Western Blues

Beckon these regional bluebirds to your yard with nest boxes and mealworms

- LISA BALLARD

Nothing brightens a backyard quite like a western bluebird. "The blue feathers of a western bluebird sparkle," says Joyce Volmut, coordinator for Olympic Peninsula Audubon's western bluebird survey. "They have a real personality. They are comfortable around people, and their color is absolutely fantastic."

Look Closely

The western bluebird is one of three bluebird species found in North America. True to the name, western bluebirds are West Coast birds that also appear in regions across the West and down south into Mexico. Male mountain bluebirds are predominantly blue, but male eastern and western bluebirds are more difficult to tell apart because they both have blue and orange plumage. It's a western if it has a blue belly, throat and face.

Nest Specifics

These small, vibrantly colored members of the thrush family are only partial or short-distance migrants. When they find a place they like, they'll often stick around year after year.