iN PHOTOS: Mountain bluebirds are back brightening up Kamloops, Okanagan
Photographers and outdoor enthusiasts are reporting the migratory mountain bluebirds are returning to the interior, a sure sign of spring.
“It is so exciting and energizing seeing these bright, busy birds,” Clinton photographer Amanda Nelson said.
Nelson headed out to see the birds early in the morning a few days ago on a sunny, blue-sky day on a farming field near her property. The birds were so busy, she had to be patient.
“They were skittish,” she said. “They don’t sit still for long so their hard to take photos of. You can catch the odd one if their back is turned to you and they don’t know you’re there.”
The males are hard to miss being a bright, sky-blue colour, while the females are mostly grey and brown.
Nelson said she hasn’t spotted any females yet, only the bright blue males and some paler blue juveniles.
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The birds are small thrushes with round heads and thin bills, lankier and longer-winged than other bluebirds, according to All About Birds.
Unlike other bluebird species, mountain bluebirds often hover while foraging and pounce on the insects they prey on.
The birds can be found in wide-open spaces in the west at middle and higher elevations. All they need is a few trees to make nests in. They take on human-altered habitats, nesting in bluebird boxes and foraging in pastures.
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