Not to be confused with the western bluebird or mountain bluebird, the state bird of New York is the beautiful and bright eastern bluebird. Here’s everything you need to know about the New York state bird.
What does the New York state bird look like?
The New York state bird is a small thrush called the eastern bluebird. Around five to seven inches in length, the bright blue feathers these birds wear make them a special treat to watch. Both male and female eastern bluebirds have short black bills and white bellies and under-tail feathers. Of course, like many birds, the male eastern bluebird is more brightly colored than the female. He has bright blue feathers covering his upper parts and a vibrant orange-red breast, throat and sides. The female eastern bluebird has a gray crown and back and a brown or tan throat, breast and sides. But don’t think the female has no blue feathers because she does have blue wings and tail, even though the coloring is a little duller. The female eastern bluebird has a white ring around its eyes. A juvenile eastern bluebird, like its mother, has a white eye ring around its eyes and spotted under parts. The wings and tail are a dull blue and the crown and back are gray or brown.
What does the New York state bird eat?
East bluebirds don’t have diets that include bird seed, so you probably won’t spot any on your backyard bird feeder. The eastern bluebird lives mostly in eastern North America, but can be spotted as far west as the Rocky Mountains and as far south as Nicaragua. Depending on where they live, the New York state bird will have a varied diet but generally the eastern bluebird gains most of its nutrients from invertebrates. With their excellent eyesight, an eastern bluebird can spot a meal from up to one hundred feet away! Usually the bluebird likes to snack on grasshoppers, spiders, caterpillars and other insects. This is why eastern bluebirds live in areas that include large, open, grassy areas where lots of yummy bugs can be caught. During some parts of the year the eastern bluebird will eat small fruits or berries from trees and bushes. The birds don’t usually live in urban areas because their diet depends so much on insects which can be difficult to find in more populated areas. You may not catch a glimpse of the eastern blue bird in New York City, but the New York state bird is so pretty, it’s worth a trip to the country!
