Bluebirds are beautiful songbirds that can add color and life to any backyard in California. With their bright blue feathers and cheerful songs, bluebirds are a joy to watch. However, attracting these lovely birds takes a bit of planning and effort. By providing the right habitat, food sources, and nesting sites, you can encourage bluebirds to take up residence in your yard.
What do bluebirds eat?
Bluebirds are omnivores, feeding on a variety of insects and berries. Some of their favorite foods include:
- Mealworms
- Crickets
- Grasshoppers
- Spiders
- Caterpillars
- Beetles
- Ants
- Berries
- Fruits
To attract bluebirds to your yard, providing a food source is key. Here are some tips for offering food bluebirds will love:
- Set up a feeder stocked with live mealworms – this is one of the best ways to feed bluebirds.
- Plant berry producing shrubs and trees like dogwoods, elderberries, hawthorns, and serviceberries. These will provide fruits that bluebirds relish.
- Hang suet feeders stocked with insect or berry enhanced suet cakes.
- Create a ‘snag’ by partially burying a dead tree stump in your yard – this creates a natural feeding station that attracts insects bluebirds prey on.
By setting up one or more of these feeding options, you can be sure to provide tasty treats that will have bluebirds coming back to your yard again and again.
How can you provide optimal habitat for attracting bluebirds?
In addition to food sources, bluebirds also need the right habitat and nesting conditions to thrive. Here are some tips for creating an attractive environment:
- Open short grass areas – bluebirds prefer to forage in grassy areas with short vegetation and a few scattered trees.
- Nest boxes – erect boxes specifically designed for bluebirds on poles or fence posts 5-10 feet high.
- Natural cavities – leave dead trees or stumps whenever possible, their hollows make great nesting sites.
- Perches – bluebirds hunt for insects from low, open perches like fences, wires and branches.
- Brush piles – create small piles of branches and twigs to provide cover and roosting spots.
- Water source – a birdbath or small garden pond will supply drinking and bathing water.
- Avoid pesticides – provide a natural, chemical free habitat whenever possible.
Making your yard attractive to bluebirds requires a balance between open grassy areas for foraging and some trees or shrubs for perching, nesting and taking cover. By providing food, nest boxes, perches and brush piles, you can tick all the boxes bluebirds require.
What is the best bluebird nest box and placement?
Properly installing bluebird nesting boxes is key to success in attracting a mating pair. Here are some tips on selecting and placing the ideal nest box:
- Choose a nest box designed specifically for bluebirds – with a 1 1/2 inch diameter entrance hole and 4×4 to 5×5 inch interior floor space.
- Place boxes on stout wooden posts or poles, 5-10 feet high.
- Face the entrance hole away from prevailing winds and direct sun.
- Install boxes 100-300 feet apart to allow for individual territories.
- Clear foliage around the box within a 4-5 foot radius to prevent predators.
- Add protective predator guards or baffles on poles below nest boxes.
- Clean out old nesting material each year after fledging season.
Proper box placement in the ideal spot on your property is key. Installing multiple boxes in a ‘bluebird trail’ through your yard maximizes your chances of attracting a mating pair searching for the right nesting site.
When do bluebirds start nesting in California?
Bluebirds in California can have two different nesting seasons based on local climate conditions across the state:
- Inland/Northern CA: First broods from March to May, second broods June to August.
- Southern CA: February to July.
The nesting timeline can vary within these ranges depending on your location and seasonal weather patterns for that year. Providing nest boxes by early February will get your yard ready for the start of the nesting season.
How can you keep bluebirds safe from predators and threats?
Even a yard perfectly suited for bluebirds can still be a challenging place full of predators and competitors that threaten bluebird nests. Here are some tips for keeping bluebirds safe:
- Install predator guards below nest boxes.
- Use boxes with entrance hole sizes specific for bluebirds to exclude competitors.
- Clear vegetation around nest boxes to eliminate perches for predators.
- Install nest boxes deep into pole to make it difficult for predators to reach in.
- Site nest boxes away from dense shrubs and trees where predators lurk.
- Discourage domestic cats from patrolling your yard.
- Avoid using pesticides and herbicides which reduce food sources.
Constant monitoring and maintenance will also help keep your bluebirds protected. Check boxes weekly and clean out old nests after use.
How many broods do bluebirds have each year?
Bluebirds in California can produce either one or two broods per nesting season depending on timing, habitat and food availability. Here is what to expect:
- First broods usually contain 4-6 eggs, laid from March to May depending on location.
- After fledging first broods in May/June, females may nest again from June to August.
- Second broods tend to have 3-5 eggs since the nesting timeframe is shorter.
- Northern CA sees more single brood seasons, while Southern CA more commonly sees two broods.
With prime habitat and food sources, bluebird pairs in more southern areas of California can successfully raise two broods. Monitoring nesting activity in your boxes will provide insight into how many broods your bluebirds produce.
What plants and flowers attract bluebirds?
Certain shrubs, trees and flowering plants are specifically excellent for attracting bluebirds to your yard by providing food, habitat and nesting spots. Some top options include:
- Elderberry – produces berries bluebirds eat and has soft wood for cavity nesting.
- Serviceberry – fruits are a prime bluebird food and foliage provides insect habitat.
- Dogwood – fruits and berries are favored by bluebirds.
- Hawthorn – dense, thorny foliage deters predators and produces fruit bluebirds enjoy.
- Blackberry brambles – source of juicy berries and nesting site.
- Native wildflowers – attract insects bluebirds prey on.
- Conifers – provide cavities and perches plus insect habitat.
Incorporating a mix of native plants like these into your habitat planting will maximize food, shelter and nesting sites. Consult with a local nursery or extension office on the best native plants for bluebirds in your California region.
What is the bluebird’s main song and call?
Male bluebirds have a signature song they use to mark territory and attract females. Their most common vocalizations include:
- Song – A series of melodic, warbling notes sounding like “chur-lee, chur-lee, chur-lee.”
- Call – A soft, plaintive one or two-syllable call sounding like “twee” or “tulu.”
- Alarm call – A fast, urgent “tseet, tseet, tseet” made to signal danger.
Females may also vocalize soft, musical calls to stay in contact with their mate or signal for food. Listening and watching for these distinctive sounds can alert you to bluebirds’ presence before even spotting their flash of blue!
Conclusion
With the proper care and habitat, bluebirds can become frequent backyard visitors that brighten your day with their beauty and song. A few modifications like installing nest boxes, providing insect and berry food sources and incorporating bluebird-friendly native plants can convince these lovely songbirds to make themselves at home. With some patience, effort and monitoring, you’ll be rewarded with the sight of vibrant bluebirds gracing your yard as they sing, perch and raise new generations.