It’s that time of year again. Here in the Southeast the Eastern Bluebirds have begun nesting. Here’s a couple of quick points if you are trying to attract this particular songbird.

1. Nesting box (bird house):
   1. The bluebird prefers an entrance hole (portal) that is 1 1/2″ in diameter. Other songbirds will also move into this box with this hole size but the eastern bluebird doesn’t fit into the smaller sizes.
   2. Face your bluebird house towards the east and have it in front of the tree line. Bluebirds like open space.
   3. Have a bush nearby so the fledglings have a safe space after they make their 1st jump.
2. Food:
   1. Eastern Bluebirds are insect eaters (as well as fruit). You can find live and dried mealworms at your local wild bird store like the Wild Bird Center of Johns Creek, GA 
   2. There are a few really good “seed cakes” on the market as well that contain dried mealworms and fruit mixed together.
   3. In our retail store we get two types of customers: dried mealworms and live mealworm buyers. Both work and the bluebirds will eat both. But… If you get them started on live worms it takes time to get them to switch.
3. Nesting period:
   1. Here in the southeast the bluebirds start looking for homes in late February. I call it “house shopping.” They go from house to house dropping twigs into each house.
   2. Once a nest is built the bluebird will take several days to lay eggs, once she starts nesting it will be about 15 days until the eggs hatch and another 15 days till they are ready to fledge.
   3. Once the fledglings have left take the old nest out and brush out the box. Your birdhouse has a chance to be used several times during the season.

Have fun with your bluebirds this year!

David Peterson

President – The Best Nest of Georgia, Inc.