Excited to share this post by Jeremy Gatten about the first sighting of a Western Bluebird this year!! The Western Bluebird is unbanded so not one of our translocated birds returning but a sign that Western Bluebirds will roam away from their birth territories. This is great to see because this kind of dispersal means that nearby populations can help support each other.
I was curious about the mixed pair of a Western and a Mountain Bluebird so I did a little research. Turns out mixed pairs do occasionally happen and sometimes produce fertile hybrids. It’s much too early to say that these two are more than just travelling companions though.
Post from Jeremy:
Today was marked with quite an extraordinary sighting for Vancouver Island. Seeing one species of bluebird is great, but seeing two species together in the winter… astronomical! I hope you all enjoy a shot of this rare encounter – here’s a female Mountain Bluebird with a juicy morsel on the left and a male Western Bluebird on the right.
Location: Blenkinsop Valley
Date: February 5, 2022
Cowichan Bring Back The Bluebirds Project 