How to Attract Bluebirds: Food, Nest Boxes and Water
Bluebirds are one of the most wished-for backyard birds. They don't eat much seed, so the usual feeder won't bring them in. Mealworms, a nest box and open space will.
What bluebirds eat
Bluebirds eat insects and berries. Mealworms are the best way to attract them. Dried mealworms work, especially if you soak them in warm water for a few minutes first.
Berry shrubs such as dogwood, holly, sumac, serviceberry and winterberry feed them through fall and winter.
The way to a bluebird's heart. Dried mealworms also bring in wrens, robins and chickadees, especially in spring when they're feeding young.
Check price on Amazon for Kaytee Wild Bird Dried Mealworms (opens Amazon)Use a dish or platform feeder
Offer mealworms in a small dish or on a platform feeder. Put it in the open, near where bluebirds perch.
An open tray feeder that welcomes the widest range of birds, including cardinals, doves, jays and juncos that prefer to feed in the open.
Check price on Amazon for Woodlink Platform Feeder (opens Amazon)Put up a bluebird box
Bluebirds nest in cavities, and a proper nest box is often what brings a pair to your yard. For eastern bluebirds, use a box with a 1 1/2 inch hole, mounted on a pole about 5 feet high and facing an open lawn or field.
Add a predator guard to the pole, and check the box regularly to remove house sparrow nests, which compete with bluebirds.
A well-made wooden nest box sized for bluebirds, with ventilation, drainage and a side door for easy cleanout between broods.
Check price on Amazon for Coveside Bluebird House (opens Amazon)Open space and water
Bluebirds hunt from perches over short grass, so open lawns, fields and fence lines suit them. A bird bath helps year-round, and a heated bath in winter is a big draw.
Open water in winter brings in birds that never visit seed feeders, like robins and bluebirds. This bath has a built-in thermostat, so it only heats when the water is close to freezing.
Check price on Amazon for API Heated Bird Bath with Stand (opens Amazon)Frequently asked questions
Do bluebirds eat birdseed?
Rarely. Offer mealworms, suet nuggets or berries instead.
When should I put up a bluebird box?
Late winter, before nesting starts in early spring. Boxes put up any time can be used for later broods or winter roosting.
Do bluebirds stay in winter?
Many eastern bluebirds stay year-round, especially where there are berries and open water.
Not sure which feeder fits your yard?
Answer three quick questions and we'll match you with the right setup.