Bluebirds

A flash of blue and orange against the backdrop of remnant piles of melting snow hints spring is on its way. Known as the Harbinger of Spring, Eastern Bluebirds often spend the winter with us feeding on berries and insect eggs. Nevertheless, the eye-popping colors of the male and the soft, muted tones of the female bluebird are a welcome sight as they explore for nesting areas as early as February and March. As cavity nesters, they require open habitat with few trees or shrubs, so they can search for insects from high perches.

 

Eastern Bluebird numbers were in serous decline through the 1960s. As dead trees and old fence posts were torn down and replaced, nesting sites for bluebirds were eliminated. Over time, bluebirds nearly vanished then rebounded as concerned citizens began installing nest boxes and bluebird trails along golf courses, highways and other open land.

 

John Schaust installed a few dozen bluebird boxes at Potato Creek State Park south of South Bend in the mid-1980s when he worked as the naturalist there. In five years, his boxes fledged about 150 juvenile birds a season. Today, as chief naturalist for Wild Birds Unlimited, he reflects on what made that effort so successful. “Wrens and house sparrows will out-compete bluebirds for the boxes,” he says, “but they prefer proximity to trees or buildings.”

 

John stresses the location of the boxes, at least 100 feet from tree lines is critical. Pairing boxes about 15 feet apart allows tree swallows, another competitor, to take up residence in one and bluebirds, the other.

 

He emphasizes just putting up a box may not be enough. At Potato Creek State Park, John and volunteers monitored the boxes, installed predator guards, pulled blowfly larvae from baby bluebirds and counted the young. They removed house sparrow nests (one of the few nests not protected by federal law) if they beat bluebirds to the box.

 

A box with an easy-open side, front or top, facilitates monitoring. Position the box so the entry hole is about five feet from the ground to make it easy to see inside. Eastern Bluebirds require an entry hole one and half-inches in diameter.

 

Boxes come in a variety of materials, says Mishawaka Wild Birds Unlimited store owner Elyse Wistreich. This material includes wood, recycled plastic lumber and a newer style made from PVC. A good pre-fab house might cost $23-$40, while a kit might run around $15. The staff at the store or at area nature centers can advise you on amenities to keep your birds healthy and safe such as predator guards and blowfly screens.

 

Even without installing houses, you can provide supplemental feed, especially during a cool spring. Elyse says bluebirds adore live mealworms and suet nuggets that include raisins and crushed peanuts. Watch for bluebirds perched on utility poles or high branches then set out a tray of treats. The birds have excellent eyesight and can be conditioned to come to your feeders when you ring a bell or clap your hands. A heated bird bath in winter is also a welcome attraction.

 

With a little effort, you can lend a hand to the colorful Eastern Bluebird who brings spring to your yard all year long.

 

·         Install and monitor a bluebird box at your favorite low/no pesticide golf course or your wide-open backyard.

·         Volunteer at a local park to monitor and clean nest boxes.

·         Plant native trees and shrubs, such as Flowering Dogwood and Winterberry, to provide berries for bluebirds and feathered visitors.

·         If you know bluebirds are in your neighborhood, set out trays of live mealworms, especially during cool, wet springs when insects are hard to find.

·         Purchase or make your own suet crumbles: a raisin-suet, peanut butter mix

·         For plans to build your own bluebird box, or more tips on attracting bluebirds, visit: www.nabluebirdsociety.org/nestboxplans.htm or e-mail Elyse at wbumish@yahoo.com