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A mountain bluebird in South Carolina

A male mountain bluebird
VJAnderson
/
Wikimedia Commons
A male mountain bluebird

The mountain bluebird (Sialia currucoides) is a small migratory thrush that is found in mountainous districts of western North America. Its breeding habitat is open country across western North America, including mountainous areas, as far north as Alaska. Although mountain bluebirds can be found in some states year-round, their range is expansive -- they generally migrate south to Mexico in the winter and north into western Canada and even Alaska in the summer.

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Rudy Mancke served as naturalist and co-host of South Carolina ETV's <i>NatureScene</i>, which began its long run in 1978. His field trips, broadcast nationwide, earned him a legion of dedicated viewers. Rudy's knowledge of the complex inner-workings of different ecosystems and his great admiration for the natural world make him the perfect guide. In fact, the National Wildlife Federation and the Garden Club of America honored his commitment to resource conservation with special awards. After retiring from SCETV, Rudy went on to become naturalist-in-residence at the University of South Carolina, Columbia. He hosted SC Public Radio's <i>NatureNotes</i> from 1999 until his death in 2023 at age 78.