The Bluebirds are back! We have already had our first cycle brood of bluebirds this year and our second cycle is going on right now. If you have a bluebird house or nesting box in your yard, you might have seen some action around it lately. I certainly have. The male bluebird has been busy bringing little sticks, pine needles, etc. to the nest for a day of so. He is bringing the nest material to the hole, goes in and out, sometimes waving his wings while perched on the box. The female is hanging around but is just monitoring everything. The female does all the nest building.
Typical nesting season for our Eastern Bluebirds in south Carolina can have up to 3 nesting cycles per year. Dates may vary a bit with weather conditions and their food availability.
I will generally clean out the old nest of all my boxes late fall early winter but before mid January. In February the bluebirds return and begin looking for a mate and a nesting site. The males checks out potential nesting sites and then will find a mate.
Between March and April they begin to build the nest. April to May is generally they have their first brood. June to July the second cycle begins. This is where we are now. In August there can be a third brood.
If you provide plenty of food, the bluebirds will continue to come back. The Eastern Blue Birds will eat mostly insects, wild fruit and berries. Sometimes they have been spotted capturing and eating salamanders, lizards and tree frogs. They love live mealworms but will also eat dried mealworms. If you have space for a mealworm feeder, they are sure to enjoy it. I have had a hard time getting them to my mealworm feeder. Went thru 1000 live mealworms and never saw them go to the feeder once. It’s discourging but I am determined to get them eating mealworms.
I have seen them many times on my black sunflower seed feeder with the yellow finches. Check out the Bluebirds Easting Mealworms.
Michael's Woodcrafts 
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My mealworm feeder is on my deck next to a birdbath that is heated in the winter. Sometimes I have five bluebirds in the bath simultaneously during January and February. For photos check out dorothyadele.wordpress.com/2013/01/26/attracting-bluebirds-with-mealworms-a-heated-birdbath-and-humor/ initially I put the mealworm cup on top of the feeder, then I move it inside and keep the top open. When I am sure that the bluebirds are comfortable visiting the feeder, I close the lid.
Good luck!
Hi Dorothy,
I read your post and went to your site to check out the heated birdbath, that’s cool. Nice pictures too! Where did you buy your heated birdbath, I think I would like to try that this winter.
Where are you located? Looks like you have alot of snow in January.
Michael
Maryland, I bought it on line at Duncraft I think, it is not attractive but it draws the birds. For more money you can find nicer heated bird baths.
The photos were taken in Maryland.I bought the heated birdbath on line probably from Duncraft or a similar site. It is not attractive but it draws the birds.
thank you, I did look around to see what I could find.
Michael
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