Did you know? Bluebirds are unique to North America. You can find these beauties only on this continent!
THE SUBJECT
Bluebirds are real crowd-pleasers. North America boasts three distinct species: eastern bluebirds in the east and both western and mountain bluebirds in the west.
FOOD OF CHOICE
If you want to feed them in your own backyard, provide mealworms. Live worms are always best, but you can try dried mealworms as well. If you’re feeling ambitious, raise your own mealworms for an unending supply.
BACKYARD FAVORITES
If you’ve had trouble knowing how to attract bluebirds in the past, follow these four steps. First, get a nest box especially designed for them. Then, hang it so it faces an open area or field. Next, offer mealworms. Finally, don’t forget the birdbath, which is a big hit with bluebirds. And here’s one more bonus—plant native trees and shrubs with berries. Bluebirds will stick around all year, and they need something to eat in fall and winter!
NESTING HABITS
Many will use a cavity or nest box, raising one to three broods per season. Females lay two to seven pale blue (occasionally white) eggs, and once the young hatch, they fledge about three weeks later.
FASCINATING FACTS
Bluebirds can form close-knit families. The young from the first brood of chicks will often help out with subsequent broods by gathering food for the new offspring.
Lorain Cline says
We have had bluebirds in our yard but this year the sparrows have taken over our boxes, what do we do to get our bluebirds back
Jana Federer says
I had the same problem with sparrows. I got rid of all my old wooden bird houses and stopped putting out mixed bird seed which attracts the sparrows. After a little research online, I found a birdhouse called the Gilbertson Nest Box. The bluebirds were immediately attracted. The sparrows don’t like it perhaps because of its shape. I also have a great bluebird feeder for mealworms–it has wire around it and the bluebirds just hop in. The wire squares are too small for the pesky birds. Also be sure to have a birdbath kept filled with clean water. I have bluebirds year round (in Michigan) and currently I have a pair nesting. You can find the Gilbertson birdhouse on Amazon. Hope this helps!
Sam says
Where did you get your meal worm feeder? I also live in Michigan.
Janet says
Thank you! I just ordered one. Could only find one link for buying though. Amazon doesn’t have them anymore.
Lou says
Jana you have bluebirds year round ?? Awesome!!!
Gilbertson eh???
This it ??
https://www.amazon.com/Bluebird-house-Gilbertson-Chickadee-available/dp/B00CFQX3TW
Eldon says
Buy a VanErt trap which will catch birds alive in the box. Use a plastic bag placed over the box to catch the bird when you open the box. Let any native birds like bluebirds or tree swallows go. Kill any house sparrows that you catch. They are not native to America and will destroy bluebird eggs and nests. I caught over 40 sparrows last year using this technique
Dawn says
omg y kill them
Lou says
Sparrows are evil birds and you are allowed to legally dispose of these birds. These birds take over other nests and will kill babies. They are commonly seen scavenging at McDonalds.
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/House_Sparrow/lifehistory
baldguy says
Sparrows are invasive, introduced monsters. They will drag baby bluebirds out of nests and kill them and take the box over. Kill every one you see, please.
Sue says
I’ve also read that when you kill some of the sparrows, to put a few dead ones near your feeder to scare the live ones away. Believe it or not, I think it was the Audubon site!
Carol Shaffer says
I live in southwestern Pa. & we put out the boxes this summer & got bluebirds right away. they nested but when the babies hatched, the bear came & tore it down & killed the babies. My husband tried to stop her, but there was no way, short of shooting her, So we put an electric fence around it,(everyone thought we were crazy) & they rehatched & I got plenty of pics & they grew & flew away. Hopefully they will come back & that mean old bear can’t get them now.
Dee says
My bird book says to hang the bluebird box lower to discourage the more wary house sparrow/sparrows. 4-5 feet from the ground. Away from humans if you can and facing east/south-east and towards open land.
Hope that helps.
Kenny says
I had a chickadee nest last summer. I noticed a sparrow hanging around. A couple days later I noticed no action at the nest so I opened it up. The female chickadee was still on the nest with both eyes pecked out. I promptly killed the sparrow.
carol shaffer says
yes, those nasty sparrows will do that, I know a lot of people kill them for that. It’s a real shame, I would love to save all the animals, but can’t. I love the bears too, even though they did that to my birds.
Jane says
How do i make my own mealworms
Teresita hamilton says
I would like to know how to raise mealworm?
Sam says
Are you on Pinterest? I found a great site to explain how to raise them.
Teresita hamilton says
My daughter lives in Marietta, Ga. When ever we visit I watch the feeder have at least 3 to 4 Blue birds. She don’t do anything but hand a bottle full of mealworms ( not live). I live in Florida and I could not attract them. That is why I ask how to raise Mealworms.
Aneda Smith says
I buy dried mealworms cakes (can find at Walmart) and break the cake up in small pieces and wet it a little. The bluebirds love it. I had 6 at a time eating them this winter at our new house.
Terry says
Actually, Eastern Bluebirds are fairly abundant in Bermuda. However they are often limited to one or two broods in June due to the house sparrows.
Michael Cranford says
For the last two winters, I’ve been able to attract the bluebirds with Wildbirds Unlimited’s shellless seed.This is the first time since 2006 that they have come to our yard to feed. It is now 03/02/2016 and they are still feeding. I even have a robin that will eat the seed. That’s a first for our backyard. Now if I could only get rid of the starlings.
Bruce Parker says
We have bluebirds in Virginia that love shelled sunflower seeds when their natural foods are scarce in the winter months.
Elaine Manion says
One of my bluebirds liked the suet cakes I put out last summer. That was a 1st for me. They hatch at least twice a summer in New Jersey. I have a problem with the wrens taking over the box; i promptly remove their nest to discourage them.
Bonnie Gates says
For years I tried to attract Bluebirds using regular wood Bluebird houses, never getting Bluebirds, but lots of House Sparrows. Once I put out a Gilbertson Box, it took only 3 days before it was occupied by Bluebirds! I was thrilled! The House Sparrows ignore it for the most part. But beware! They may not want to nest in it, but they attacked the 2nd Bluebird clutch, and killed 2 of the baby Bluebirds. I was devastated! This year my Bluebirds returned, and so far have laid 3 eggs. I’m trying a Sparrow Spooker this year to keep those Sparrows away! Hopefully it will work!
Vicki Westgate says
Hey Bonnie, did the Sparrow Spooker work? I lost 2 bluebird hatches last spring to sparrows. That is very traumatic to see.
Charlotte McQueen says
We do all of the things suggested, even raise our own meal worms. We feed both bluebirds and wrens with the occasional mockingbird and red bird. My question is if the bluebirds stay in the area and nest in our boxes where do they roost in bad weather or during Winter? They check the nesting boxes especially in early Spring. Two wrens roost in a tiny bluebird ornament on our back porch. I even have video of a wren feeding a bird that is not a wren.
Vicki Westgate says
I had them winter in my boxes one year. I read that the family just huddles together in a box. My boxes are out in the open, with no protection from the north wind, seems like it would be miserable but they did it that year.
deb says
I’ve read all the comments but i’m still shocked that you would kill the sparrows… I put out birdhouses but i’am an equal opportunity renter…. the occupants can battle it out themselves…
Sheila says
Anyone who puts a Bluebird box out should be responsible for it. House sparrows and starlings are not native birds. They were mistakenly brought here in early 1900 to rid a moth! That failed! House sparrows desimate farmers fields. They carry a lot of diseases. They kill bluebirds! Believe me, you want bluebirds in your yard. They eat bugs! Got mosquitoes?! SH eat seeds. No redeeming qualitys whatso ever. And trust me, if you put a blue bird box out and have ever had a sp attack on the bluebirds, dead, decapitated, that’s is both male and female , you will want kill them to especially after they kill the bluebirds, they will build their nest on top of the dead decapitated body of the bluebird in the box!!! So Yes, kill the dam house sparrows! That’s what the game commissioners would appreciate all people would do!!!
Sue says
Deb, I am with you! I love All wildlife and could not kill any of them. They all deserve a space to live out their lives too. Yes, it bothers me that they kill baby birds, but I could still never kill them. They are precious too. ox
Aneda Smith says
I felt the same way until I found my momma bluebird on the nest with her brain pecked out and her five babies torn to shreds at the base of the pole. Sparrows are not native to the U.S. and are no match for most birds. If u truly want to host bluebirds, you have to be willing to protect them and that means killing the sparrows who kill for no reason.
Jack Beery says
I have had great success with the Gilwood Nestbox in upstate New York and Florida
Kirk says
I live in rural Kansas. I have lived here 5 years now and have bird feeders year around but have never had a bluebird except last spring when I had a pair at my bird bath. They never came back. I use suet and “Fruit and Berry” bird feed. I bought dried meal worms last winter but no birds would eat them, not even the robins.
Aneda Smith says
Try wetting them. I saw this tip on another site and they loved them! I had 6 feeding at a time this winter, a first for me!
JoyceBinAtlanta says
I’m in Alpharetta, GA, and have been feeding all kinds of birds and critters for the past 15 years in this house. Last year was my first at successfully feeding dried meal worms. At first, I mixed them half and half with live ones. This year, the dried alone are working well. Though I have many great bird feeders, I’ve found my favorite are the 3 Wild Bird Unlimited worm feeding trays with holes in the bottoms. I removed the domes and just hang the feeders on hooks placed in big pots on my deck. I use shelled sunflower seed(2/3rds); peanuts (1/3rd); a smatter of peanut butter suet pellets; and a smatter of dried mealworms. We get everything from woodpeckers, towhees, nuthatches, catbirds, yellow-rumped warblers, lots of bluebirds, and all the more common birds (4 doves in a bowl – yup!). Yesterday, a cedar waxwing came to investigate! And if you’re wondering if woodpeckers can perch, yes they can!
Judy says
We live in Florida…Lizards climb into the nest. How do we eliminate them
Anne says
OK I live in central Florida and we are interested in attracting any type of bird. We have seen two types of woodpeckers and a couple of other kind. We were gone for two weeks and now we haven’t had any birds….help.
Jim Green says
I just moved to Fort Mill, SC, from Montana. Have lots of wrens, couple blubirds, doves, one mockingbird. I feed mostly Black Oil Sunflower seed, and dried meal worms. They are skittish but all come during early morning and late evening.
Pam Humphrey says
I have bluebirds at my feeder all winter eating scrambled eggs I put out.
Having a flock of chickens is a big help.
carol shaffer says
how do I post, I just did & it didn’t go on.
carol shaffer says
I posted once too and it wouldn’t go on. but I tried again, then it went on. fickle site I guess. lol
Sharyn says
We had bluebirds the first year in our nest boxes. The next year the wrens took over and they nest in all 3 of our boxes. How do I get the wrens to leave houses alone?
I Lopez says
I have bluebirds in my yard the whole year. I live in Miami, FL., and my friend had told me, if I wanted bluebirds in my yard, to put out peanuts in their shells. I buy the big bags that are without salt, and put them out. They go crazy, one after another they take them. I’ve even have a pair or woodpeckers that come to get peanuts.
Ann says
I am in Norcross,Ga. and have bluebirds coming to my suet feeders. I use the hot pepper suet because it keeps the squirrels away. Also have all types of woodpeckers eating it.
Elaine Manion says
I have bluebirds year round in mid NJ. I have many berry bushes on my land and a heated birdbath. This past summer one of my bluebirds loved coming to my suet cakes to feed the babies. I usually get i or 2 nestings that make it each summer. I have lost a few over the years to house sparrows-very upsetting. I also get wrens building nests in my boxes which I promptly remove.