Mountain bluebird; photo by oldbilluk on Flickr (noncommercial use permitted with attribution / share alike).
Official State Bird of Idaho
The lovely mountain bluebird was designated the official state bird of Idaho in 1931 (the mountain bluebird is also the state bird of Nevada). Idaho also recognizes an official state raptor. All state birds
Mountain Bluebird Facts
The bluebird family is especially plentiful in Idaho's mountains. The mountain bluebird (Sialia arctcia) is a small thrush found on ranch land and other open areas of the American West. It prefers more open habitats than other bluebirds and can be found in colder habitats in winter (mountain bluebirds tolerate colder habitats than other bluebirds).
The male mountain bluebird is a brilliant sky-blue, the female is gray with blue on her wings and tail. The female mountain bluebird builds the nest without help from the male. The male sometimes acts as if he is helping, but he either brings no nest material or he drops it on the way.
Mountain bluebirds hover over the ground and fly down to catch insects, and may also fly from a perch to catch them. Their main diet consists of insects and berries. They may forage in flocks in winter.
