- Sialia mexicana
Identification
L. 6.5-7 in
- A bit larger than a sparrow
- Appears round-shouldered when perched
Male:
- Blue head, wings, and tail
- Rusty red back
- In some birds the back is partially or wholly blue
- Blue throat
Female:
- Paler and duller
- Rusty breast
- Greyish throat and belly
Immature:
- Speckle-breasted
- Grayish
- No red
- Some blue in wings and tail
Distribution
West coastal states of central North America, with California year-round. Four-corners states extending south through Mexico.
Taxonomy
Subspecies
This is a polytypic species consisting of six subspecies[1]:
- S. m. occidentalis:
- Southern British Columbia to southern California and western Nevada
- S. m. bairdi:
- S. m. anabelae:
- Mountains of northern Baja California (Sierra Juárez and San Pedro Mártir)
- S. m. amabilis:
- Sierra Madre Occidental of Mexico (southern Chihuahua to Zacatecas)
- S. m. mexicana:
- Plateau of north-eastern Mexico (Coahuila to Nuevo León and Tamaulipas)
- S. m. australis:
- Southern plateau of Mexico (Jalisco to Morelos, Puebla and Veracruz)
Habitat
Open woodlands, riparian zones, agricultural areas. Deserts in winter.
Behaviour
Usually in pairs, but gathers in flocks in winter. Has favourite perches, from which it drops to the ground to pick up prey or captures flying insects mid-air, flycatcher-style.
Diet
The diet includes insects, worms, snails, and spiders, adding berries in season.
References
- Clements, JF. 2009. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2009. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Western Bluebird. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 21 May 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Western_Bluebird
