Like attracting any other songbird, luring bluebirds to your yard involves meeting their basic needs, which include food, water, and shelter. Once you do this, they will come. Still, there are a few details to be aware of when trying to attract bluebirds.
For instance, it might seem obvious to put out a bird feeder, but the kind of bird food it holds matters a lot to the kind of birds you want to see visiting your backyard. To get bluebirds to come to your yard, try these tips.
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Bluebirds: What Are They?
Different parts of North America are home to three different kinds of bluebirds. The eastern bluebird inhabits regions east of the Rockies, as far south as the Gulf of Mexico, and as far north as Canada. The mountain bluebird is a native of numerous regions, including Alaska, the Great Plains, and Central Mexico. It is frequently observed at higher altitudes. The western bluebird is found living west of the Rockies and from the coast of California to many parts of the Southwest.
Tips for Attracting Bluebirds
Offer favorite foods
Because they eat a variety of fruits and insects, bluebirds are not attracted to bird feeders that contain seeds. Give bluebirds freeze-dried mealworms or live ones instead. Beetle larvae, or mealworms, are available for purchase at certain pet stores.
Either put live mealworms in a dish or place the dried ones in a hopper feeder that resembles a house and has big openings in the sides the bluebird can fly through.
Position a dish with smooth, steep sides on a deck railing or platform bird feeder, filling it with mealworms so the edges keep them from escaping.
When it comes to mealworms, restrict how many you offer throughout the nesting season. Mealworms alone won’t provide baby bluebirds with the nutrition they require, therefore only a few should be offered once or twice a day. This is not a problem in the winter because the bluebirds are not building their nests.
Provide water
Water sources are used for bathing and drinking for bluebirds. Bluebirds will drink from bird baths even though they obtain the majority of their water from their diet. In addition to keeping their feathers clean, bathing in a bird bath helps keep birds cool during hot weather.
Bluebirds won’t be the only birds that utilize it as a bath. As long as the water is not too deep, bluebirds will bathe and drink in bird baths, recirculating streams, or pond edges. Thus, what is the ideal water level in the basin? He claims that the ideal swimming area is approximately an inch with unobstructed views. Remember about the winter months. In winter, heated bird baths can be utilized. Keep in mind to routinely clean both your feeders and your bird bath.
Plant berry-producing natives
The food that bluebirds eat varies with the season and what is in season. During the warm months, bluebirds mostly eat soft-bodied invertebrates such as spiders and ground-dwelling insects. During the winter, they eat berries and fruits. Think of incorporating winter-producing natives into your design.
Plant native trees, shrubs, and vines that are good growers of berries in your area. For eastern bluebirds that are hibernating, dogwoods, staghorn sumac, and American bittersweet vine are excellent options.
Berries are also produced by some natural trees. Some of those fruits that last throughout the winter can be found in landscapes with species including American holly, dogwoods, black gum, Carolina cherry laurel, and eastern red cedar.
Leave dead trees
Nature loves some chaos, even if we have a tendency to make our backyards tidy and orderly. Leave dead or dying trees standing if you can to provide bluebirds with a place to live. Nesting cavities are among the most restrictive elements for bluebirds. If it’s safe, leave the dead trees and branches alone.
Bluebirds may also get their areas and nests made by other bird species. Woodpeckers will dig new cavities that bluebirds may use for nesting in the coming years. The fact that aged branches provide bluebirds with a hunting perch is another advantage of leaving them in place.
Keep materials for nests nearby
To build their nests, bluebirds require specific materials. Bluebirds use grasses and pine needles to construct their nests. Occasionally, they line the nest with feathers, hair, and fine grasses. During the nesting season in your area, you can place pine straw or garden straw packed in a suet holder if there are no pine trees or grasses nearby.
Keep cats out of the path
Studies reveal that a significant proportion of bluebirds are murdered by cats every year. The biggest concern comes from outside cats, so keep them inside. If you can’t keep your cat inside, think about getting a collar that contrasts with the surroundings to help save bluebirds and other wildlife. Bluebirds are drawn to the collar’s hues, which also give them time to take off.
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