Last updated on April 23rd, 2023 at 03:29 pm
Bluebirds are delightful little songbirds with unmistakable bright blue heads and backs. Of the three bluebird species in the United States, the Eastern Bluebird is the only one that lives in Maine.
Sadly, its population has been threatened by the introduction of non-native, invasive species like the Eurasian Starling and the House Sparrow.
Here are four ways to attract Eastern bluebirds in Maine:
1. Build Nest Boxes
Eastern Bluebirds are cavity-nesters who nest in woodpecker holes, decaying tree trunks, or other cavities they find in their forest habitat.
Many bluebirds used to find homes in wooden fence posts located on farms in the countryside.
However, in recent years, these have been replaced by plastic or metal posts, which the birds can’t use for housing.
Due to this change and deforestation, bluebirds are having a harder time than ever finding a place to nest.
Depending on where you live, Bluebirds may or may not stay during the winter.
Bluebirds also use nesting boxes to survive cold, wet weather.
Once the weather turns cold, you transform the boxes into roosting boxes by plugging ventilation holes and turning the door upside down to put the entrance hole at the bottom.
Building and installing nest boxes is one of the best ways you can attract Eastern bluebirds and help them survive.
However, you need to make sure that non-native, invasive species don’t dominate the boxes and regularly clear the boxes of other nests if you want the bluebirds to thrive.
Keeping Invasive Species Out of Nest Boxes
You can reduce the likelihood that invasive species will dominate nesting boxes in a few different ways, these are:
- Put nesting boxes up in pairs. That way, even if an invasive species claims a nesting box, there’ll still be room available for bluebirds in the second one. To make this more likely to work, wait until the first nesting box has been claimed to open the second one.
- Place the nesting boxes out in the open, not right in the forest. Chickadees and titmice will go for nesting boxes under large trees, but bluebirds prefer to live in an open grassy area where insects are common.
- Reduce the size of the entrance hole.
- Notice which birds are using your nesting boxes and remove the nests of invasive birds.
2. Use Mealworms To Attract Bluebirds
Feeding bluebirds is also a great way to attract them to the area, although in this case, you need to make sure that you understand the dietary needs of the species.
Bluebirds are insect-eaters who rarely, if ever, visit seed or suet feeders. They require an alternative: mealworms.
Bluebirds thrive on dried mealworms. This food source is rich in protein and helps them survive the winter.
You can find mealworms at any major pet store or for sale online, like these Classic Flock Dried Mealworms (available on Amazon.com).
These are dried for a lower cost and longer-term storage.
Simply find a bluebird feeder such as the Kettle Moraine Bluebird Feeder (available on Amazon.com), which has a hinged roof for easy filling.
Then fill the feeder tray with dried mealworms. The roof will protect them from getting wet.
This should encourage bluebirds to come to your yard and help them survive through times of scarcity.
Tips for Storing and Serving Mealworms in Bird Feeders
As you set up your mealworm feeder, keep these tips in mind:
- Avoid overfeeding. In most cases, you should go through about 100 mealworms per day.
- Always use a platform feeder instead of scattering mealworms on the ground.
- If possible, serve live mealworms. These are more attractive to birds, although they’re also more expensive than their dried counterparts.
- Store live mealworms in a refrigerated container with air holes. Include apples in the container for moisture and food, as well as loose bran and oatmeal.
3. Install a Birdbath
Bluebirds love water, and they especially love moving water.
If you want to attract bluebirds to your yard, install a birdbath with a fountain, changing the water regularly so that it stays clean and appealing to the bluebirds.
For example, you can try a birdbath such as the John Timberland Bubble Fountain (available on Amazon.com).
This birdbath has a built-in fountain so that you don’t have to worry about installing one yourself.
4. Plant Native Plant Species in Your Garden
Bluebirds eat mostly insects, which depend on native plants to survive. They also eat some berries in the wintertime.
For these reasons, native plants reduce food scarcity for bluebirds.
Native plants also offer shelter for bluebirds.
Bluebird-Friendly Native Plant Species in Maine
Bluebird-friendly native plants in Maine include summer berries like blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries, as well as hawthorns and American beauty berries in the fall.
If the bluebirds have decided not to migrate in the winter, they’ll eat holly and rose berries, and in the spring, they’ll head to butterfly weed and redbud plants.
Do Bluebirds Live in Maine During the Winter?
For the most part, bluebirds migrate south of Maine for the winter, but the birds have stayed in the southern half of the state year-round in recent years.
This shift in range is largely due to warming temperatures caused by climate change.
Still, most bluebirds leave Maine in the winter and return in March on the first day of spring.
Their migration route spans as far as 2,000 miles (3,218.69 km); the Eastern Bluebird has been known to travel from Manitoba to Texas.
What Other Birds Can You Attract in Maine?
If you provide mealworm feeders and plant native species in Maine, chances are that you’ll attract more than just bluebirds.
Other birds you can attract in Maine that would eat mealworms include the following:
- Chickadees
- Thrushes
- Titmice
- Nuthatches
- Wrens
- Kinglets
Additionally, many birds feed on the fruit and seeds of native plants or on the insects that frequent native plants. These include:
- American Crows
- Black-capped Chickadees
- White-breasted Nuthatches
- Mourning Doves
- Song Sparrows
- American Goldfinches
- Blue Jays
- American Robins
- Northern Cardinals
- Downy Woodpeckers