Attracting the Eastern Bluebird to Your Backyard

The Eastern Bluebird is a migratory bird that ventures north in the summer, and returns to states south of Connecticut in the winter. Northern states, such as Maine, are graced with the Bluebird's melodic song and flash of blue only during the summer months. Attracting the Eastern Bluebird may seem like a daunting task but with a little extra time and care on your part, Bluebirds will soon take up residence in your backyard. Once they are established, they will return to your yard for years to come.

Feeding: The Bluebird's primary diet is insects and berries, which poses a bit of problem with feeding them at feeders.

Fortunately, they love mealworms that are available at most pet stores and some bait shops. You can also purchase mealworms at Natures Wild Bird Food for $11.90 per 1000 mealworms. Some have found success with simply placing mealworms on a plate or a platform feeder. The major drawback to this is that other hungry birds may devour the mealworms before the bluebird even knows its there.

To prevent larger birds from stealing away the mealworms it is necessary to use a Bluebird feeder. These feeders are designed to allow small birds inside to eat, while keeping out larger birds.

Bluebird feeders can be purchased commercially. A nice "jail" feeder can be purchased from Anything Bluebirds for $29.95.

If you prefer to build your Bluebird feeder, there are some nice plans available at Bluebird.htmlplanet.com . These plans can be downloaded or printed free of charge.

The Eastern Bluebird also enjoys a special blend of suet containing peanut butter and dried fruits. You can purchase these wherever bird food is sold, or you may prefer to create your own blend.

Bluebird Suet Basic Recipe
1 cup of flour
4 cups cornmeal
1 cup of suet, rendered fat, or lard
1 cup of peanut butter
2-3 cups soaked raisins, dried currants, sunflower hearts, or peanut hearts

Simply melt the fat and peanut butter over medium heat. Let cool slightly. Add other ingredients and mix well. The final product should be slightly crumbly, but should hold its shape if formed into a ball. If it is too sticky, add more cornmeal.

The Bluebird suet can be offered from a platform feeder or in a suet feeder.

Offering mealworms until you have attracted Bluebirds to your yard and then gradually switching over to suet has been successful for many birdwatchers. Some report mixing live mealworms into the suet mixture at feeding time and gradually decreasing the number of worms offered until the Bluebirds are accustomed to eating the suet.

If you prefer to offer live mealworms in your Bluebird feeder, you may want to consider raising your own mealworms. It is more cost effective and doesn't require a lot of time or space to do. The Ohio State University Extension Office provides a fact sheet with detailed directions for raising your own mealworms.

Bluebird House: Bluebirds are very particular about their nesting habits. If you want to attract and keep bluebirds in your yard, you must provide them with an adequate nest box. There are some nice plans for building a Bluebird House at Birding/Wild Birds . Providing several Bluebird houses on your property will increase the chances of attracting more than one pair of Bluebirds.

You can also purchase commercial Bluebird houses at nearly any bird supply store.

Mount your Bluebird house 4 to 6 feet from the ground, preferably on the edge of an open meadow or orchard, facing the open area. Do not place houses closer than 100 feet from one another. Providing nesting material either in an old suet feeder or in a container on the ground, in a nearby location may be enough to entice your Bluebird to take up residence in your birdhouse. Feathers, pine needles, and soft grasses make excellent nesting materials.

Fresh Water: Providing a fresh water source will attract many birds to your yard. A birdbath, or a small fountain, is sure to please your feathered friends.

Taking the time to provide an inviting environment for Bluebirds is sure to attract them to your yard. If you continue to provide for them, you will enjoy their company for years to come.