The bluebird is a small thrush native to North America. With its bright blue plumage and melodious song, the bluebird is a beloved backyard bird across much of the United States. But is this colorful songbird found in the balmy Big Easy of New Orleans, Louisiana? Let’s take a closer look at the range, habitat, and sightings of bluebirds in New Orleans.
The Range of the Eastern Bluebird
There are three species of bluebird in North America:
– Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) – Found east of the Rocky Mountains
– Western Bluebird (Sialia mexicana) – Found west of the Rocky Mountains
– Mountain Bluebird (Sialia currucoides) – Found in the mountainous western states
The Eastern Bluebird is the most widespread of the three species and the one most likely to be found in New Orleans. The Eastern Bluebird breeds from eastern Montana to Nova Scotia, south to Texas and Florida. It winters as far south as central Florida and Mexico.
So in terms of range, New Orleans falls well within the territory of the Eastern Bluebird. But just because a bird’s range overlaps an area doesn’t necessarily mean it is found there. Habitat suitability also plays a key role.
Preferred Habitat of the Eastern Bluebird
The Eastern Bluebird inhabits open country across its range. It prefers areas with scattered trees, short ground cover, and proximity to grasslands or fields. Typical habitats include:
– Open woodlands
– Orchards
– Golf courses
– Cemeteries
– Parks
– Backyards
The Eastern Bluebird is also found in natural open habitats like meadows, prairies, and open pine forests. It requires cavities in trees, snags, fences, or nest boxes for nesting.
While urban areas like New Orleans provide some suitable habitat like parks, the Bluebird tends to prefer rural or suburban areas over heavily developed urban centers. The relative lack of grassy fields, scattered trees, and other ideal bluebird habitat in the heart of the city likely limits the presence of bluebirds there.
Bluebird Sightings in New Orleans
So while New Orleans lies within the overall range of the Eastern Bluebird, the urban core of the city is less than ideal habitat. But what do actual sighting records show?
eBird is an online database of bird sightings submitted by citizen scientists and birders. eBird records show that bluebirds are occasionally spotted in New Orleans, but sightings are very sparse compared to surrounding areas.
For example, eBird recorded only 7 Eastern Bluebird sightings in the City of New Orleans during 2022. However, there were 98 sightings in suburban Jefferson Parish, 145 sightings in St. Tammany Parish, and 68 sightings at nearby City Park.
So while it’s not impossible to see a bluebird in New Orleans proper, sightings are rare. You’re more likely to spot bluebirds in the parks, backyards, and neighborhoods of the surrounding suburbs than in the urban city center.
Are Bluebirds Breeding in New Orleans?
Seeing a few migrant or wintering bluebirds passing through is one thing. But are bluebirds successfully breeding and nesting in New Orleans?
Bluebird breeding ranges are generally broader than wintering ranges. So it’s possible they could nest in areas they don’t winter in. However, breeding requires suitable nesting sites and food sources all spring and summer.
Again looking at eBird data, there are only two confirmed breeding season sightings of Eastern Bluebird in New Orleans between 2015 and 2022. One was an adult carrying nesting material in City Park. The other was a juvenile being fed by a parent in a backyard.
So there is some evidence of very limited nesting activity, primarily on the outskirts of the urban core. But overall, New Orleans does not appear to host a substantial breeding population of bluebirds.
The lack of grassy fields supplying insects, as well as limited nesting cavities, are likely the main factors inhibiting bluebirds from breeding in the city.
Where to Find Bluebirds Near New Orleans
While bluebirds are rare in downtown New Orleans, you can find them nesting and wintering in some areas near the city:
– City Park – New Orleans’ expansive urban park hosts breeding bluebirds nearly every year.
– Suburban neighborhoods – Tall trees, lawns, and open space provide habitat. Look for nest boxes.
– Rural fringes – Outside the urban footprint, bluebirds breed along fence rows, roadsides, and scattered trees.
– Tammany Trace – This rails to trail conversion north of the city offers prime bluebird habitat.
– Bogue Chitto State Park – Pine savannas in this park 70 miles north of New Orleans support wintering and breeding bluebirds.
So while bluebirds may not brighten an urban stroll through the French Quarter, a short trip outside the city offers a good chance to spy these colorful songbirds.
How to Attract Bluebirds to New Orleans
To increase sightings and potential breeding of bluebirds in New Orleans, there are some steps residents can take:
Provide nest boxes – Bluebirds readily use nest boxes in areas with limited natural cavities. Face boxes away from prevailing winds and rains.
Offer mealworms – This high-protein food source provides an excellent supplement to bluebird’s natural diet. Offer in special feeders or trays.
Add berry plants – Berry producing shrubs like holly, viburnum, dogwood, and sumac provide natural food sources.
Limit pesticide use – Reduce use of insecticides which limit bluebird’s food supply. Use natural pest control instead.
Reduce mowed lawn – Allow some open grassy areas to grow longer to encourage insect populations.
Preserve snags – Leave dead and dying trees to provide potential nest sites instead of removing them.
By improving habitat, New Orleans residents can enjoy more sightings of these colorful harbingers of spring. With some urban pest management and additions of nest boxes, even breeding in the city may become more common.
Conclusion
The Eastern Bluebird is a regular breeding bird across much of the eastern United States. However, sightings in downtown New Orleans are very rare due to the urban landscape lacking ideal bluebird habitat. While a few bluebirds nest on the outskirts and pass through in migration, this species is not common or abundant in the city itself. By improving habitat like reducing mowed lawns and adding nest boxes, New Orleans residents may be able to attract more of these beautiful songbirds to their neighborhoods. So if you want to see bluebirds in the Big Easy, your best bet is take a short drive to one of the parks, trails, or natural areas just outside the urban center.