How to Attract Bluebirds to Your Backyard!
Every year I look forward to the arrival of the Eastern Bluebirds to our backyard. We owned our first bluebird birdhouse over 30 years ago, but I remember well how excited we were when our first bluebird couple built their nest our our wooden birdhouse. Now, I watch for them year after year. The thrill of seeing them investigate our bluebird birdhouse for the possibility of a home never decreases.Just this morning, my husband excitedly whispered from the backdoor of our home, "The bluebirds are back! Grab your camera!" I must admit, I was very surprised. It is still a little early for them to arrive, but I grabbed my robe and slippers and headed for the door.
The Eastern Bluebird
As you would expect, Eastern Bluebirds are blue. They have pinkish-orange throats and breasts with white bellies. They are small birds with bodies about 6" - 8" long. Their wingspan can easily be measured up to 12½" and they weigh approximately 1 ounce. They may be small, but they make a tremendous visual impact when perching on a gray fence, bare tree branch, or on their birdhouse. They are stunningly gorgeous subjects for photographers.
Eastern Bluebirds mostly eat berries and insects, therefore they prefer to live close to trees or wooded areas. One thing to keep in mind, they like the ground under their nesting area to be clear of debris. I've always believed that was a natural instinct to avoid areas where predators may be hiding.
Eastern Bluebirds have been known to live up to 10 years in the wild. You may well have the same couple return for several years to set up their nest and lay their eggs in your birdhouse.
The Bluebird House
There are a few considerations when selecting and setting up a birdhouse for Eastern Bluebirds. The first consideration is obvious, do you have Eastern Bluebirds in your area? Once you have identified them, then all you really need is the right wooden birdhouse set facing the right direction, at the right height.
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| The Female Inspects the Birdhouse While the Male Stands Watch Later, he will gather twigs & materials and bring them to her once she is inside building the nest. |
The birdhouse selection does matter! An Eastern Bluebird requires a small opening that will serve to protect their nest and eggs from predators.
As I said earlier, placement matters. A bluebird house must face east for bluebirds to nest. It should also be nailed approximately 5' off the ground to a fence or on a post. As you can see in the photos, our bluebird house is nailed to a fence.
Since the Eastern Bluebirds build their nests in the spring, you need to have your birdhouse up and ready to occupy in early spring. It doesn't take long to nail up the perfect ready-made birdhouse like the one featured above!
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Wooden Birdhouse for Eastern Bluebirds Reviewed Written by:
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