Eastern Bluebird
Learn to identify the Eastern Bluebird by ear. Master the "cheer, cheerful, charmer" phrase and tell it apart from similar species.
What the Eastern Bluebird sounds like
The Eastern Bluebird is a small thrush with a plump body and short bill. Males are vivid blue above with a rusty red-orange breast and a white belly. Females have a similar pattern but in subdued gray-blue and duller orange tones on the breast. Juveniles are grayish with brown spotting on the chest and back, and they show hints of blue in the wings and tail.
“cheer, cheerful, charmer”
How to tell it apart
Lessons featuring the Eastern Bluebird
Ready to test your ear? Practice identifying the Eastern Bluebird's sounds in this interactive in-app lesson.
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Where you'll hear it
Open woodlands, meadows, and farmlands
Most active during daylight hours, frequently perching on fence posts and wires, dropping to the ground to catch insects.
Similar species
Western Bluebird
Very similar in appearance; Western Bluebird males have an all-blue throat (the rusty-orange does not extend up onto the throat) and often more extensive orange on the back, whereas Eastern Bluebirds have a white belly and the orange is confined to the chest.
Mountain Bluebird
Male Mountain Bluebirds are entirely sky-blue with no orange at all, unlike the orange-breasted Eastern Bluebird. Females are gray-brown with pale blue wing and tail tints and lack any rusty coloration.