Column: Do eastern bluebirds leave and come back?

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • August 29, 2026

Not all bluebirds migrate. They are known as partial migrants; some of them will migrate south, while others will winter on or near their breeding grounds. Unless an individual is banded, it can be nearly impossible to tell if it is a returning bird. The southern (less migratory) birds are more likely to breed in the same place, at around 40% of the time, compared to more northern birds that return to breed 26% of the time. ~ Maine Audubon Staff Naturalist Doug Hitchcox