Missouri State Bird: Eastern Bluebird
Fact-checked • Updated November 26, 2025
Missouri State Bird – Eastern Bluebird
Missouri selected the Eastern Bluebird in 1927. Schoolchildren backed the choice in a statewide vote. Birds perch on fence posts across rolling countryside. Blue plumage shows clearly in sunlight. Chest feathers appear rusty above a pale belly. Residents knew the species well before lawmakers acted.
Why Missouri Chose This Bird
Missouri picked the bluebird for its statewide presence. The species appeared common to lawmakers. You heard males singing from fence posts each spring. Farmers watched them hunt insects across fields.
Henry David Thoreau wrote the bird 'carries the sky on its back'. This description appealed to Missouri officials. Blue, white, and red plumage created visual contrast. Bluebirds avoid conflicts with other species. Pleasant songs attracted attention. Insect control benefited farmers and gardeners.
Rolling countryside provides ideal bluebird habitat. Open grasslands support insect hunting. Scattered trees offer perching and nesting sites. Fence posts appear every hundred yards across farmland. This landscape suits bluebird needs.
Legislative History
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1927 Designation
Missouri’s legislature designated the native bluebird as the state bird in 1927. Lawmakers later updated the wording in the mid-20th century to reference the species by its scientific name. The designation has remained consistent ever since.
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Shared Symbol
Only one other state shares this bird. New York adopted the Eastern Bluebird decades after Missouri, following a long public campaign that began with schoolchildren. Missouri was the first state to recognize the species officially.
What This Bird Represents
Happiness Symbol
People connected bluebirds with joy decades before 1927. Bright colors suggested cheerfulness. Pleasant song reinforced the idea. Seeing a bluebird improved your morning. Missouri made official what farmers understood.
Rolling Countryside Connection
These birds favor Missouri's terrain. Not deep forest. Not wide-open prairie. The in-between zones. Pastures with fence lines. Orchards with grass underneath. Cemeteries with scattered oaks. Watch bluebirds work those spaces. Perch high. Scan low. Drop fast when they spot movement.
Pest Control Value
Farmers appreciated bluebird diets. Grasshoppers, crickets, beetles—all crop pests. Getting free pest control beat buying chemicals. Gardens benefited too. Yard insects disappeared when bluebirds nested nearby. Natural solution.
Physical Characteristics
Male Appearance
Males show cobalt blue across back, wings, tail, head, chin, and throat. Bright enough to spot from far off. Chestnut coloring covers the upper breast. Sometimes extends onto the back. White belly contrasts with everything above. Look for the pattern: blue-rust-white, top to bottom.
Female Coloring
Females wear paler versions of male patterns. Gray-blue replaces cobalt. Rusty tones fade to buff. Still pretty. Just subtler. Smart design—females need camouflage while sitting on eggs. Hidden birds survive better.
Size and Build
Length runs 6-7 inches nose to tail. Wingspan stretches 10-13 inches. Weight? Around an ounce. Small thrush build. Plump body, short straight bill. Legs stay short. Tail too. Wings run long compared to body size.
Juvenile Features
Young birds puzzle people. Brown and speckled underneath. Blue traces show on wings and back. Spots work like camouflage. Predators overlook speckled birds easier than bright ones. Feathers molt by fall. Juveniles gain adult colors after breeding season ends.
Behavior and Song
Vocal Patterns
Song translates as "cheer cheerful charmer" or "chur-a-lee." Blurry whistled series. Some people hear "turee" or "queedle." Calls include soft "chuiree" with descent then rise at the end. Males sing most. Spring brings territory claims through constant warbling. Mate attraction. General cheerfulness.
Hunting Strategy
Watch bluebirds work. They perch low—fence wire, branch, post. Scan the ground. Spot movement. Drop fast. Grab the bug. Fly back up. Repeat fifty times a day. Sometimes they hover rather than landing. Catch flying insects mid-air too. Excellent eyesight spots tiny prey from 60 feet away.
Territorial Defense
Males guard nesting areas hard. Chase off other bluebirds. Attack tree swallows, chickadees, anyone who wants the cavity. Spring brings fights. Even attack their reflections in windows. Mistake glass images for intruders. Keep fighting until breeding ends.
Family Dynamics
Both parents feed nestlings. Male brings food. Female broods and feeds. Sometimes older offspring from first brood help with second brood. Teamwork raises more babies. Young birds leave nest around 18 days old. Parents keep feeding them though. Teaching hunting skills takes time.
Habitat and Range
Missouri Distribution
Found statewide. Year-round residents in southern Missouri. Northern birds migrate south for winter. You spot them in grasslands with scattered trees. Farmland works. Backyards in rural areas. Parks and cemeteries too—anywhere with short grass and perching spots.
Seasonal Patterns
Spring brings territory claiming. March starts the action. Breeding runs through summer. Two broods common. Sometimes three in warm years. September changes things. Northern flocks drift south. Family groups join larger wandering flocks from mid-September through December. Some Missourians see bluebirds all winter. Southern counties especially.
Winter Survival
Cold weather tests bluebirds. They crowd into cavities together for warmth. Switch diets from insects to berries. Dogwood, sumac, cedar, hawthorn fruits keep them alive. Fresh water becomes critical. Several days of sub-freezing temperatures with snow or ice cover can cause mass mortality. Late 1970s winters killed so many birds Missouri's population took nearly a decade recovering.
Conservation Success
Populations declined last century. Habitat loss hurt. Pesticides killed insects they needed. Competition from house sparrows and European starlings created problems. Aggressive non-native species forced bluebirds out of natural cavities. Conservation groups responded with nest box programs. Thousands installed statewide. Bluebirds accepted artificial homes. Numbers rebounded. Now you see them along Missouri roadsides. Perched on utility wires and fence posts.
Interesting Facts
Fact 1 of 10
Bluebirds don't eat seeds. Never visit regular bird feeders. Attract them with mealworms instead. Cornmeal cakes mixed with bacon drippings work. Dried berries too.
Eastern Bluebird Songs & Calls
Hear the clear whistles and sharp calls of the Eastern Bluebird. These field recordings capture their distinctive voice in natural habitat.
Audio licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Sources & References
This article has been researched using authoritative sources to ensure accuracy and reliability. All information has been fact-checked and verified against official government records and scientific databases.
Official government documentation of Missouri state bird designation, legislative history, and revised statutes. • Accessed: November 30, 2025
Comprehensive scientific information on Eastern Bluebird behavior, habitat, conservation status, and seasonal patterns in Missouri. • Accessed: November 30, 2025
Detailed species profile including identification, nesting habits, diet, range, and conservation challenges specific to Missouri populations. • Accessed: November 30, 2025
National perspective on Eastern Bluebird characteristics, vocalizations, breeding habits, and range across North America. • Accessed: November 30, 2025
Research-based guidance on nest box construction, placement, and monitoring for Missouri landowners and conservation enthusiasts. • Accessed: November 30, 2025
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