Gail I don't know if this is typical or not. I have 4 bluebird nesting houses and all are being used by bluebirds. I also have a feeder up with Black oil sunflower seeds. The bluebirds use the feeder everyday. I als see them at the houses with worms. I don't have any mealworms. I wish I did have somes.

DH and I have enjyed the past several days watching the bluebirds. What a thrill.

thanks mimidi! Wow, four houses of bluebirds! You are lucky. I have had so many problems in the past keeping bluebirds - one year a ratsnake slithered up into the house and got the babies, next year a wren kicked them out. This year, so far so good!

Well Bluebirds do not have the beak for opening seeds so they cannot be eating any seeds that need to be opened like BOSS. During the nesting season their primary food is bugs and sometimes suet. They are drop feeders meaning they perch and watch the ground, when they see movement they drop down on the bug and get it. While they will eat the occassional earthworm their bodies are not made to digest the dirt in them so they don't consume these very often. Also most Bluebirds don't nest within 300 feet of another Bluebird as that is how big their territory is. I have heard however of one pair in someones front yard and another pair in the backyard but their territories don't overlap (front yard birds don't enter backyard and vice versa) or thier would be problems/fighting.

Check out sialis.org for loads of information on Bluebirds and other cavity nesting birds. Perhaps your birds are something other than Bluebirds?? Just a thought.

Donna

No they are definitely bluebirds. But my seed is a mix of hulled sunflowers, peanuts, sunflower, safflower, raisins, hulled pumpkin seed, pistachios, almonds, pecans, walnuts, cherries, ground corn and more -- so there is something in there that they like! They are in and out of the feeder all day. The feeder is the clear acrylic kind that you put on your window with suction cups so I watch them quite closely -- the female is much more timid than the male. If she sees me move, she leaves -- but the male is quite unafraid. I have seen a few house sparrows the past few days at my feeder too so I hope they leave the blues alone. I also have a few beautiful red bellied woodpeckers frequenting the feeder this year. I definitely have more birds this year than ever. Maybe due to the harsh winter.

I guess I am doing everything totally wrong. What? I don't have a clue A few years ago I only saw a bluebird once in a 'blue' moon. Now my back yard is full of them. I wonder what would happen if I did the right things to attract the bluebirds.

***I guess I am doing everything totally wrong. What? I don't have a clue A few years ago I only saw a bluebird once in a 'blue' moon. Now my back yard is full of them. I wonder what would happen if I did the right things to attract the bluebirds.***

SO how far apart are your four nestboxes that all have bluebirds, just curious, would be quite cool to be able to have four boxes in the backyard with all bluebirds but it just doesn't happen normally. Last year I had the opportunity to have my first nesting fledglings stay around while the adults went on to the second nesting and they all stayed around until they left to go south in October. Was so cool to have 10 bluebirds around. I am lucky enough to get one pair each year in my yard (should be able to get two with the distance between some of the nestboxes) but we have tons of Tree Swallows in all the boxes swooping around the yard.

What do you mean you do everything wrong to get bluebirds? Putting up a nestbox is all you need to do to attract them. I hope your boxes are mounted properly so they stay safe from predators and the dreaded House Sparrows.

Good luck!
Donna

Our bluebirds do come to feed but not at our traditional feeders. I own a BB feeder. They come to it and also to a large plant saucer which I fill with things they love. My neighbor uses a seed mix which contains dates, raisins, and cherries, and she sprinkles it over the top of the dirt in an old clay pot on her deck. They feed there often. I very seldom buy mealworms. Our Blues will eat dried fruits(raisins, dates, cherries),Bluebird Nuggets, crushed peanuts, and Bark Butter.