A bluebird’s primary diet is insects and fruit. Planting native plants like American bittersweet is a great way to attract and help bluebirds is by feeding mealworms. At 50.4% protein, they are an excellent nutrition source. You can start feeding mealworms in a cup or pan, but because many birds like them and will eat you out of house and home, most people graduate to a bluebird feeder. In a bluebird feeder, the bird has to go through an entrance hole to fine the worms and few birds besides the bluebird will do so. You might spend weeks trying different presentations of worms before bluebirds learn to dine regularly, but the results are worth it, as bluebirds are delightfully trainable – even to the point of responding to whistles and other calls when your feeder is refilled. You may want to consider keeping the mealworms alive and wiggling with a mealworm warmer. It is like a crock pot for mealworms! Bluebirds have also been trained to eat sunflower kernels from BirdQuest Spiral Feeders found at
www.yourbirdoasis.com.
