This is Episode 97. It’s all about bluebirds: the three North American species in the genus Sialia: The Eastern Bluebird, Western Bluebird, and Mountain Bluebird.

For centuries, these beloved birds have been celebrated in paintings, poems, songs, and Disney cartoons.

The Eastern Bluebird is the state bird of Missouri and New York, while the Mountain Bluebird is the state bird of Idaho and Nevada.

And, apparently, the Mountain Bluebird was the inspiration for the original Twitter logo.

But bluebirds aren’t just cultural icons. They’ve also become valuable study subjects for scientists in the fields of ornithology and general biology. Research on these little birds has led to insights about the way the natural world works—from evolution, to ecology, behavior, diseases, and genetics.

Links of Interest

• North American Bluebird Society

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Link to this episode on the Science of Birds website 

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