Inside the cavity, the female bluebird constructs a nest of grass and other items. Favored nesting sites include tree cavities, previously excavated woodpecker holes, and nest boxes of suitable size. In the Northeast and elsewhere, eastern bluebirds live in open areas such as orchards, fields, parks, rural backyards, golf courses, and farms. They eat natural fruits in the trees or shrubs found in preferred habitats. Feeding typically occurs on or near the ground, but bluebirds can take insects in the air as well. Bluebirds also eat snails and spiders and may even consume lizards and small amphibians on rare occasions. Kress in his book The Audubon Society Guide to Attracting Birds, eastern bluebirds may eat raisins and currants placed “on a conspicuous surface such as a flat rock or table feeder.”ĭuring the spring and summer, eastern bluebirds primarily eat insects, including crickets, caterpillars, beetles, and grasshoppers. At feeders, bluebirds will consume suet, mealworms, and certain fruits. Once a harbinger of spring, eastern bluebirds may eventually reside in the north woods throughout the year.įlocks of bluebirds travel together during the cold-weather months seeking both natural and supplemental sources of food and will feed on a variety of wild fruits including sumac, winterberry, poison ivy, and wild grape.
The year-round population now extends from Central America to as far north as parts of New York, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine. Historically, birds breeding in these regions have wintered in the southeastern United States and Mexico, but their year-round range has been shifting toward the north in recent years. Bluebirds usually weigh about an ounce and are anywhere from 6 to 8 inches long.Įastern bluebirds can be found throughout northern New England and parts of southern Canada during the breeding season. The birds have small, round bodies, dark eyes, and a short bill.
In contrast, females are gray-blue with lighter breast coloration.
Males sport a rich blue head and back with a rust-colored breast. With their vibrant colors, bluebirds are easy to identify. Within a few moments, they were gone entirely, an ephemeral splash of color amidst a snow-covered Maine lawn. As I watched, the bluebirds briefly fed on the suet before finding perches in a red maple above the feeders. Clustered on and below my suet feeders, they were a wonderfully pleasant surprise on a chilly February morning. Looking out with my binoculars, I counted six eastern bluebirds. On Valentine’s Day, as I sat down to write, I noticed a burst of blue outside my upstairs window.
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