Western Bluebirds of Happiness

If you are a fellow bird-lover, Santa Cruz can be one of your favorite places to search for these blue beauties which are a sight you won’t want to miss. Travel along the edge of the woods for a chance to catch a glimpse of the Western Bluebird, as they prefer to hide in densely wooded and protected areas. They are good friends with woodpeckers, who create cavities in the trees so that they can take shelter in the comfort of a carved-out tree.

Like many animals, Western Bluebird males and females have a few differentiators when it comes to coloring and style. Females are gray-blue with much duller coloring than males, who flaunt features of deep blue, rust, and pale white. These birds are monogamous, meaning males and females form a long-term bond. Males display courtship by singing and fluttering in front of females with their wings half-open and its tail fanned. 

Western Bluebirds weigh just about an ounce, the same weight as a single slice of whole-grain bread. They only need to consume about 15 calories per day to survive. They snack on insects in the summer and switch to seeds and fruits in the colder months.

If you’re lucky enough to spot one of these beautiful creatures, it’s likely that more aren’t too far behind. They travel in flocks when feeding and are highly social animals. We are blessed to catch a glimpse of these eye-catching birds on our branches all around R2 Hillside!

                                                                                    Renee Rogers

“Refuse to be average. Let your heart soar as high as it will.”
~ A. W. Tozer