We’re passionate about birds and nature. That’s why we opened a Wild Birds Unlimited Nature Shop in our community.
Moana Nursery,
1100 West Moana Lane
Reno, NV 89509
Phone: (775) 825-0600
Fax: (775) 825-9359
Email: Send Message
Store Hours:
Mon - Fri: 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
Sat: 8:00 am - 6:00 pm
Sun: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Additional Website:
Visit our other website
Comments:
Store Managers: David Jones & Alex Johnson; Bird Experts: Jacque Lowery, Carol York & Lisa Braginton
Moana Nursery,
11301 South Virginia Street
Reno (South), NV 89511
Phone: (775) 853-1319
Fax: (775) 853-0467
Email: Send Message
Store Hours:
Mon - Fri: 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
Sat: 8:00 am - 6:00 pm
Sun: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Additional Website:
Visit our other website
Comments:
Visit Store Manager: Jim Stanton; Bird Experts: Jacque Lowery, Sally Hurd & Steve Packer
Moana Nursery,
7655 Pyramid Highway
Sparks, NV 89436
Phone: (775) 425-4300
Fax: (775) 425-4340
Email: Send Message
Store Hours:
Mon - Fri: 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
Sat: 8:00 am - 6:00 pm
Sun: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Additional Website:
Visit our other website
Comments:
Visit Store Manager: Michelle Gilmore; Bird Experts: Carol York & Michelle Gilmore
Western Bluebirds are small, stocky thrushes with thin, straight bills and fairly short tails. Males are shiny blue above with rust-orange extending from a vest on the breast onto the upper back. Females are gray-buff with a pale orange wash on the breast and blue tints to the wings and tail. The throat is blue in males and gray-buff in females, and the lower belly is whitish.
Western bluebirds are highly social and usually feed in flocks during the non-breeding season. They hunt for terrestrial insects (grasshoppers, caterpillars, beetles, ants and others) by dropping to the ground from a low perch. They also frequently feed on berries (mistletoe, juniper and elderberry) in trees. They rely on trees both for nesting cavities and hunting perches; they also perch on fences and utility lines.
Western Bluebirds live in open woodland, both coniferous and deciduous, and also are found in backyards, burned areas, and farmland, from sea level far up into the mountains.
- Bluebirds are found throughout North America including the Eastern, Western and Mountain Bluebirds. All bluebirds are cavity nesters and will use an artificial nest box. Habitat and nest cavities had been disappearing for many years, but bluebirds have made an incredible come back due to thousands of bluebird nest boxes being installed across the country.
- Nesting occurs from March through August. Only the female incubates the four to six eggs.
- Bluebirds are generally monogamous, staying together throughout the breeding season, and may breed together for more than one season. However, some birds may switch mates during a breeding season to raise a second brood.
- Bluebirds may raise two and sometimes three broods per season. Pairs may build their second nests on top of the first nest or they may nest in an entirely new site. The male continues to take care of the recently fledged young while the female begins to re-nest. Young of the first brood will occasionally help raise their siblings in the second brood.
- Males may carry nest material to the nest, but they do not participate in the actual building. They spend much time guarding their mates during this time to prevent them from mating with other males.
- Families flock together until fall, when they merge with other family flocks. Some, but not all, bluebirds residing in the northern portions of the range migrate to southern latitudes, but those residing in southern latitudes tend to be residential.
- Adult bluebirds tend to return to the same breeding territory year after year, but only a small percentage (3-5%) of young birds return to where they hatched.
- Bluebirds have no blue pigments in their feathers. Instead, each feather barb has a thin layer of cells that absorb all wavelengths of color except blue. Only the blue wavelength is reflected and scattered, resulting in their blue appearance to our eyes.
- Unlike other bluebirds, Mountain bluebirds are able to hover above the ground while searching for insects. This enables them to live in areas with few trees or shrubs, while Eastern and Western Bluebird need trees to provide the elevated perches from which they hunt.
- Bluebirds consume about four grams of food per day, or about 12% of their body weight. This is equivalent to a 200 pound human eating 24 pounds of food each day.
- Bluebirds can spot caterpillars and insects in tall grass at the remarkable distance of over 50 yards.
- Eastern and Western Bluebirds sit on an elevated perch while searching for insects; when one is spotted, they drop to the ground to capture it with their bill. This sit-and-wait technique is called drop-hunting.
- Northern Flickers and Hairy & Downy Woodpeckers all produce nesting cavities suitable for later use by bluebirds.
