Bluebird and Small Cavity Nester Conservation
Sialis - Bluebirds and other small cavity nesters
 
bluebirds

bluebirds

eggs Sunflower Eater

EABL eating sunflower kernal
 
Male offers female a seed.

Bluebirds don't eat birdseed, right? Wrong! Sometimes they will eat hulled shelled sunflower chips and nut meats (like peanut chips). The bird to the left looks like a Chipping Sparrow - sometimes confused with a House Sparrow.

Cara S of VA caught this male in action. In the other picture, he is offering a kernel to the female. (Photo by Donna of VA.)

About 68% of a bluebird's diet is insects. They find mealworms very attractive. They do have to be trained to come to a feeder. See feeder info (training, DYI plan links, mealworm storage, etc.)

Bluebirds can also be trained to eat suet. See recipes. Peanut chips and sunflower hearts can be mixed in with the suet.

They also like fruit - e.g., flowering dogwood, holly, mulberry, wild grape, Virginia creeper, pokeweed, and Viburnum. (Although they will eat the fruit of multiflora rose and Japanese honeysuckle, these are invasive species, and should be eradicated.) 


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May all your blues be birds!

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Photo in header by Wendell Long.
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Last updated March 24, 2016. Design by Chimalis.

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