The first chick just hatched!
Live streaming webcam showing a pair of nesting bluebirds in Virginia, United States. Most Eastern Bluebirds are year-round residents in Virginia although a few of them might migrate further south in the winter. The bluebird nest box is in the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia.

The Eastern Bluebird belongs to a group of medium-sized Passerine birds and belongs to the Thrush family.

There are three different species which all live in North America and Central America. These are the Eastern, Western, and Mountain Bluebirds. They are some of the most beautiful of all the backyard birds and are very popular among birdwatchers. They will readily occupy birdhouses and nesting boxes if they are located in the correct habitat.

The diet of bluebirds consist mainly of insects such as crickets, grasshoppers, katydids, and beetles. They also eat wild fruits and berries. Bluebirds feed by perching on a high point such as a branch or fence post and then swooping down to catch their prey. Bluebirds are not often spotted at feeders and do not usually eat the normal offerings of sunflower seeds, millet, and mixed bird seed.

Mating occurs in the spring and summer. A mature female typically raises two broods per summer. Most bluebirds lay between three and seven eggs per clutch. The female usually builds the nest in about ten days. She incubates the eggs, and the male delivers the food to support her and the growing young. The incubation takes between 13 and 16 days. The young can not care for themselves upon hatching. The female broods the chicks for up to seven days after hatching. Fledglings leave the nest 15 to 20 days after hatching.

Natural predators of bluebird eggs and nestlings can include snakes, eastern chipmunks, flying squirrels, black bears, raccoons and fire ants. Bluebirds of all ages are threatened by American Kestrels and domestic cats.

Eastern Bluebirds thrived in the 1700s and 1800s during the activities of the migrating settlers in America. Clearing forests and the use of wooden fence posts made vast swaths of desirable habitat and prime nesting locations. However, with the introduction of the European Starling and House Sparrows, Bluebird numbers began to decline rapidly. Competition for nesting sites and loss of food sources are thought to be contributing factors.

Conservation efforts began as early as 1934 when Thomas Musselman created the first Bluebird trail by setting up rows of bluebird houses along roads. Many societies and foundations have helped bluebirds recover from population decline. Today bluebird houses are a favorite of farmers and everyday people with access to large, open grasslands. Thanks to the efforts of many people the bluebirds are again common in America.