I'm not that knowledgeable about birds but I would say yes it's unusual..I have a wooded lot in a wooded neighborhood within walking distance from a huge park (3900 acres)..I've seen bluebirds only once in my backyard in 14 years..and I saw a bluebird at my sister in law's once..in my personal experience bluebirds are rare..

Bluebirds are listed as a common backyard bird in Indiana. But of course Indiana is a large state and it doesn't necessarily mean you would see them in your yard. I would just be thrilled if I saw them! Enjoy!

as popmama said a map shows IN to be in their range but I've only seen them ONCE in my yard in 14 years..and I spend a lot of time outside..we do have quite a few hummingbirds which migrate like bluebirds..I would love to see more bluebirds..maybe the bluebirds stay in the huge park down the street?..letta - I assumed that you don't see bluebirds often since you asked if they were unusual?..if you saw them often you would consider it ordinary right?..if I misunderstood your question I'm sorry..

I live in Ft Wayne near the coliseum. Today, again, I saw 3 bluebirds at my feeder. Awesome..

I'm jealous :-) I guess for you bluebirds aren't unusual..

I recently moved here from lower Michigan. Only saw them there on a few occasions in the summer, Was told that they're not commonly seen here this time of year. So guess I'm getting a special treat. Also I got a special treat when I visited your central library last month. Nice place to hang out. Take care.

enjoy your beautiful wildlife..the Indianapolis central library is special..when my nephews were small I would take them there..they called it the "castle"..

They do like to be near open areas/fields.

tj

I have some open fields within walking distance..but you can't see it from my house..

Oh wow Nicholsworth....looks like a great place to live! Yeah, I agree, they like open areas. I've heard they don't like their nests/nestbox to be close to shrubbery because other birds land there and then bother/kill their young. I've heard that certain sparrows are known to do that. Oh man.....do you have those hawks around all the time? They probably love those trees.

What beautiful pics, catherinet and nicholsworth. Think I'm going to get a bluebird house. Wish me luck.

there's a hawk's nest in a huge oak in the front yard of the house next door..we see hawks often..I'm sure they've killed small birds..thank goodness I've never actually seen that happen..it would make me sad..but I bet that it's happened..so maybe my habitat is too wooded and dangerous for bluebirds..

Good luck letta. Be sure to get the kind with an extension on the opening and put it at the right height. I know they are often on wooden posts, but animals like raccoons and snakes can climb it. I think a metal pole with a racoon baffle is the best to use, but even then, other birds can kill the babies. That happened to one of my nests once. I was sad. The babies were almost ready to fledge, but they were all killed but one, which I found alive on the ground. I put it up on a branch, but don't know if it could survive. I believe it was a wren that did it, but I'm not sure. The bluebirds don't seem to mind you lifting the side panel and peeking in........but the trouble with that is the scent on your shoes leaves a trail right up to the birdhouse for predators to follow. So don't do it often.

Like I said, I have so many natural holes in trees for them, I gave up on the birdhouses, up until about 2 years ago. I got one and they apparently didn't like it. A house wren made a nest of sticks in it. I've cleaned it out, but I'll bet I need to take it down for a year and put it back up, to stop them.........but probably not much will work. It may be too close to some pine trees too. Let us know how it all goes!

nicholsworth........I think it would be neat to have a hawk nest close by, to watch. The crows around here seem to constantly harass the hawks. It's funny how hawks' cries don't seem to match their looks. They sound like a rabbit crying.

Oh dear. The bluebird house could be challenging. have decent sized backyard but its surrounded by a privacy fence

If wrens nested in it guess I could live with that. They are cute to watch.

catherinet..it IS fun to have hawks..they're beautiful when they glide thru my yard..I've seen blue jays harass the hawks and it makes you think the blue jays are crazy to go after such a much bigger bird..we have Carolina Wrens and Chickadees which are both adorable..too many birds to name them all..but bluebirds only once that I'm aware of..

I have been disappointed that I haven't chickadees so far. Amazing that bluebird would go after hawk.

letta........no, bluebirds don't go after hawks.......the bluejays do. I had an injured bluejay in the house for a short time, until it got over its concussion, and I couldn't believe how many different colors of blue were in its feathers! Lots of people think they are bullies, but I have never seen that. They sure have lots of different "voices". They are good impersonators. They can sound just like hawks too. One time I got all excited, thinking I was hearing a saw whet owl........but it was "just" a bluejay.

nicholsworth......I'm not very good at identifying hawks, except for redtailed, which is what we see the most of here. One year, I had a coopers hawk that sat in a tree in the woods, watching my bird feeder. :( But everyone needs to eat. I just don't want to see it! ;)

letta.....I wouldn't think a privacy fence would stop the bluebirds from coming. I would still give it a try!

Ok you're saying that blue jays are going after the hawks not the Eastern bluebird. Yes jays can be very aggressive. believe they are part of the crow family.

letta, Yes. Maybe others have witnessed bluebirds chasing hawks, but I don't think it's in their nature. I think it would be counterproductive. :)

Nicholsworth.......great picture! Those hawks seem to really love your place!

I was really happy when bluebirds showed up at my home in Valparaiso. One of the nicest things about living there was the great variety of birds we had. Our lot backed up to woods that included some dead trees that the woodpeckers loved and probably had cavities that the bluebirds nested in. We also had shrubs, trees and perennials that were bird friendly.

Here are some pics (I hope) all taken the same day.

Currently I live on several acres in N. Iowa and I do not have nearly the "bird show" but the habitat is more open.

mnzinnia..beautiful photos!..guess what!..no pics of them but we've had several female and one male bluebird this week..our feeder..guess why it's crooked?

Is that groesbeck with the bluejay?

Also just went bought baffle for squirrels.

Yes, it's a grosbeak.

I love their colors.

We have a muffler style baffle (see photo) and it's worked well. You just have to make sure the feeders are far enough away that squirrils can"t leap from a tree on to the feeders (though it;s amusing to watch them try). Here are some goldfinches lunching with the bluebirds. See why I miss my backyard? And my flowers.

I'll try the pic again

One more try

Great pics, mnzinnia! Sometimes I get grosbeaks, but it's been a year or 2. I think their song is said to be "something like a robin, but it's had singing lessons". haha I think they mean it's a little more melodious.

I've never had bluebirds at my feeders. Does your seed have mealworms in it?

Nicholsworth......I don't know my hawks very well either. At our Easter get-together, one of our cousins was there who is a farmer near Bainbridge, IN. I always ask if he's seen any interesting wildlife. He said the other day, he saw a hawk with a fish in it's mouth. Neither of us were familiar with hawks that might dive for fish........But he was thinking maybe someone was fishing on his property, and they dropped a fish. Have you ever heard of hawks around here (central Indiana) getting fish out of ponds? Maybe if the fish were in a shallow creek??

catherinet..my neighbor has a pond with fish..she told me she didn't know for sure what was eating her fish but she thought it could be raccoons, owls or hawks..we've seen all 3..a different neighbor has a dog that's found bits of frogs, snakes, small animals etc that she said were dropped by the hawks..they fly over that house a lot..she didn't mention fish but it sounds possible to me..

Thanks nicholsworth. I have a couple small "ponds"....just 300 gallon rubbermaid stock tanks sunk into the ground in my back yard. I don't have fish....just frogs and sometimes snakes (and water lilies and lotus). But one day as I rode up in the lane, I saw a great blue heron perched on the top of the house, looking at my little ponds! I have the feeling that raccoons visit my ponds every night. They've knocked some of the big rocks lining the edge into the water. I quit feeding birds in my back yard because the raccoons would visit and cause all sorts of ruckus and problems. They're too smart for their own good. haha I don't think I'd ever have fish out here. There's too much to worry about.....