the bird seen best or only on the ground ?: No
What TAIL BEHAVIOURS if any were noted ?: Pointing downward
How BIG was the bird ?: Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Identify from a Unique Behaviour
What type of environment was the bird seen in?: Open area: field, prairie, meadow, farmland, tundra · Thickets or shrubs · Deciduous forest · Coniferous forest · Mixed forest · Wooded freshwater habitat · Freshwater marsh or wetland
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Northeastern Canada or United States · Southeastern United States

result:702-eastern-bluebird-male:3:1 Source: 702 Eastern Bluebird (Male), row 3

Rule 4 7 criteria confidence 1

What was the sex of the bird ?: Male · Unknown
Was the bird seen best or only on the ground ?: No
What TAIL BEHAVIOURS if any were noted ?: Pointing downward
How BIG was the bird ?: Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Identify from a Unique Behaviour
What type of environment was the bird seen in?: Open area: field, prairie, meadow, farmland, tundra · Thickets or shrubs · Deciduous forest · Coniferous forest · Mixed forest · Wooded freshwater habitat · Freshwater marsh or wetland
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States · Northwestern Canada or United States

result:702-eastern-bluebird-male:4:1 Source: 702 Eastern Bluebird (Male), row 4

Eastern Bluebird (Female)

4 rules

Rule 1 15 criteria confidence 4

What was the sex of the bird ?: Female · Unknown
What colour were the WINGS ?: Blue · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Blue · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?: Uniform color · Streaked lengthwise (from head to tail) · Spotted or mottled · Barred crosswise (from side to side) · Has a central spot · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Short · Medium · Unknown
What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?: Light area between the bill and the eye · Light area running up the side of the neck or head · Sideburn stripe running down beneath the eye · Dark area behind, under, through or around the eye · Ear "tufts" or horns · NONE of the above or a PLAIN unmarked FACE · Unknown
Was the HEAD striped ?: No · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Northeastern Canada or United States · Southeastern United States

result:703-eastern-bluebird-female:1:1 Source: 703 Eastern Bluebird (Female), row 1

Rule 2 15 criteria confidence 1

What was the sex of the bird ?: Female · Unknown
What colour were the WINGS ?: Blue · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Blue · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?: Uniform color · Streaked lengthwise (from head to tail) · Spotted or mottled · Barred crosswise (from side to side) · Has a central spot · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Short · Medium · Unknown
What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?: Light area between the bill and the eye · Light area running up the side of the neck or head · Sideburn stripe running down beneath the eye · Dark area behind, under, through or around the eye · Ear "tufts" or horns · NONE of the above or a PLAIN unmarked FACE · Unknown
Was the HEAD striped ?: No · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States · Northwestern Canada or United States

result:703-eastern-bluebird-female:2:1 Source: 703 Eastern Bluebird (Female), row 2

Rule 3 7 criteria confidence 4

What was the sex of the bird ?: Female · Unknown
Was the bird seen best or only on the ground ?: No
What TAIL BEHAVIOURS if any were noted ?: Pointing downward
How BIG was the bird ?: Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Identify from a Unique Behaviour
What type of environment was the bird seen in?: Open area: field, prairie, meadow, farmland, tundra · Thickets or shrubs · Deciduous forest · Coniferous forest · Mixed forest · Wooded freshwater habitat · Freshwater marsh or wetland
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Northeastern Canada or United States · Southeastern United States

result:703-eastern-bluebird-female:3:1 Source: 703 Eastern Bluebird (Female), row 3

Rule 4 7 criteria confidence 1

What was the sex of the bird ?: Female · Unknown
Was the bird seen best or only on the ground ?: No
What TAIL BEHAVIOURS if any were noted ?: Pointing downward
How BIG was the bird ?: Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Identify from a Unique Behaviour
What type of environment was the bird seen in?: Open area: field, prairie, meadow, farmland, tundra · Thickets or shrubs · Deciduous forest · Coniferous forest · Mixed forest · Wooded freshwater habitat · Freshwater marsh or wetland
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States · Northwestern Canada or United States

result:703-eastern-bluebird-female:4:1 Source: 703 Eastern Bluebird (Female), row 4