bluebird

A male bluebird enjoys a snack during a brutal cold snap

Bluebirds have been making a comeback in our neighborhood for some time now. While a few pairs are definitely around in spring and summer, I notice them mostly in winter. That’s because they band together in flocks for protection and to search for food. Their bright blue and russet colors are easy to spot against the dull gray of winter.

Unlike many birds, bluebirds are not seed eaters. They prefer insects supplemented with berries, both of which are often in short supply at this time of year. Because their diet is so limited they benefit from human help. This is especially true during brutal cold snaps. All birds need extra calories to keep warm, especially at night when the mercury plunges.

Who doesn’t love the sight of bluebirds? There is something oddly reassuring about their cheery presence, a feeling that all’s right with the world (although that’s clearly an illusion these days). When bluebirds start house-hunting in earnest in late winter, usually late February, Spring is never far behind. That thought alone is uplifting.

Bluebirds, members of the thrush family, were once common in Pennsylvania orchards and homesteads. Their numbers suffered a steep decline when English sparrows and starlings begn pushing them out in the last century, along with DDT use in the 1950’s. Fortunately their numbers have been increasing slowly but steadily in recent years. They are now making a modest comeback in semi-rural and suburban areas, thanks to numerous efforts by nonprofits, homeowners and community nest box programs.

If your property has an open patch of yard free of disruptive elements, there are a few things you can do to try and lure them in.

Feeding Bluebirds in Winter

Attracting Bluebirds