The bluebird of happiness
Saw this Eastern Bluebird in a country meadow near Oberlin this week.
Autumn is at hand around here, and with the trees becoming a little more transparent
and the fields various shades of browns, reds, yellows and oranges--and still some greens!--, this guy was really an eye-catcher.
He was on the lookout for insects on the ground, but didn't mind having a nip of the berries while waiting.
About ⅔ of their diet is insects, and the remaining ⅓ is berries. I had the distinct privilege of watching him indulge in both.
The population of this bird fell to critical levels in the early to mid 20th century
due to being crowded out of its nesting places by introduced European sparrows and starlings,
but efforts by bird enthusiasts have increased their numbers.
The Eastern Bluebird ranges east of the Rockies from southern Canada to the Gulf of Mexico.