Thursday, April 16, 2009

THE BIRD OF THE WEEK: THE BLUEBIRD!!!


Can you remember back when you were a kid and remember watching Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz sing, "Somewhere over the rainbow.....Bluebirds fly"?
That song helped to immortalize the beautiful wild bluebird.

Since the early colonial times, people have really enjoyed the company of the Eastern Bluebird because of the their beautiful rusty breast, white belly and blue cape.

Some people like to find ways to attract bluebirds by knowing what bluebirds eat and setting up bluebird nests. They love to feed in open areas such as farms, bluebird trails with scattered trees and have no problem nesting in artificial cavities of man-made boxes or which they can lay bluebird eggs and raise their families anytime between the months of April through July.

There is nothing like waking up in the morning to hear the bluebird songs that really bring a good feeling to ones ears.

In the United States of America, there are three different type of bluebird birds. The bluebird that is, by far, the most numerous is the Eastern Bluebird that resides east of the Rockies.
Moutain Bluebirds and Western Bluebirds are those who nest across the Western one-third of the United States.

Remember, a Bluebirds primary diet is insects and fruit.
Some folks are privy to the fact that it is a good idea to plant plants like the American Bittersweet which is a great way to help and attract Bluebirds.
Meal worms are another resource in which you can attract Bluebirds because, at 50.4% protein, they are an excellent nutritional source and something that Bluebirds eat besides berries and insects.

Unfortunately, conservation studies have shown a sharp decline in population mainly for lack of and or the competition of residential nesting boxes amongst the wild Bluebird species.
The good news is that those numbers are increasing, in large, because more and more Bluebird nesting houses are being erected, thus providing shelter for these natural insect controllers.

For more information on how you can help, simply to go:

http://wildlife-houses.com/

1 comment:

  1. Love the idea of a Bird House for Mother's Day, I think I'll treat myself, thank you for sharing this wonderful idea.....

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