Nesting and Banding Data B luebirds are really grassland birds. It is difficult to attract them to urban or heavily wooded property. Most bluebirds prefer open fields with one or two large oak trees, pastures, vineyards, old orchards or large mowed yards with selected medium-sized trees for nest guarding. Nest boxes should be placed out in the open on fence posts or metal poles not nestled into groves of trees.
Bluebirds are primarily insect eaters.
They do like berries, but they are never attracted to the typical bird feeding stations that offer a variety of seeds. Bluebirds feed primarily on the ground like the robin, to whom they are related. They like spiders, crickets, ants, grubs and small worms. Once bluebirds start nesting, we often offer meal worms to help the parent birds feed the young in the nest. The most effective way to attract bluebirds is with native berry producing plants.