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Bluebirds are really grassland birds. It is difficult to attract them to urban
or heavily wooded property. Most bluebirds prefer open fields with one or two large oak trees, pastures, vineyards, old orchards or large mowed yards with selected medium-sized trees for nest guarding. Nest
boxes should be placed out in the open on fence posts or metal poles not nestled into groves of trees.
Bluebirds are primarily insect eaters. They do like berries, but they are never attracted to the typical bird feeding stations that offer a variety of seeds. Bluebirds feed primarily on the ground—like the robin, to whom they are related. They like spiders, crickets, ants, grubs and small worms. Once bluebirds start nesting, we often offer meal worms to help the parent birds feed the young in the nest. The most effective way to attract bluebirds is with native berry producing plants. Bluebirds in our area do not migrate south for the winter. They tend to join small flocks and forage on insects and dried berries. They will move to lower elevations if the winter is very cold. Sometimes they will roost over night in a nest box during the bitterest weather. Bluebird males establish and defend feeding territories to which they bring their mate. It is the females job to choose the best nest box within that territory. A successful pair will return year after year to the same area, often the same next box. When a male dies over the winter, one of his male offspring may take over the feeding territory. Once you have bluebirds nesting on your property, you are likely to have bluebirds forever! |