Mountain Bluebird

Mountain Bluebirds were reported on eBird last week from Mima Mounds Natural Area Preserve. Although these bluebirds are common breeders in across much of eastern Washington, they are very local breeders in the western part of the state. The Mima Mounds prairie is about 20 miles south of our home. The preserve is an interesting area but we usually tally few bird species there. A drawback to the park is an adjacent shooting range, which often makes the area sound like a war zone. The area does attract rare birds. 

Mountain Bluebirds were lacking from our Washington bird-list, and we made two attempts to see them.  Our first try failed—the park was closed for road maintenance. Our next trip was on 5 April 2021. We got there early on a cold morning—fog rose eerily from the strange mounds that fill the prairie. As we left the park, we found a flock of both Western and Mountain bluebirds. The birds hawked for insects from perches in prairie bushes. The bluebirds seemed quite wary and did not allow close approach. Male Mountain Bluebirds are unmistakably bright baby-blue. Females are a bit tougher to identify. They are told by their drab Confederate-gray plumage. Some females sport more brown on their breasts than do others. According to Sibly, reliable field marks include a black bill that lacks yellow base and a pale line across the forehead.