Blue Birds

[Oldstick]

I have seen at least one or two (definitely blue birds) several times feeding in my backyard over the last couple months. Beautiful sight to me, that I have never really witnessed up close before. Hope that means some of the neighbors have put up nesting boxes or they are attracted here for some other reasons.

 

[Doug B.]

I have seen at least one or two (definitely blue birds) several times feeding in my backyard over the last couple months. Beautiful sight to me, that I have never really witnessed up close before. Hope that means some of the neighbors have put up nesting boxes or they are attracted here for some other reasons.

You can Google how to make bluebird houses. They are not hard to make. Then put them out on your place for them to nest and raise. I have heard though that snakes figure out that their is an easy meal in the birdhouse.

 

[specialk]

Where is the cheapest place to get bird seed?

 

[Nicodemus]

They`ll fight too. I saw a pair of males tie up last week, fighting over a nesting box. It didn`t end till one of them was dead.

 

[Railroader]

I have two bluebird houses, and they raise a couple batches in each one every year.

The males are viciously protective of "their" trees.

Snakes are also sometimes a problem...



He got relocated from the yard, and he's lucky The Mz. didn't see him...

 

[Nicodemus]

When the biddies start to leave the box, learning to fly, mockingbirds are bad to kill them too.

 

[NCHillbilly]

And squirrels are bad to gnaw into the boxes and eat the eggs and chicks. Also, last year, a bear tore down all my boxes, ripped them apart, and ate all the chicks.

 

[Hoss]

Have seen several bluebirds at the feeders. We started feeding the birds shortly after moving in last summer, but it took them a while to start coming around. Seeing a good number of birds now including a female Baltimore oriole. Had a short term invasion of cow birds that cleaned out the feeders.

 

[Geffellz18]

I have one that seemingly attacks itself in my wife’s passenger side mirror of her car. None of the other cars get near as much action….It also is seen or heard popping the window above the garage door. Didn’t know they were that aggressive.

 

[NCHillbilly]

Where is the cheapest place to get bird seed?

In all my decades of feeding birds in the winter, I have never seen a bluebird eat birdseed. They will usually eat mealworms if you put them out.

I normally get my birdseed at Tractor Supply. You can get a 35# sack of their wild bird food for about $15, and the birds really like it. I go through several sacks a winter, along with a few dozen suet cakes.

 

[NCHillbilly]

Have seen several bluebirds at the feeders. We started feeding the birds shortly after moving in last summer, but it took them a while to start coming around. Seeing a good number of birds now including a female Baltimore oriole. Had a short term invasion of cow birds that cleaned out the feeders.

Those cowbirds are Satan's minions. They usually start showing up here in mid-April, and decimate the feeders. That's when I usually quit feeding for the year, there is no way to beat the cowbirds. It's usually starting to warm up by then and there are plenty of bugs, so the birds don't really need the food in the warm months anyway. I only feed the birds between October and April. They show up in the fall and start following me around the yard chirping at me and let me know it's time to fill the feeders.

 

[Nicodemus]

I`ve had 4 different boxes scattered around the premises. The one by the garden and the one out in front of the house generally account for 4 hatchings every summer. The one back in the longleafs gets taken over by a pair of tufted titmouse, and the one by the barn just gets gnawed on. Flying squirrels inhabit it. Our bluebirds are residents that stay here year around. Never seen them eat sunflower seed from the feeder. Just bugs. They work the garden over good too.

 

[Railroader]

There ain't no harder workin' bird, either. When they have babies in the boxes, they'll make 1000 trips a day catching bugs and feeding the kids.

I've never seen a bluebird eating birdseed either...

 

[JustUs4All]

I hunt a power line right of way and have been entertained for hours watching bluebirds hunting along with me. They perch on guy wires and watch the ground like hawks before swooping down on some unsuspecting insect. Sometimes there are five to 10 bluebirds in view hunting.

 

[Hoss]

Those cowbirds are Satan's minions. They usually start showing up here in mid-April, and decimate the feeders

Well it appears they have moved on, only getting one or two at a time now. Maybe the migrated on north to meet up at your place.

 

[fireman32]

I had a pair nest in a bird box at my place for a year or two, they seem to have abandoned that house now. Blue birds are my second favorite bird to hear sing, great horned owl being the first.

 

[1eyefishing]

I guess I'm an outlier. I thoroughly dislike the blue birds at my feeders.
The South East is in their wintering range but they should return back to the North during the Spring/Summer, not hang around all year like nonmigratory Canada geese (water pigeons).
They're very aggressive around feeders and chase off all the indigenous birds. I've seen them fly into a feeder and boss another bird over to another feeder, and not be satisfied with that but go over to the other feather and chase the other bird off entirely from the area. Then a while later I have 6 blue birds in my feeder fighting and fussing with each other.
In honor of the TV show 'Jersey Shore', I have nicknamed them my Jersey Shore Birds.
Got no use fer those yankees.

 

[NCHillbilly]

I guess I'm an outlier. I thoroughly dislike the blue birds at my feeders.
The South East is in their wintering range but they should return back to the North during the Spring/Summer, not hang around all year like nonmigratory Canada geese (water pigeons).
They're very aggressive around feeders and chase off all the indigenous birds. I've seen them fly into a feeder and boss another bird over to another feeder, and not be satisfied with that but go over to the other feather and chase the other bird off entirely from the area. Then a while later I have 6 blue birds in my feeder fighting and fussing with each other.
In honor of the TV show 'Jersey Shore', I have nicknamed them my Jersey Shore Birds.
Got no use fer those yankees.

????????????????????????????????????????????

What you talking about? Eastern bluebirds are permanent year round residents in the southeast. They breed here. And they are not at all aggressive. The opposite, in fact. Are you maybe talking about blue jays? They are more aggressive, but they are also permanent year-round breeding residents. They don't winter here. They live here year-round, both bluebirds and blue jays.

 

[Nicodemus]

The vanquished and the victor.

 

[Browning Slayer]

I guess I'm an outlier. I thoroughly dislike the blue birds at my feeders.
The South East is in their wintering range but they should return back to the North during the Spring/Summer, not hang around all year like nonmigratory Canada geese (water pigeons).
They're very aggressive around feeders and chase off all the indigenous birds. I've seen them fly into a feeder and boss another bird over to another feeder, and not be satisfied with that but go over to the other feather and chase the other bird off entirely from the area. Then a while later I have 6 blue birds in my feeder fighting and fussing with each other.
In honor of the TV show 'Jersey Shore', I have nicknamed them my Jersey Shore Birds.
Got no use fer those yankees.

????????????????????????????????????????????

What you talking about? Eastern bluebirds are permanent year round residents in the southeast. They breed here. And they are not at all aggressive. The opposite, in fact. Are you maybe talking about blue jays? They are more aggressive, but they are also permanent year-round breeding residents. They don't winter here. They live here year-round, both bluebirds and blue jays.

I knew where this was going...