Bluebirds
Relevant Resources: Bluebird Store (Attract Bluebirds to your Garden with Nesting Boxes, Feeders & Food)
... For Close-ups: Binoculars
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Description / Overview:
The bluebirds are medium-sized, mostly insectivorous or omnivorous birds in the genus Sialia of the thrush family Turdidae.
These are one of the relatively few thrush genera to be restricted to the Americas. As the name implies, these are attractive birds with blue, or blue and red, plumage. Female birds are less brightly colored than males, although color patterns are similar and there is no noticeable difference in size between genders.
Species:
- Eastern Bluebird Sialia sialis
- Western Bluebird Sialia mexicana
- Mountain Bluebird Sialia currucoides
Behavior
Bluebirds are territorial, prefer open grassland with scattered trees and are cavity nesters (similar to many species of woodpecker). Bluebirds can typically produce between two to four broods during the spring and summer (March through August in the northeast). Males identify potential nest sites and try to attract prospective female mates to those nesting sites with special behaviors that include singing and flapping wings, and then placing some material in a nesting box or cavity. If the female accepts the male and the nesting site she and she alone builds the nest and incubates the eggs.
Predators of young in the nests can include snakes, cats and raccoons. Non-native bird species competing with bluebirds for nesting locations include the Common Starling and House Sparrow, both of which have been known to kill young bluebirds.
Bluebirds are attracted to platform bird feeders, filled with grubs of the darkling beetle, sold by many online bird product wholesalers as mealworms. Bluebirds will also eat raisins soaked in water. In addition, inwinter bluebirds use backyard heated birdbaths. (*Note: Raisins have the potential of toxicity if fed in too high a quantity. Caution is advised)
Bluebird numbers declined by estimates ranging to 70% in the 1970s due to a decline in habitat. However, in late 2005 Cornell University's Lab of Ornithology reported bluebird sightings at many locations in the southern U.S. as part of its yearly Backyard Bird Count, a strong indication of the bluebird's return to the region. (Source: Wikipedia.org)
Attracting Bluebirds To Your Garden:
Three bluebird species live in North America, specifically the Eastern Bluebird, the Western Bluebird and the Mountain Bluebird. Bluebird are very beneficial birds as they consume large amounts of insects.
The Bluebirds used to be very common but loss of habitat, pesticides and predators have taken their toll on these beautiful creatures. (For non-toxic ways to control pests in the house or garden, please visit this webpage.)
In providing food, water, shelter and a place to raise their young right in your garden - the four essential components of a successful "backyard habitat" - you are not only helping this species to survive and thrive, but you will be able to enjoy seeing and experiencing them in your backyard.
Please visit this website for Bluebird Nesting Boxes, Feeders, & Food Items. If you prefer to build the bird houses yourself, this website has instructions / woodworking plans that help you do so.
Food: It is important to note that Bluebirds don't usually eat seeds, but will enjoy berry or insect suet. A variety of feeders are available. They like the fruits and berries of elderberry, dogwood, bayberry, red cedar, sumac, Virginia creeper, holly, blueberry and hackberry. You can also try offering chopped fruit, berries and chopped peanut kernels in a platform feeder.
Shelter / Place to Raise their Young: Bluebirds nest in natural nesting sites, such as tree cavities and old woodpecker holes. However, in the absence of these, they will readily use nesting boxes of appropriate dimensions. Bluebird boxes should be mounted no higher than 4 - 5 feet above the ground, as far as possible away from human habitation. Situate so that it faces open land. Provide nesting materials, such as grasses or the lint from your dryer works great too. After brushing my cat's hair, I clean the brush outside and wild birds really like to pick the hair up for padding their nests. Nesting material can be provided in an empty suet cage or simply place in an area frequented by wild birds.
Water: Offer plenty of water sources in your backyard habitat. Birds in general are attracted to running water. I have a water fountain outside that birds love to visit, as well as a couple of bird baths.
Cleanliness is important. You don't want the birds to become sick. I use a powercleaner every day to clean off any dirt, change the water several times a week, scrub as necessary, and disinfect the water fountain / bird baths and bird feeders at least once every two weeks with bleach.
I also hose down the bird feeder every day with a power sprayer, clean off any bird droppings and watch for bird mites. Wild birds often carry them and in visiting our bird feeders will pass them on to other birds. If you see little moving specks in the seed, it's best to discard the seed, or at the very least freeze them in for a week or longer. I have learned that it is best to keep bird seed inside (I keep it in the garage) -- as they get easily infected outside.
Every night, I hose my bird feeders down with a Power Sprayer and let it dry over night.
If you believe the area around the bird feeder is infected, change the location of the bird feeders temporarily.
I spray any infected areas with "soapy" water using a water hose with a fertilizer attachment, putting the dish washing liquid into the "fertilizer" compartment. I use Dawn dish washing liquid, as it is the safest. Never ever use the anti-bacterial kind, as it bad for the birds and the environment. This will take care of any mites and ants. (Eliminated my red ant problem!) . Make sure that you are not spraying any animals.
The second step in ridding any areas of bird mites is dusting them with Sevin Dust (5 percent).
With outside aviaries, mites can become a real problem, as wild birds sit on top of the aviaries and infect the breeder birds / aviary area. A red mite infestation killed several of my chicks. Once I noticed the problem, I removed all the babies, cleaned them up and handraised them. From that day on, I added a little Sevin Dust to the bird nesting material and it did not harm the eggs, chicks and breeder birds - but kept the areas free from infestation. It worked great.
You can get Sevin Dust 5% at Target stores (that's where I bought mine).
Related Websites: New York State Bluebird Society
If you would like to add to or correct any of the above information, or would like to share with web visitors your own experiences, please e-mail the webmaster.
Photo contributions are welcome!
