If a flash of blue throughout the arid montane summer season landscapes of New Mexico and Arizona catches your eye, it might simply be the spunky Mountain Bluebird. The primary time I noticed one in every of these blue songbirds was on a crisp winter day after a contemporary snow at my favourite pure space within the Entrance Vary of Northern Colorado, the place I’m from. In comparison with New Mexico and Arizona, the place Mountain Bluebirds are a typical, vibrant, and year-round sight, they’re rarer to see in Northern Colorado, the place they principally go to throughout breeding. So, I used to be ecstatic and blown away once I noticed a male Mountain Bluebird perched on a slim reed.
Its trademarked sky-blue, full-body coloring, which is distinctly lighter than that of different bluebirds, was gorgeous. Nonetheless, what I discovered actually astounding was how calmly and elegantly the Mountain Bluebird perched on such a fragile piece of flora, with its tiny anisodactyl toes protecting it regular. A enjoyable instance of that is that in western Arizona, yow will discover them perching on the highest of Joshua Trees. After the Mountain Bluebird I used to be watching darted away, I continued my stroll. It was doubtless in quest of berries which are vital for its winter food plan. Nonetheless, in different seasons, you will note Mountain Bluebirds feed totally on bugs when they’re extra ample.
Once you see one Mountain Bluebird, there’s a good likelihood you will note extra, especially in winter, as they like to collect in giant flocks for defense when meals is more durable to seek out. When Mountain Bluebirds are in a flock, it permits some to behave as lookouts for predators, which may help others deal with discovering meals. Later throughout my stroll, I noticed one other one by choosing up on the comfortable, warbling notes of its tune. This time it was a feminine Mountain Bluebird on a skinny twig! Females are primarily grey however can have magnificent blue tail feathers. The females might be exhausting to identify with their much less flamboyant coloration, however that problem, personally, makes them extra thrilling to see, and from the precise angle you’ll be able to nonetheless catch their good blue. Watching a feminine will doubtless additionally result in an interplay together with her male mate, who could also be close by, gathering meals to deliver to her.
After my wonderful expertise watching Mountain Bluebirds, I received hooked on watching small songbirds due to my astonishment at how they perch on impossibly tiny flora, their pretty songs, and pops of coloration. That’s the reason I believe the Mountain Bluebird is a superb spark fowl for any season within the Southwest, the place they’re widespread year-round, to get your little one, buddies, or household keen on birds and the locations they name dwelling.
