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Bluebirds in NE Ohio this winter

10 years ago

For the last 2 weeks, mid February. we have had bluebirds around our property. We have bluebirds in spring and summer, but the middle of winter? There seems to be at least 2 pair and maybe 3. I know that the south has had unusually cold weather, but we have had very low temps. and more than average snow fall. I'm trying to help them out with some bluebird feeding pellets and dehydrated meal worms. If anyone has any ideas as to why they're here and if anything that I can do to help them out, I'd appreciate your thoughts. Thanks,Luke NE Ohio

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Comments (6)

debby_1
10 years ago
Hi Luke,
I am in south east Ohio and we've had bluebirds here. I have several bluebird houses around the yard and I saw 5 bluebirds in a tree near one of the houses. It was getting dark and one by one they landed on the board fence where the birdhouse was and all five went into the house. I've never seen that before and was suprised since I've heard how territorial they are. Hopefully someone will answer your question about helping them through the winter. What are bluebird feeding pellets. I've never ran across those when I've been buying bird feed.

Debby
kendra2003
10 years ago
I keep a heated bird bath. Also, I put out mealworms and crumbled suet in a feeder that the larger birds cannot get into. I also put out a standard suet cage with homemade suet in it. I'm in MA and I have two males and three females that have stayed the winter. They don't get territorial until breeding season, and will stick together in flocks in the winter. Here's a picture I took today of some of them on the suet cage.
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aloemem
10 years ago
what is the suet you feed. I didn't know they ate suet.
kendra2003
10 years ago
Aloemem,

I make the suet. You can find recipes on Sialis. I took a recipe from there and just adjusted it a bit. I grind up sunflower seeds and use half chunky peanut butter and half ground sunflower seeds in their suet. They love it, and it keeps them fed all winter.
nhblues
10 years ago
Bluebirds also love Bark Butter from Wild Birds Unlimited... I live in Southern NH where they stay here all winter and they love this stuff. My husband took a birch log and cored a bunch of plugs in it for me and thats what I use for a feeder.
tmann05
10 years ago
If there is a good source they will often stay over winter. This past winter was not the one to try to stay, I found 6 dead blues in different boxes this spring.

I would like to invite you to join the bluebird nut cafe forum. It is much more active than this site and we have many veteran bluebirders that can give quick answers. Check us out!

http://bluebirdnutcafe.yuku.com/

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