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The State Bird of New York: the Eastern Bluebird
New York is home to many species of birds, but its official state bird is the Eastern Bluebird. This small songbird is a pale blue-gray with a rusty red chest and white belly. It has black eyes and a sharp bill for cracking seeds. The male Eastern Bluebird has more vibrant plumage than the female, but both sexes are beautiful to observe in flight or perched on trees or shrubs.
Range and Habitat
Eastern Bluebirds can be found throughout New York State in open meadows, forests, farms, backyards, parks, and golf courses. They range from southern Canada down to Florida and as far west as Texas. In summer months they travel farther north into Canada in search of suitable nesting habitat before returning south again during winter months when food resources become scarce.
Diet
Eastern Bluebirds primarily eat insects such as grasshoppers and beetles along with berries like wild grapevine fruit or sumac drupes (fleshy fruits). They typically hunt while perched on low branches or wire fences. During winter they will also eat sunflower seeds at backyard feeders if available.
Nesting Habits
Eastern Bluebirds nest from March through June depending on location within the state’s range. Nests are built by females out of twigs lined with grasses for insulation and warmth located in tree cavities about 4-15 feet off the ground near an opening that allows access to flying insects for feeding their youngs’ needs which are fed by both parents until fledgling stage when offspring can begin hunting independently around week 10 post hatching .
