BLUEBIRD
PR

The bluebird arrives in the vicinity of the Historic Triangle in early spring. At this time a sweet, plaintive song is uttered when adult birds start looking for proper nesting sites. Many years ago bluebirds were plentiful but with the advent of starlings who took over nesting places, and pesticides that were introduced to kill insects that bluebirds fed on and that affected the egg shells, bluebirds nearly ceased to exist. Today they are making a definite comeback thanks to the eftorts of bird lovers and conservationists who have been instrumental in widespread erection of man-made bird houses. Visitors to the Historic Triangle will find it interesting to visit Newport News City Park on Route 143 where over one hundred bluebird houses have been placed.

The male bluebird sports a sky-blue coat over a vest the color of a ripe orange. The female is more soberly dressed but has enough color to make her easily identified. The length of the bird is seven inches.

The food of the bluebird is about seventy percent animal matter in the form of beetles, grasshoppers, crickets, caterpillars and other buys.

Wild fruit such as grapes, sumac. blackberry, pokeberry and wild cherries comprise the rest of its diet.