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Bluebirds - Attract and Start Your Own Bluebird Trail
by David R Price

Description: How you can do your part to protect the bluebird's natural habitat.

One of America's most beautiful birds is making a comeback, but needs our help. As with many birds and other animals, bluebirds have declined nationally. Through loss of habitat, urbanization, and predation these lovely natives of North America have dwindled to estimates as low as 70% of their prior numbers. Thankfully, many have come to their aid and the numbers are slowly on the increase. Here are some tips on how you can help their numbers rise and insure their survival.

Bluebirds range across the entire United States. There are three varieties - Mountain, Western, and Eastern, with the Eastern being the most prominent. Hollowed post tops, hollow trees, and stumps are the natural nesting sites for these birds. As America continues to grow, there are fewer and fewer natural sites in which to raise their families. This is true with all cavity nesting birds and they now scramble and fight for the fewer natural nesting places. Eggs or young are pushed from the nest and the cycle of dwindling numbers continue. Two aggressive predatory birds are the common starling and house sparrow, neither of which are native to America. These predators will actually kill adult bluebirds to take the nesting site. Another factor affecting bluebirds is they are territorial and private. Unlike many birds which group or colonize in large numbers, they usually require as much as 500 feet between nesting sites.

There are several ways we can help these birds along. Many people and organizations have started their own Bluebird trails which consist of installing several houses along roadways, open fields, city parks, and even city communities. We have even seen bluebirds nesting in crowded campgrounds. These birds adapt readily to man made nesting boxes. Starling and sparrow resistant nest boxes are available, These are installed on wood posts, metal, or PVC pipe at a height of 4 to 4 1/2 feet off the ground in open spaces. Males will seek out a suitable nesting site and begin his rituals to attract a female. If successful, the female will take over the nest building duties and sit the eggs herself. The male will be busy foraging for insects to feed both of them. Once hatched, both adults will search for and bring food for the hatch-lings.

Bluebirds are insect eaters. To further attract these birds arrange feeders with their favorite food. Mealworms are readily available as live, dried, or even roasted. These can be provided in an open dish or bird feeders designed for mealworms. One of the safest methods is to use safe haven feeders. These will have openings small enough for bluebirds, but will exclude larger birds and other predators.

There we are. There are safe nesting boxes and safe feeding stations we can erect for these birds. Many already have and enjoy the color and beauty of these birds. So take a look at your yard or land. Place one or several bluebird houses, depending on the room you have, along with safe feeding stations and you will soon have this native American bird providing company and entertainment. You will be happy knowing you have aided their recovery.

Consider coming to the aid of this and other birds. Several brands of houses and feeders are commercially available. We suggest houses with predator guards and in areas where starlings and sparrows are problems, we recommend starling resistant houses. Take a look at our bird feeders and nest boxes at FancyFlyers.com. We offer natural, safe, and proven birding products and supply an inexpensive box for establishing bluebird trails.

David Price is an avid amateur bird watcher, outdoor photographer, and owner of Fancy Flyers - a website providing birding information, festival schedules, pictures, products, and stories at http://www.fancyflyers.com The author also has a birding blog site. For birding information and pictures: http://fancyflyers.blogspot.com/

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