In our culture, Bluebirds are enjoyed for their beautiful coloring, as well as their pleasing song. Once a common bird in the United States, even in urban areas, Bluebird populations have severely declined in numbers during the past 20 years. This is largely due to loss of natural habitat.

But you can enjoy Bluebirds right in your own back yard. All they need is the right habitat and they will come to you. No matter where you live in the United States, there is a species of Bluebird. The Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) breeds in every state east of the Rocky Mountains. The Western Bluebird (Sialia currucoides) breeds in the western states from Canada to Mexico and east to the Rocky Mountains. The Mountain Bluebird (Sialia mexicana) breeds in the Northwest, east to the Dakotas, and north into Alaska.

How do you attract these birds?

First, provide suitable housing for them. Specially made Bluebird Houses have predator guards that keep out squirrels, raccoons, and competing birds. They will give the bluebird a safe, secure place to live and rear its young.

Second, make sure they have a food source available. During the non-winter months Bluebirds can take of themselves. Bluebirds are insectivores that eat insects which we consider pests (such as cutworms, grasshoppers, and various flying insects). When this food source becomes scarce during the winter months, they will eat various wild berries. If you can provide berry-producing plants such as bittersweet, hackberry, dogwood, American holly, privet, bayberry, and sumac, they will have a winter food supply too.

With the right housing and food supply, you can enjoy Bluebird populations all year long right in your own backyard.