bluebird of happiness

So the bluebird of happiness has another side to him.

While  working in my garden on Saturday, I heard the azure bluebird warbling his spring song and cooing sweet notes to his prospective mate as they inspected the house that hangs from the pear tree in the yard.

Thoughts of homemaking and sweet nothings soon disappeared when a third bluebird entered the scene.  It was another male and things turned very ugly.

Back and forth they went battling each other to the ground, rolling over and over, pecking and clawing. I purposely startled them up a time or two, but they went right back to it!  If a Cooper's hawk had come along then, he could have had an easy meal.

It continued for a long time, and I didn't see the end because after I shot a few photos I wandered off to do other things. The next morning a pair was picking up nest material and the extra male was nowhere about.