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Why won't my nesting pair take the mealworms?

13 years ago

4 eggs in the blue house nest and the pair always around but will not take the mealworms I've put out. I have them in a white ramekin like bowl that I've used with success in the past. I have moved it so that there is no doubt they can see them. The titmice will finally polish them off but the blues seem to want nothing to do with them???

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Comments (7)

kendra2003
13 years ago
My guess would be that they're finding plenty to eat right now. Once the eggs have hatched, I think you'll see they'll gladly accept your offerings.
DoggieMom
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks for your response kendra2. I'm happy to have a pair this year and I am anxiously awaiting hatching and hope to have more activity outside my window as they come for the worms. I got this little decorative mealworm feeder a few weeks ago and can't wait to use it. It will be hanging outside my kitchen window.

{{!gwi}}
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bandjzmom
13 years ago
Maybe the Titmice and Wrens are getting them all before the Blues notice them? I agree with Kendra. Keep trying, and they will likely take them.
dzyg
13 years ago
Where are you putting the dish with the mealworms in it? To train the Blues to come to a feeder or any dish really you need first to see where they normally perch and place the dish on the ground under that spot. Blues are drop feeders so once they see movement they drop down on it. Once they know that dish contains mealworms you can slowly move it to where you want it. They won't just come to a dish of mealworms because you place it outside, they don't search out food that way. They watch for movement below where they perch. You also need to have active worms in the dish. One year I had older worms that had been in the fridge all winter and they just didn't move too much so I bought some crickets and used them (after the hind leg was removed) and the Blues found them immediately. I slowly moved the dish from the ground to my feeder and then slowly moved the feeder from the lawn to the deck. Good luck!

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bandjzmom
13 years ago
Hey Donna, I have a question for you. I have known of several very serious Bluebirders who attach their mealworm feeders directly to the nest boxes. When I see that, I always worry that this will attract other insect eating birds to the nest box which is something that we don't want to have happen. What do y'all think about this?
dzyg
13 years ago
I wouldn't put a feeder on the nestbox pole, don't think it is a good idea. That would not only attract other birds to the nestbox it would also attract raccoons, squirrels and chipmunks. Besides if the poles are properly baffled there isn't much if any room to put a feeder attached to the pole unless it would be immediately under the nestbox itself.

Donna
littlewomen
13 years ago
My pair is feeding the babies now and they keep cleaning out my mealworms (dried ones). I have them in a dish on the ground near my weather station that they love to sit on. They ignored the mealworms before the babies hatched.

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