Blue birds are in the thrush family, and as such rarely if ever eat seeds. They will take berries, chunks of apple and really relish meal worms. They will also eat scrambled eggs.
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Blue birds are in the thrush family, and as such rarely if ever eat seeds. They will take berries, chunks of apple and really relish meal worms. They will also eat scrambled eggs.
Mealworms are one option for Eastern Bluebirds.
This time of year, bluebirds and thrushes eat a lot of berries left over and drying on trees, which may be what yours are doing.
I had the pleasure of having a pair of Mountain Bluebirds nest underneath my deck this summer. It took two tries, but the nesting was apparently successful. I did not try mealworms, however.
Bluebirds are some of my favorites, and mealworms in a suet cake feeder have gotten the job done in drawing them to my feeders.
They will also draw in mockingbirds and catbirds.
Mealworms! Looks like I'm headed to the pet store soon. Anyone have luck with dried versus live? I'm sure live will be better but sounds like a bit more of an investment.
They were definitely picking the berries off of a particular bush in the yard. Anyone ever try any other berries for them? Older strawberries or blueberries?
From Michigan Bluebird Society:
Quote:
Meal worms, suet, sunflower hearts, softened fruits, and cornmeal muffins can all be fed to bluebirds. Most of these will be accepted during the cold weather months if bluebirds have wintered over. But, meal worms are the best food to feed bluebirds and they will readily eat them year-round.
Wal Mart has a nice selection of suet cakes, including one with meal worms.
Feed and seed stores sell them too, but cost slightly more.
I have generally found that the pre-formed (smooth edges) suet cakes sold by stores do not attract birds as well as the hunks of plain suet I get at the grocery store...anyone else notice this?
A group (flock?) of about 5-6 Blue Jays have taken over today. First time for them to really go at the feeder/around it. Beautiful birds. Noisy. Aggressive.
At Royal National Park in Australia, if you turn your head while having lunch in the picnic shelter, a Sulfur-crested Cockatoo will grab your food and fly away to a nearby field. They always feed themselves with their left foot.
It's amazing how much you can see in national parks anywhere.
During my section hike of the A.T. through the White Mountains whenever we would take a snack break you would suddenly find yourself surrounded by Gray Jays. You could hold out your arm and they would come perch and eat out directly out of your hand.
The lovely snow buntings have arrived, though I rarely see them at a feeder...once we have snow (duh) they arrive in packs, generally see them in flocks of between 10 and perhaps 60+ birds, and they move as a single unit in flocks at times, nice to behold...they especially like eating grit from the road...our sand truck came by today, and I encountered three different flocks picking at the grit...it doesn't take much to keep some birds happy.
Anyone else have them? I think they're limited mostly to New England and right along the Northeast coast...
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Picked up one of these today. Best I could find at the local store. Has lots of dried mealworms. Immediately had the Titmouses and a Downy Woodpecker on it. Pretty late in the day here with a little rain coming so we'll see what happens tomorrow.
I’ve been teaching online in West Palm Beach since March and have my feeder set up where I see it all day from my desk. From time to time, wild parrots visit and love the sunflower seeds. Actually, I believe they are members of the parakeet family although much larger than those sold as pets.