Impression Evergreen

Mountain Bluebird The annual return of mountain bluebirds to Noble Meadow is a sure sign of spring. This year though, curious newcomers have burst onto the scene. Western bluebirds can now be observed foraging in the splendid field. Hopefully, this stubborn pair of creatures can set aside their age-old differences and find enough space to coexist up here. The longstanding feud between these beautiful birds is based on territory, temperament and fire. After years of intense study, biologists may have discovered a behavioral difference that seems to give the western bluebird an advantage over the mountain bluebird when it comes to this geographical dispute. Western bluebirds are facultative cooperative breeders. Meaning, some adult offspring postpone breeding for a year or two to help their parents raise nestlings. A young, male western bluebird has two life choices. He can stay at home and care for siblings in exchange for a small piece of family property or he can strike out o...

"Mountain Bluebird" Colored Pencil One of the first songbirds to return to our alpine meadows each spring, the mountain bluebird is a fleck of dazzling color in the drab March landscape. Watching from a tree stump at the edge of an open woodland, sharp black eyes scour the short grasses for insects and spiders. This sit-and-wait technique is called drop-hunting. Once it pinpoints a meal, the bluebird drops to the ground and captures its prey with its bill. Unlike eastern and western bluebirds that require a perch, mountain bluebirds have developed the ability to hover in mid-air while hunting for food. This allows them to live in areas with sparse trees or shrubs. Bluebird populations have declined drastically during the last century for several reasons such as urban sprawl, removal of dead trees, vinyl and metal fencing, and the introduction of aggressive European starlings and house sparrows into the U.S. The biggest challenge facing bluebirds is finding a suitable n...