Attracting Bluebirds - What You Need To Know

Second, the steps you can take that will provide exactly what bluebirds need to thrive in your backyard.

Eastern Bluebirds live, nest, and feed in open areas. Places such as meadows, cemeteries, golf courses, and large suburban lots with open grassy areas will draw the interest of these birds. As insect eaters, the use of insecticides needs to be discouraged.

Not only will it diminish the number of insects, thus the number of bluebirds attracted,

but it can also poison the birds themselves and the young at the nest.

Some of the preferred insects and other invertebrates bluebirds eat are: grasshoppers, crickets, katydids, beetles, earthworms, spiders, millipedes, centipedes, sow bugs, and snails.

Bluebird Habitat

Trees and shrubs that work well at attracting bluebirds are: dogwood, hawthorn, wild grape, sumac seeds, hackberry seeds, blackberries, bayberries, honeysuckle, red cedar, pokeberries, and Virginia creeper.

Add a few of these varieties to your existing landscape to provide year-around food sources.

If food is available during the winter, your bluebirds may stay all year.

Nest boxes - Birdhouses

If possible place your nest boxes on a pole about 5 feet above ground. It's a good idea to use a baffle on the post below the birdhouse. These prevent predators such as snakes, raccoons, and opossums from entering the birdhouse and destroying the eggs and/or young.

A simple design you can build yourself can be found here Cone Predator Guard

Nest boxes should be placed in the open away from wooded areas that attract house wrens and tree swallows. Both of these birds are more aggressive at claiming nesting territories than the bluebird.

House wrens in particular, will pierce or drop the eggs out of the bluebird nest.

Destroying House Sparrow nest is most important. You must be sure to identify that it is indeed a House Sparrow and not Wrens or Tree Swallows, as Wrens and Tree Swallows are protected species.

Bluebird houses should be a minimum of 100 yards apart. These birds are territorial and will not allow others of the same species to nest any closer than 100 yards.

Try to face the nest box away from prevailing winds while keeping the entrance hole pointed toward open land if possible.

Water

BirdsChoice Supper Dome

Duncraft Bluebird Post Feeder

Eco-Friendly Mealworm Feeder

Duncraft Eastern Bluebird house

Learn Bluebird History

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