Nevada State Bird: Mountain Bluebird
Fact-checked • Updated January 15, 2025
Nevada State Bird – Mountain Bluebird
Nevada designated the Mountain Bluebird as its official state bird in 1967. Males show bright turquoise plumage across open sagebrush plains and high meadows. Females appear paler in the same habitats. Populations stay through the year. Birds thrive in exposed areas where temperatures shift quickly.
Why Nevada Chose This Bird
Nevada legislators picked a bird residents saw regularly. Mountain Bluebirds nested in ranching country. Ranchers watched them hunt insects from fence posts each summer. Grasshoppers and beetles damaged crops. The species helped control these pests.
Sky-blue plumage matched Nevada's clear desert skies. Males perched on sagebrush. They looked like fragments of sky had landed. Mountain Bluebirds stayed during cold months when other species migrated south. Year-round presence appealed to legislators.
Little competition existed. Legislators wanted a bird specific to western high country. Eastern and Western Bluebirds also lived in Nevada. Only Mountain Bluebirds thrived in sagebrush habitat at high elevation. Geographic range determined the choice.
Legislative History
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The 1967 Designation
Nevada's legislature adopted the Mountain Bluebird on March 22, 1967. State senators needed no extended debate—the bird's familiarity across Nevada made it an obvious pick. Assembly members approved the measure quickly. Governor Paul Laxalt signed it into law that spring.
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Why 1967?
Nevada lagged behind other states in choosing official symbols. By the mid-1960s, most western states had designated their birds. Nevada legislators decided to catch up. They reviewed options during the 1967 session and settled on the Mountain Bluebird within weeks.
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Public Input
Did citizens vote? No formal statewide poll happened. Legislators consulted with ranchers and naturalists who knew Nevada's bird life. Those conversations confirmed what most people already thought—the Mountain Bluebird represented Nevada better than any alternative. Legislative records show minimal opposition.
What This Bird Represents
Adaptation to Harsh Country
Mountain Bluebirds survive where many species can't. They nest at 12,000 feet. Winter storms don't chase them south—they shift to lower elevations but stay in Nevada. That toughness mirrors the state's pioneer history. Settlers who stayed in Nevada learned to adapt too. The bird's persistence made symbolic sense.
Connection to Open Spaces
Nevada values its wide-open landscapes. Mountain Bluebirds need those same open spaces—they hunt by hovering over grasslands and dropping onto prey. Dense forests don't work for them. Neither do crowded cities. The species thrives where Nevada thrives: in rangeland and high-desert country with room to move.
Agricultural Partnership
Ranchers appreciated these birds for practical reasons. Mountain Bluebirds eat grasshoppers, beetles, and caterpillars that damage hay crops. Watch them hunt—they hover, drop, grab an insect, then return to their perch. Free pest control mattered more in 1967 than dramatic symbolism. Legislators understood that value.
Physical Characteristics
Male Plumage
Adult males wear brilliant sky-blue across their entire upper body. Head, back, wings—all turquoise. Underparts show paler blue or white. That color comes from light refraction through feather structures, not pigment. Worn feathers in late summer look duller. Fresh fall plumage restores the brilliant blue.
Female Appearance
Females dress more quietly. Gray-blue backs blend with Nevada's sagebrush. White underparts show hints of pale blue on wings and tail. Young males resemble females until their first molt. This dimorphism helps females avoid predators while nesting.
Size and Build
Mountain Bluebirds measure smaller than American Robins but larger than sparrows. Long wings suit their hovering hunting style. Tail length? Average for thrushes. Weight stays under 1.2 ounces even in prime condition. That light build lets them hover efficiently while scanning for insects below.
Behavior and Song
Vocalizations
Mountain Bluebirds sing quietly. Males deliver soft warbling phrases during courtship. You won't hear them from far away—their songs carry maybe 50 feet. Calls? Short, low notes. Nothing loud or complex. Ornithologists describe the voice as understated compared to Eastern Bluebirds' richer songs.
Hunting Method
Watch one hunt and you'll see the signature move: hover-and-drop. The bird hovers 20 feet up, spots a grasshopper, then drops straight down. Catches prey on ground or in mid-air. They also sally from perches like flycatchers. Winter diet shifts to juniper berries when insects disappear.
Territorial Behavior
Males defend nest sites aggressively during breeding season. Chase off other bluebirds, swallows, even larger birds near cavities. Aerial battles? Common. Two males spiral upward, then break apart. The intruder usually leaves. Females pick nest sites based partly on male defense ability.
Habitat and Range
Breeding Habitat in Nevada
Mountain Bluebirds nest across Nevada's high country. You'll find them in sagebrush valleys, aspen groves, and mountain meadows above 5,000 feet. They need open ground for hunting and tree cavities for nesting. Burned areas attract them—dead trees provide nest holes, new grass supports insect prey.
Year-Round Presence
Nevada sees Mountain Bluebirds in every season. Spring brings breeding birds to higher elevations. Summer? They raise two broods in good years. Fall shifts them downward as snow covers alpine areas. Winter flocks gather in lower valleys, eating berries and roosting in junipers. Some years they leave during harsh cold snaps.
Range Beyond Nevada
The species breeds from Alaska to New Mexico. Eastern boundary? Western Great Plains. They winter from southern Canada to central Mexico. Nevada sits in the core of their range—not edge habitat. That central position meant legislators picked a bird that belonged specifically to the Interior West.
Interesting Facts
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Mountain Bluebirds can hover in place for 30 seconds while scanning for prey—longer than most small birds.
Mountain Bluebird Songs & Calls
Hear the clear whistles and sharp calls of the Mountain Bluebird. These field recordings capture their distinctive voice in natural habitat.
Audio licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Also the State Bird of:
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 Nevada's state bird designation and legislative history • Accessed: November 30, 2025
Local conservation perspective on Mountain Bluebird ecology in Nevada • Accessed: November 30, 2025
Comprehensive species account covering identification, behavior, and conservation status • Accessed: November 30, 2025
Range maps, habitat information, and population trends for Mountain Bluebirds • Accessed: November 30, 2025
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