Female Eastern Bluebirds (Male vs Female Identification Guide)

Eastern bluebird (Sialic acid) is a lovely small American thrush found throughout the eastern half of the United States and northern southeastern Canada. They are partial migrants, living in the southern part of their range but visiting the north only during the warmer months of the year.

You’ll often see these birds in pairs, and the fact that males and females are easy to tell apart makes them especially interesting to observe. But how exactly do you tell the difference between a male and a female Oriental bluebird?

Female eastern bluebirds are relatively easy to spot, especially when viewed alongside their bright blue mates. They have a contrasting gray and blue upper body with red sides and a white belly. Female Oriental bluebirds also behave differently from males, especially in nest site selection and construction.

Female eastern bluebird eating berries

Eastern bluestarts are happy to use a nest box set up in the right area, and watching a pair of these birds interact around the nest can make for fascinating viewing. However, there’s a lot going on behind the scenes, and the Bluebirds aren’t necessarily the healthy image we once thought they were.

Female eastern bluebirds are easily identifiable in the eastern part of their range, but birders in the Midwest and Southwest may find it difficult to distinguish these birds from others Sialic acid species. The situation may be even more confusing since various species are known to interbreed.

This article describes the identification of female eastern bluebirds. We’ll also cover plenty of fun facts along the way to enhance your birding experience the next time you spot one of these beloved American birds.

Female (left) and male (right) Eastern Bluebird perched on a branch

How do you know if an eastern bluebird is a male or a female?

The easiest way to tell male and female eastern bluebirds apart is by looking at the face, top of head and nape. These areas are bright blue on males and grayish blue on females. Female Oriental bluebirds also have a whitish throat, while males have a rusty throat.

These differences between male and female eastern bluebirds are most apparent when the two birds are viewed side by side. Read on to know more details about women’s appearance.

female eastern bluebird

male eastern bluebird

What does a female Eastern bluebird look like?

The female eastern bluebird is a small to medium songbird of the thrush family (Tortoise Branch). Their large black eyes, stout black beak, and strong black legs, combined with their short wings and stocky body, make for a very robust little bird. They are about 7 inches (12.5 cm) long and weigh an average of one ounce (28 grams).

The female Oriental bluebird has a bluish-gray body that extends from the back to the top of the head and sides of the face. Their wings, rump and tail are a soft blue.

The sides of the neck, sides of the chest and belly are warm reddish brown, and the throat, belly and vent area are white. Females also have a thin white ring around their eyes.

Female eastern bluebird with mealworms in her beak

Similar Species to the Female Eastern Bluebird

Female eastern bluebirds are most likely to be confused with the females of two other North American bluebird species. Read on to learn how to tell the difference between these female songbirds.

Western Blue Jay (Mexican sialic acid)

Western bluejays may overlap with eastern bluejays in western Texas. Luckily these two types of birds don’t usually go together as it can be hard to tell them apart!

Note the following characteristics of female western bluebirds:

• gray throat (not white)
• no rusty brown on the head
• Gray/brown (sometimes white) underbelly

female western bluebird

mountain bluebird (macrosialic acid)

Mountain bluejays occur in many of the same states as eastern bluejays. The two species are closely related and even interbreed from time to time, making accurate identification tricky. A typical female mountain bluebird can be identified by looking at the following characteristics:

• taupe lower body and head
• No rusty brown on the head, sides of the abdomen, or chest
• no diphtheria

female mountain bluebird

Are female Eastern bluebirds larger than males?

Female eastern bluerobins are usually slightly heavier than males, although the difference is only one-eighth of an ounce or less. Females may be slightly heavier than males, but their wings are usually shorter. Differences in plumage are a more reliable way of distinguishing females from males, since these tiny size differences are not seen in the wild.

A female (left) and male (right) eastern bluebird pair perched on a branch

behavioral difference

Observing the different behaviors of male and female Oriental bluebirds can make watching these beautiful birds even more interesting. Here are some interesting differences in the behavior of men and women.

• Male eastern bluebirds often feed on females, especially in migratory populations.
• There is no clear dominance structure between males and females. It varies from pair to pair.
• Eastern bluebirds are a monogamous social species, which means that during the breeding season, a pair sticks together to raise their young. However, women are not as loyal as previously thought. In some areas, one in five chicks will come from a different father.

sing and call

Male eastern bluebirds sing to attract breeding females and mark their territory.

Interestingly, females use a similar song when encountering a predator, but not when looking for a mate. She also called when her partner was away from their territory, possibly to lure him back to the area.

Female eastern bluebirds usually have a call that is similar to that of males. However, only females use the chip call, a sound made when hopeful males woo them.

Closeup of a female eastern bluebird

nesting and feeding

During the breeding season, male and female eastern bluebirds exhibit some fascinating behavioral differences. Read on to learn more.

nest

Males choose nesting sites and attract females by displaying nesting material at the opening of the cave. Once the female is persuaded, he abandons the project, leaving the task of building the nest to his mate.

Females don’t seem to mind the job too much, and will often build several nests in suitable locations nearby, although they will only use one.

Nest Defense

Female eastern bluebirds can be surprisingly aggressive when it comes to nest building. These birds nest in cavities such as woodpecker holes and nest boxes, and females compete with other females and other birds for suitable nests.

These fights can be fierce, and some female bluebirds die from their injuries. Males can be more aggressive than females, although males usually only fight with other members of the same sex.

A nesting pair of eastern bluebirds gathering material for their nest – female (left) and male (right)

lay eggs

Female Oriental bluebirds occasionally lay eggs in another female’s nest. This sneaky act ensures that their genes are passed on to new generations without all the effort of hatching eggs and feeding chicks!

Other females are always on the lookout for intruders because they know to guard against this behavior.

incubation

The female eastern bluebird sits alone on the egg. Hatching usually takes about two weeks, but records range from 11 to 19 days depending on ambient temperature.

She stays on the eggs all night, although she comes and goes during the day, spending about 60% of her time on the nest. The hatching females are vulnerable to predators such as raccoons, especially at night.

feed

Both share the task of feeding on insects, other invertebrates and small fruits such as mulberries. They fed their pups 1.4 to 2.2 times per hour during the day, and each parent did roughly equal work.

Female eastern bluebird providing food to chicks in nest box

Can female eastern bluebirds raise offspring alone?

Female eastern bluebirds can raise their young without the help of males. In some cases, however, the males provided even more food than their mates.

What Color Are Female Eastern Bluebirds?

Female Oriental bluebirds are not blue at all, but dark blue areas are visible on the shoulders, primary wing feathers, and tail. These birds are predominantly blue-gray with red sides and white belly. The beak, eyes and legs are black.

Female eastern bluebird and her hungry chick begging for food

Do Female Eastern Bluebirds Call?

Female Oriental bluebirds make a variety of calls and songs. They usually vocalize for the following reasons:

• defend your territory
• when recalling their partners to the territory
• when alarmed by a predator
• when another bird, predator, or human approaches their nest
• if caught or handled
• during courtship