Male Bluebird

Eastern Bluebirds are one of the success stories of the environmental movement. Because much of their habitat was destroyed, and because the insects they feed on were killed off by the widespread use of pesticides (and the insects they eat were poisonous to the wild birds because of the pesticide residues), the Eastern Bluebirds were in danger of extinction, and through a concerted effort by conservationists, were brought back from the verge of extinction. Although they have been removed from the threatened list, the Eastern Bluebird still needs your help in preserving enough habitat to re-establish itself!

Eastern Bluebirds prefer open areas; the edges of woods, golf courses, suburban lawns (especially the edges of the lawns near alleys), and trees with old woodpecker nests. You can encourage Eastern Bluebirds by putting up nest boxes for them and making sure to keep nuisance birds, such as English sparrows, out of the nest boxes. The nest boxes should be placed four to five feet above ground, and should be built to the exact dimensions necessary for successful brooding (four inches by four inches square on the bottom of the box, and with a one and three-quarter inch diameter entrance hole). The male will bring nest materials to the nesting box and will show off his contributions by going in and out of the nest cavity, flapping his wings and displaying the nesting materials he has acquired for nearby admiring females.

Eastern Bluebirds feed primarily on insects and insect larvae, so you should make sure that you use organic lawn methods, and refrain from using fertilizers or pesticides. Eastern Bluebirds also eat berries when insects are scarce in winter, and these birds prefer mistletoe, sumac, tupelo,  honeysuckle, bay, pokeweed, juniper berries, dogwood, red cedar, Virginia creeper, holly, hackberry and elderberry berries. Although Eastern Bluebirds are rarely attracted to feeders, in winter when food is scarce, berries may tempt them to check your feeder out. Eastern Bluebirds may also occasionally catch a small rodent, lizard, snake or frog. Eastern Bluebirds often perch on wires and swoop down on their prey.

Eastern Bluebirds have been known to live as long as ten years, and have two broods per year; the second brood usually winters over with the parents, but the first brood often leaves on its own to reduce competition from later broods. By attracting these delightful visitors to your back yard, you will be helping conservation efforts, and ridding your garden of nuisance insects at the same time!