The Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis)

A male eastern bluebird has bright, intense coloring to its plumage.

A female eastern bluebird looks similar to a male, but with muted coloring.

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Baby bluebirds develop the characteristic blue wing feathers early in life.

Several designs for bluebird nesting boxes exist, including this version made from PVC pipe with a metal top.

Did you know?

• One poetic description of an eastern bluebird notes that it "carries the sky on its back and the earth on its breast."
• House sparrows (Passer domesticus) and European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris), both nonnative species introduced from Europe, are common competitors for bluebird nesting sites.
• Two other species, the mountain bluebird (Sialia currcoides) and the western bluebird (Sialia mexicana) live in the United States. Neither species is likely to be seen in Illinois.

Want to help DuPage bluebirds?

Learn how to monitor bluebird nest boxes during the upcoming Bluebird Monitor Workshop. Volunteers inspect boxes weekly from mid-March until the last fledging leaves the nest (usually by the end of July). To register and to learn about additional requirements, call Volunteer Services at (630) 933-7681 by Feb. 15.

When: Feb. 17, 2007 from 9 to 11 a.m.

Where: Grounds and Resources Complex at Blackwell Forest Preserve.
The street address is 29W220 Mack Rd. in West Chicago.