Bluebirds ~ Pictures of Bluebirds~Bluebird Houses~Attracting Bluebirds
84Favorite pictures of bluebirds
Bluebirds Choose a Home
Eastern Bluebirds were already investigating the bluebird houses on the edge of our lawn when we returned from our winter travels in March. Two bluebird houses, placed two years ago in hopes of attracting bluebirds, are easily seen from our patio and kitchen windows, and we enjoyed watching and photographing a pair of bluebirds as they inspect both houses before deciding on their residence. The male Bluebird sits on the post above the house and chirps instructions while the female goes into the house and back out again several times. Sometimes she carries a piece of grass into one of the boxes. Then she’ll look over the other empty bluebird box again checking out the interior. It made us laugh to see the female carry a few pieces of grass into the second box, too, as it seemed she couldn't make up her mind on which was the better bluebird house.
Backyard Bluebirds Nesting
Having a nesting pair of bluebirds so close to our house is different from birdwatching in the field as it gives us the opportunity to closely observe their daily activities while they build their nest and raise their young. I keep binoculars, camera and tripod, necessary birdwatching equipment, by the widow so that I can more closely observe them and, if I'm lucky, snap a good picture of the bluebirds. Sometimes they would pose on top of the bluebird house or in nearby branches as if to say, "Take my picture!" So I did!
Bluebird Habitat
Bluebirds like to live near open areas like meadows, agricultural fields, fence rows, suburban parks and golf courses that have some old trees or patchy vegetation around them. In natural areas, bluebirds will nest in old woodpecker holes in dead pine or oak trees, sometimes as much as 50 feet off the ground. A pair of bluebirds will claim two or three acres of territory. Because they like to be at least one hundred yards from other bluebird nests, you'll seldom see two pairs of bluebirds nesting close together.
Male Bluebird
Bluebird House Hunting ~ Location, Location, Location!
The Male Bluebird Finds the Bluebird House
Typically, the male bluebird will find a suitable nesting hole and perch on top of it fluttering his wings to attract the female. He’ll take a few pieces of nesting material and go in and out of the hole as if to say, “Look, it’s a great house!” When the female enters the nest box with him, it usually means that she has accepted the site and that they will begin nesting.
Once the female is satisfied with the location of the nest box, she does the remainder of the nest building while the male guards the territory from his perch on top of the house or from nearby trees or bushes. Bluebird nesting materials will include grasses, and pine needles, but may also include feathers or hair loosely woven into the nest.
Our bluebird box is about twenty feet from a small mimosa tree, and the male loves to sit there watching over his territory. With excellent eyesight, he can spot insects and grubs on the ground and will swoop down occasionally to catch a tasty morsel for himself or to feed his mate.
Picture of female bluebird peeking out of the nesting box
Mr. and Mrs. Bluebird Start a Family
Because their nest box is so easily seen from our patio and kitchen windows, we are able to watch the bluebirds' behavior as they build a nest and begin their family. When we built and set out two boxes, we put them at the edge of our lawn near a field that is cut infrequently. Of the two boxes, the birds seem to like the one farther away from the tall trees and seem to like the proximity of a small mimosa tree that they can use as a lookout perch. Often in an afternoon, they will come to the our birdbath to drink and bathe.
Bluebirds Build Their Nest in Our Bluebird Box
Typical of bluebirds, the female does the nest building while the male watches closely. He will chase away other birds who came too close, and stand guard while she is away gathering nesting materials. Occasionally, when she goes into the box, he will look in to see what she is doing, sometimes going in for a few seconds. We like to joke that she is making him rearrange the furniture.
Photos of Bluebird Eggs and Babies in Their Nest
Mrs. Bluebird Lays Her Eggs
Once the nest is finished, the female lays her eggs. We occasionally peek in the box while she is out and see that she lays one egg each day until she has five eggs in the nest. Since the typical clutch is two to seven eggs, that is average. The female bluebird spends most of her time in the nest with the eggs while the male bluebird, like any attentive father-to-be, brings her choice tidbits of food, catching insects or picking up grubs from the lawn. Sometimes we see her poke her head out the entrance hole and look around as if to say, "Where's my lunch?"
Baby Bluebirds Hatch
After about twelve days, the babies begin to hatch. The average incubation period for bluebirds is 11-19 days. Since the eggs were laid a day or two apart, the chicks don't all hatch on the same day. When the first bluebird hatched, it was so ugly - only a mother could love it!. Baby bluebirds are born almost entirely naked with just a few tufts of down on their bodies (see photo). Their beaks are huge compared to the rest of their bodies, and we were afraid they would hurt each other in the crowed nest. But it isn't long before they began to develop more down, and then show signs of real feathers.
Meanwhile, the five hungry baby birds are running their parents ragged. Both parents bring food to the nest, though it seems that the male does the major food gathering. He catches insects on the ground and in the air, and is in and out of the box many times each hour. Sometimes one of the parents will enter the box with the young ones. It has be be really crowded in there!
Bluebirds fledge (leave the nest) after 16-21 days. We watch the nest closely because we don't want to miss the big event, but one day we went out for the day and came home to an empty nest! (A lot like when your teenagers go to college.) After that we sometimes catch sight of the young bluebirds in the bushes or hidden in the trees at the edge of the lawn as the male continues to supplement their feeding. Mrs. Bluebird, however, is already checking out another nest box and carrying in nesting material for her second brood!
Bluebird babies almost ready to fly
How to Attract Eastern Bluebirds
If you want to attract these beautiful birds to your area, you can help create a bluebird friendly neighborhood by putting up some nesting boxes made specifically for bluebirds. One of the reasons that bluebird population fell in the mid 1900's was that competition for nesting sites by European starlings and house sparrows drove them out of their natural habitat. In the 1960's and 1970's when bluebird trails were established and encouraged, bluebird populations increased.
How to build a bluebird box
Because they depend on pre-made nesting holes which may be scarce, bluebirds are also perfectly happy with man-made nest boxes. They are a little fussy on how their house is designed, though. An ideal bluebird house is about 5”x5” on the bottom, 8-12” tall. It should have ventilation holes on top and drainage holes in the bottom. It has an entrance hole that’s 1 ½ inches in diameter. This may seem small, but a larger hole will encourage bigger birds to take over the site. Bluebird houses do not have perches outside the entrance hole because that would encourage sparrows or other birds to invade their houses. When more than one box is placed, they should be at least 100 yards apart.
What Bluebirds Eat
While Eastern Bluebirds don’t often visit feeders, they will feed on insects, grubs, caterpillars, beetles, spiders, crickets and grasshoppers from your backyard, so you should not use insecticides if you hope to attract them. Some people do buy mealworms to put out on flat feeders for the bluebirds that are feeding their young. In the fall and winter, bluebirds will also eat many different kinds of fruits and berries including sumac, blueberries, black cherry, tupelo, currants, wild holly, hackberries, honeysuckle, bay, pokeweed, juniper berries, mistletoe, dogwood berries.
Enjoy These Beautiful Birds
I hope that you are lucky enough to have bluebirds visit your backyard. You are sure to enjoy glimpses of their sparkling blue feathers as they hunt for grasshoppers in your lawn or fuss at the other birds who invade their territory. Maybe they'll even reward you by drinking from your birdbath and preening themselves outside your window.
A bluebird slide show
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Dahlia Flower - This hub did attract a lot of attention when it was nominated for Hub of the Day. There are a lot of birders out there who love bluebirds! Thanks for stopping by to comment. I really appreciate the share!
Shea duane - I'm glad you enjoyed the photographs of our backyard bluebird family. Thanks for stopping by to read.
Wow, you earned an amazing number of comments on this and I don't wonder - it's an amazing subject and a great hub. I love all things BIRD. lol
Voting up and sharing.
Beautiful photos you have, thank you for sharing, voted up and tweeted. If you are a keen photographer to just like sharing you photo work maybe this site will earn you some pennies. I wrote a hub or 2 on the site http://arren123.hubpages.com/hub/Cold-hard-cash-in thanks again for your wonderful photo, beautiful :)
Beautiful photos!
Vinaya Ghimire - I'm glad you enjoyed the bluebird hub! Thanks so much for the birthday wishes - loved the flowers! :)
Wonderful ideas and great pictures.
Happy Birthday Stephaine!
Kelleyward - Thanks, Kelley! I'm so glad you enjoyed my bluebirds. It was a fun hub to write as my subjects were right there outside my kitchen window.
Danette Watt - Thank you! I do love birds and enjoy photographing them. These bluebirds were very cooperative subjects! :)
I can see why this was awarded Hub of the Day at the time. Your photos are wonderful!
Wow Stephanie this hub is amazing. I can see why it won HOTD! Beautiful birds, pictures, and great detail. Thanks for putting so much time and effort in this. I truly loved reading it! Take care, Kelley
Faith Reaper - Bluebirds did seem to be more common when we were kids, though I'm pleased to see them coming back as people provide nesting boxes for them. Thank you for your kind comments!
Reminds me of when I was a child and watching the blue birds in my backyard. Beautiful hub with beautiful photos. Thank you for writing this. In His Love, Faith Reaper
Lilleyth - House sparrows will try to take over the bluebird territory. We try to watch out for them and chase them away from the bluebird houses during nesting season. Bluebirds do love open areas, and golf course is probably a place they would love. Thanks for your comments and for the share!
Bluebirds are my favorite birdie, and, yes, our North Carolina yard had dozens of the little fellas...but here on Delmarva the sparrows just drive them off as soon as they arrive. I've given up hope. Last time a bluebird landed on the bluebird house 3 sparrows dive bombed him. I do see them out in open fields here and on the golf course across the street, so they are definitely here. Loved this hub, thumbs up on everything. Shared with FB.
Moonlake - The bluebirds don't seem to mind being crowded though it has to be better if they have a little breathing room. I hope your bluebirds like their new homes! Thanks for stopping in!
We get bluebirds in our yard they nested in a little tiny garden house. They had 5 or 6 babies and they could barely fit in the box. We now have better boxes up for them. Enjoyed your. Congrats on Hub of the Day.
KTrapp - I shared this again today because the photograph of the baby bird looking out of the bird house is new. I'm glad you like the picture...it was the last one I took before the babies flew off on their own. Now I have "empty nest" syndrome! :(
Kittythedreamer - I think that too many crows can scare away some of the other birds as they are not above raiding nests. They are very independent and brazen, and actually quite beautiful when the sun strikes their black feathers. Thank you for coming by to comment, Kitty!
Stephanie - This is not only an interesting Hub, but it is beautiful. The photos tell a story all their own. I especially love the expression on the baby bird looking out of the home.
Awesome, Stephanie. Simply awesome. I love bluebirds but all I seem to get lately are crows. Though I don't mind crows either! :)
Aviannovice - One of the very best things about spring is the arrival of the bluebirds and hummingbirds to our neighborhood. It certainly is a busy time of year for all the birds, and their early morning songs seem especially cheerful on sunny spring mornings. Do enjoy your Oklahoma birds! :)
Voted awesome, from one bird person to another. I have seen Eastern Bluebirds here in OK, as well as many other birds. Spring is a busy time of year for those lovely winged denizens.
Hi Christy,
I do enjoy capturing birds in photographs- I'm glad you like the pictures of the bluebirds! Thanks for stopping in to read and comment!
What beautiful photos and I enjoyed learning more about the bluebirds too!
SusanC01 - Thanks for stopping in to visit my bluebird hub!
I love this hub and your photos. Voted UP!
Please check out my photo story of the baby birds in our magnolia tree:
Hi JKenny,
I'm happy to share our beautiful Eastern bluebirds with you, and one day hope to visit England to see some of your beautiful birds. Thank you for your comments and votes!
Hi Deborah,
We found that a nesting box in the right location and a bird bath are a great way to attract bluebirds. Now is a good time to put up a bird house as bluebirds are already building their nests in some areas. Good luck with it, and thanks for your comments!
What a lovely article about a lovely bird. Its a shame we don't have bluebirds in England, but we already have a pretty impressive list of garden characters. Great work. Voted up etc.
Every once in a while we get bluebirds in the backyard but they never seem to stick around. I will use this advice and get a nesting box to try to encourage them to stay. Great hub!
Nettlemere - We enjoy our bluebirds every spring when they come back to nest and raise their young. Right now our favorite pair of bluebirds has one egg in their new nest! We're watching them closely. Thanks for stopping in to read and comment on my bluebird hub!
What a lovely species and amazing that you were able to photograph them in the nest and become so well acquainted with them.
sgbrown -
I love bluebirds, too! The pair that I've featured in this hub have come back to nest this year, and I've enjoyed watching them build their new next in the bluebird box. I hope to get some new photographs of the fledglings as they leave the nest this spring. Thanks for visiting and for your comments!
I love this hub! I love bluebirds, we always have bluebirds that nest in a box we put up on a tree in the front yard. I love to watch them. Our male bluebird seems to have a "thing" for my husbands truck side mirror. He will sit in front of it and flap his wings like crazy. I think, he thinks, it is another male. Very good information and wonderful pictures! Voted up and beautiful! Have a wonderful day! :)
You're welcome! They are the cutest of birds, aren't they - tee hee hee! Oh, by the way, it was an excellent hub with lots of information about bluebirds. Thank you so much!
Bluebird - Love your avatar! I'm so glad you were attracted to my Bluebirds Hub! Thanks for the read!
Your hub is great - and it worked - IT ATTRACTED ME!!!
lamaudraleigh - I'm so glad you enjoyed the pictures of bluebirds that live in our backyard. Thanks for visiting my hub and for your comments!
Sunshine - Thank you! We've enjoyed this bluebird family, and love that the are coming back this spring to check out our boxes again. Thanks much for stopping in to read and comment!
I thought your hub on bluebirds was supurb!!! Your pictures were great too!!! I now have some great gift ideas to give the bird lovers in my life!!! Thanks...voted up!!!
Bluebirds are beautiful as are your photos, descriptions and hub!
Alastar - I'm touched to know that my article has helped you in any way, and I appreciate your comment so much! Thanks for stopping by!
Stephanie I had something written about how your beautiful article helped heal me about an occurrence from a long time ago but I choose to erase it. This is a wonderful write & pictures.
J.S. Matthew- Thank you for your votes and for your good wishes! I love photographing birds, and I'm so glad you enjoyed the pictures.
FloraBreenRobison - One reason why bird watching is such a popular hobby is even city dwellers and apartment dwellers can enjoy watching birds in their area.
What a fantastic hub! Thanks so much for sharing your beautiful photos. You've made my day :)
Congratulations on being selected for the Hub of the Day!
I really enjoyed the photos very much! Great Hub! Voting Up and Sharing!
JSMatthew~
Bluebirds are so beautiful. The baby bluebirds are so cute! You've done a wonderful job capturing them. Thanks for sharing this with us.
Congratulations on hub of the day. These are beautiful photographs. Birds that live around my area-I live in a condo, so no yard-are crows, stellers jays, robins and sparrows.
Sorry...I just wrote the above comment, but I wrote my professional name instead of my hubber name. Thanks again.
SO CUTE! I love birds, but I live in an apartment (in a medieval city to boot). Can't wait to own a piece of land and a REAL home one day so I can put up feeders and birdhouses...
Those photos look like the birds in Disney's Cinderella :)
Thank you for this nice hub!
We have bluebirds in our yard every year. I have pictures of them on one of my hubs. We have a bluebird box but they always nest in the bird houses that are so small they can barely fit in. Have never went to our bluebird box so we're going to turn it we think maybe it's facing the wrong way for them. Enjoyed your hub.
I enjoyed this hub, especially the pictures. You really captured the beauty of those bluebirds and their babies! Great advice too! Voted up :)
So glad to learn more of this beautiful bird. Although we do not provide nesting for them on our property (we have a cat) we do see them in our area sometimes.
You've included really nice photos!
Congrats on Hub of the Day!
some stunning photos.This is such a great way to introduce young children to the life of birds. Congrats on getting hub of the day.
Congratulations on being the Hub of the day! You have written a great article and the pictures are beautiful. Thank you for sharing. Voted up and awesome.
Carriethomson - Glad you enjoyed the bluebird pictures, and thanks for your congrats! This was one of my favorite hubs to write.
Manthy - I love hummingbirds, too, and really enjoy their antics at our feeders. Thanks for reading my hub!
mattynjack707- Thanks for visiting my hub and for your comment!
Salt - Thanks for stopping by.
Bluebird - I can see you love birds; I love your bluebird profile picture! Thanks for your comments. I hope you enjoy reading my other hubs, too.
HappyBoomernurse - Oh, my gosh, I haven't been able to keep up with everyone on HubPages this summer, either. It's been so hectic! Thanks for your votes and your comments. It's always great to hear from you!
Enjoyed your hub on bluebirds, plus all the other interesting sites you shared here. I will be reading your two cat hubs when I get a chance. Very interesting hub. I love birds myself!
That is an amazing hub - We have hummingbirds here in Alabama , I live bluebirds and cardinals.
Nice hub - congratulations on getting the hub of the day
hi Stephanie! a wonderful hub and some great pictures!! a well deserved win :-) congratulations
Don't know how I missed this one when it first came out but I'm glad I found it today. Loved the photos and the comprehensive information about bluebirds. Rated up, useful, awesome, beautiful and interesting.
Congrats on making Hub of the Day.
Beautiful.
Jacqui2011 - I'm so glad you enjoyed my bluebird photographs. Thank you for stopping by to read and comment!
Congrats on hub of the day. Really nice hub and beautiful pictures. So fortunate for you they were so close to your house!
Agvulpes - Thank you for the good wishes and for reading and commenting on my hub! We continued to enjoy the bluebirds through the summer as they raised their young and enjoyed our birdbath.
Stephanie Henkel Thanks a lot for sharing this wonderful post.I like this.
Wow, such a well deserved title of "Hub of the Day". Fascinating to read and your pics are amazing. Just wonderful. Congratulations.
Thank you Thelma! I'm very excited to see my Bluebird Hub featured on Hub of the Day, and pleased that you enjoyed it. Thanks for reading and commenting on it!
G'day Stephanie, firstly congratulations on luring the blue birds into your perfect bird house.
Secondly congratulations on receiving the Hub of the Day award! It certainly is a beautiful Hub :-)
Congratulation for the Hub of the day! I love birdwatching and your photos are beautiful. This article is very informative. Voted Up!
Hello Anna, Birdwatching is fun! It's an enjoyable hobby that brings one closer to nature. Thanks for visiting my hub!
Birds are interesting to observe:) it's a fun hobby!
blue birds are my favorite wild bird.
Thanks for stopping by, Annie! I do love the bluebirds and enjoy watching them in our backyard. Recently, the female has been enjoying the birdbath. It's quite fun to watch!
they really are lovely birds arn't they? Great photos, voted up and all that...
Birdwatching is quiet interesting. The birds through your lenses are so pretty too! Spending my days here in California with my daughter recently made me watch birds, nature in a different way. Also visited few National Parks. As you mentioned in your profile, California is really nature's wonder. I do have a small birdhouse for my grandson and enjoy feeding the birds everyday. Wonderful hub I have ever read on this topic and voted up!
Hi Glenda, Thanks so much for visiting my Hub and for your kind comments! It's so nice to hear from you— wish you were here to share the birdwatching in person! Hugs!
Congratulations on your WIN!!! You're sure a wonderful writer and I always enjoy reading them plus the humor is a bonus. The photos are beautiful and brings it all to life and at times I feel like I'm there taking it all in with you. Thank you and keep sharing with everyone all of these treasures that many of us never get to see. Can't wait to see more.
Dukeny and Treasuresofheaven —
Thank you for stopping in to read and comment on my Hub! I'm so glad that you enjoyed the photos of the bluebirds and their young.
Congratulations on this winning hub! You have beautiful photos of birds. You inspire me to take more photos. Nice to meet you!
I loved reading your hub, love the photos. Look forward to more!
Hi LeeWAlls,
I'm glad you enjoyed the baby bluebirds. Since we were watching the bluebirds as they built their nest, I was able to open the door on the side of the box whenever both parents were gone and take a photograph every couple of days. I was pleased to be able to document the progression from egg to baby with feathers, but sorry I missed the day they actually left the nest. Thanks for stopping by my hub!
I love the baby bluebirds. Such perfect timing. How were you able to do that?
Thank you TravelMan! It's always so nice to hear from you! I'm so glad you enjoyed the pictures, and thank you for visiting my Hub!
OMG!!! How beautiful those birds are and you've seen how it grows, Ms. Steph. Thanks for sharing and congrats on your winning!!!
It's too bad that you didn't get to see your bluebirds use the house the second year, but at least you know that they're probably using it. Isn't it exciting to see a bird that you haven't seen before? The tri-colored bunting must be beautiful!
Several seasons ago, my husband built a bluebird house and I put it on a tree. That summer two bluebirds were checking it out for residence. They moved in and had lots of baby bludbirds. I was so excited. We moved from that house so I do not get to see return. However, yesterday I saw a tri-colored bunting that was amazing!
Hi Ruby, Actually, I don't have a camera in the birdhouse -- wish I did! That's my next project as it would be fun to have a video of babies hatching and feeding. We built the birdhouse with a swing-up door on one side so that I could peek in and take pictures every couple of days. Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
Great Idea, having a camera in the bird box! Congratulations on the writing contest.
Frog Princess, I've seen our bluebirds here until Thanksgiving and they area already checking out the boxes when we arrive back from our winter travels in March. I wonder if they spend winters here, too? Thanks for reading my hub and for commenting.
Thank you for your writing. I love my blue birds. And I have noticed the last few years that we are keeping them around our farm all winter long.
hi ya,i believe snowbirds gets migrated during summer..any ways i must appreciate you wrote an excellent hub
Thank you, Pamela, and thanks for visiting my hub!
Beautiful photos and great hub. Thank you. Reading it to my husband.
I'm so glad you liked the photographs, Robin! I hope your daughters enjoy them, too. Thanks for visiting and commenting on my hub!
I'm going to show this Hub to my daughters. I LOVE all the original photos! Thanks for taking them and sharing with all of us!
Thank you, Anginwu! Birds are so graceful and each species has its own fascinating habits that make them so much fun to watch. The colorful birds like bluebirds and cardinals are especially beautiful to see. Thank you for visiting and for your comments.
Love the pictures. I enjoy watching bluebirds too--they're such beautiful creatures. Congrats on the win.
Les Trois Chenes and Purple Perl -- Thank you both for commenting and voting on my hub. So glad you enjoyed the photographs of the bluebirds.
Beautiful bluebirds,loved the pics. Congrats too!Voted you up!
I'd heard of bluebirds but have never seen a picture of one before. Many thanks.
Michigan must be getting pretty this time of year, too. We're enjoying the bluebirds a lot this year, especially since they're visiting the birdbath quite often. Thank you for visiting and commenting on my hub, Denise.
Great Hub, Stephanie. I love bluebirds. Just got back from visiting family in Michigan. Wonderful photos.
@Akirchner, Viryabo, Blissfulwriter - Thanks for visiting and commenting on my hub! Backyard birdwatching is certainly an enjoyable way to enjoy nature close to home.
@E.A.Wright- I love the blue of the eggs, too. I'd like to do a painting of this nest of eggs some day.
@Peggy - From some of the hubs you've posted with pictures from your gardens, I'm not surprised that the birds love to visit you! It is a treat to see so many different birds, and to have baby birds in your backyard. Thanks for visiting!
Congratulations on the win. Well deserved and such an enjoyable hub! We regularly have Blue Jays, Doves, Cardinals, Mockingbirds and sparrows in our backyard drinking out of our birdbath and singing and flying in and out of nearby shrubbery and trees. Martins skim the air for insects each night. Spotted a red headed woodpecker recently! So you can see that we have quite the assortment of birds regularly seen in our backyard...including some babies in our birdhouse at this moment. The parent birds do work hard!
Voting this up and useful.
How cool - I love bird watching but especially from A to Z....wonderfully done!
This is so, so beautiful. I want to attract birds to my garden now.
Awesome pictures Stephanie.
Congratulations.
I like picture with the of baby bluebirds. Such a rare sight to see.
Really enjoyed the picture of the bluebird eggs in the nest -- the shells are such a pretty shade of blue. And congrats on the win!
Thank you, thank you, Simone! I'm so excited about winning the staff pick of the day for this hub! It was fun to write about my favorite birds, and extra nice to get such positive feedback from everyone!
Charlu and K9, I'm glad you all enjoyed the pictures as much as I enjoyed documenting our bluebird family. Thanks for your comments and congratulations!
Green Lotus, Let me know if the mealworms attract more bluebirds to your backyard. I'm sure some of the other birds will like them, too!
Your images are out of this world cute! Your Bluebirds have found a happy home for certain. This was a special hub Stephie, and one I am very pleased to see in the winners circle! Congrats!
K9
These pictures are so incredible and I never knew so much about Bluebirds. I have several ring neck doves and their families who like leftover horse food and have nests in the rafters above the barn. They will literally walk right in the house. Thanks for an awesome/up/beautiful hub and pictures Congrats on the win also you deserve it((:)))
Congrats Stephanie Henkel! This Hub won the Day 21 Staff Pick prize of the So You Think You Can Write Online contest!
Thanks for the tip on mealworms! I bet the robins will be fighting for a bite!
Oh my goodness, what a cool thing to do! Your pictures are beautiful... I really want to have a go at putting up a house now!
Thanks so much, Green Lotus. I love bluebirds, too. When the sun hits their bright blue feathers, they're like gems in my garden! I'm glad that the bluebirds like your fountain. They might also like a tray of mealworms if you wanted to try that. I never really liked the idea of buying live mealworms, but I've heard they are considered a delicacy by bluebirds. Thanks for stopping by.
What a lovely hub and the photos are fabulous! I'm a true bird lover and always jump up and down every time a bluebird visits my garden. It's quite small with a feeder and a fountain that attracts the bluebirds from the park across the street. How fortunate you are to have the perfect location for a bluebird house.
Barbara Kay, Having bluebirds nearby can be just as interesting as having purple martins. Being out in the country and surrounded by the right habitat is probably what attracted the bluebirds. Once they nest in a location, they are likely to come back again the following year. Good luck with your bluebird house. I hope that you entice them to use it. Thanks for stopping by to read and comment on my hub!
My parents live out in country and put up a martin house. They never got martins, but the bluebirds have taken it over. It is far from the house and that probably helps.
I don't have any bluebirds here, but I'll try putting up a house.
This is a great hub, by the way.
Bluebirds don't generally come to bird feeders, so I don't think its the other birds keeping them away. We lured our first pair to our backyard by putting up a bluebird house, but the house has to be in an open area like lawns or fields. If you have house sparrows around, they may try to take over the bluebird box, though. Thanks for stopping by my hub, Minnetonka Twin! I hope you can spot some bluebirds.
Thanks for sharing your bluebirds with us. I really enjoyed reading this. I seem to have cardinals and sparrows here in Minnesota. I have a bird feeder out my patio but never see blue-birds. Will blue-birds interact with sparrows and cardinals?
Stephanie Henkel Hub Author 3 days ago
Arren123 - Glad you enjoyed the photographs of the bluebirds, and thanks for the tip and the tweet! I appreciate the share!