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Blue bird (male)


Blue bird (male)
Photo Information
Copyright: cecilia lazzaro (cecilia) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 503 W: 6 N: 1238] (4628)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2006-04-12
Categories: Birds
Exposure: f/10.0, 1/350 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Blue Birds [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2006-04-21 6:03
Viewed: 699
Points: 10
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Description: Eastern Bluebirds are small thrushes (approximately seven inches in length) with short black bills and chestnut breasts, throats, and flanks. The chestnut of the throat extends to the sides of the neck. The belly and undertail coverts are white. Males are deep blue on the head, nape, back, wings, and tail. Females have gray-blue upperparts with a gray-brown wash on the back. There is a thin, white eye ring. The wings and tail are washed with dull blue. The female’s orange underparts are paler than those of the male.

Male Eastern Bluebirds are easily distinguished from the other two bluebird species. The Western Bluebird (S. mexicana) is darker blue above, and has a blue, not orange throat. Mountain Bluebirds (S. currucoides) are entirely blue. Separating the females of the three species is more difficult.

Western Bluebird females are most similar in shape and behavior, but the Mountain Bluebird is more likely a vagrant in the East. Of the three, the Eastern Bluebird has the shortest primary extension, whereas the Mountain Bluebird’s primary feathers extend almost to the end of the tail.

Western Bluebird females have a more prominent eye ring and a bluish or gray (instead of pale orange) throat and are darker above than Eastern Bluebird females. The white belly of the Eastern Bluebird contrasts sharply with the pale orange breast, whereas the Western females grayish belly blends more gradually with the orange of the breast. Mountain Bluebird females are brownish gray overall with a white belly and undertail coverts; they also don't sport the chestnut color of the Eastern Bluebird.

Cool fact: Eastern Bluebird populations declined in recent years to as low as 17 percent of their previous numbers in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Reasons postulated for this decline include severe winters, harmful effects from the use of pesticides to control fire ants, and competition with other hole nesters for increasingly scarce nest sites.
scottevers7, coasties, dew77, wkshelton, jeanpaul has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi Cecilia,
Flawless composition and framing on this shot. The light was excellent here. Colors are well saturated and very beautiful. Detail looks great, with a nice OOF backround. Great notes!
Scott

Hi Cecilia

Rich blue plumage. Great shot with excellent OOF BG. Excellent note. :-)

  • Great 
  • dew77 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5171 W: 297 N: 4050] (13069)
  • [2006-04-21 7:34]

Hello Cecilia!
Very nice capture.I liked colors,framing,POV,pose of bird and
composition a lot.TFS...:-)

Hell Cecilia excellent work here with perfect colors and dov, perfect colors and BG excellent work. TFS Kyle

Bonjour Cecilia
Très jolie présentationde ce bel oiseau , les couleurs sont de toutes beautées et les détails sont très réussis. le BG est très joli.
Bravo et merci....JP

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