Winter Feeding Tips

Eastern Bluebirds are in the Thrush family, which are mainly insect eaters. During winter, when insects are scarce, bluebirds will eat berries & some seeds.

Favorites seeds & berries for Bluebirds include:

  • Dogwood
  • Holly
  • Juniper
  • Serviceberries
  • Sumac
  • Mountain Ash
  • Mistletoe
  • Firethorn
  • Poison Ivy
  • Multifloral Rose
  • Bradford Pear

You can collect some of these in early fall so that in late winter you can put them out in tray feeders for the bluebirds.

  • You can freeze Dogwood berries in a freezer at just below 32 degrees; mixed in sawdust. They will last 6 months. Also, they will keep in a refrigerator for a few months in the coldest part of the fridge. Spread them out and put a paper towel between the layers. This is a favorite! You can mix the berries with soaked
    raisins and currants. Soaking will plump up the raisins.
  • Homemade suet. It can help keep weight on the Bluebirds in winter. There is a good article at sialis.org Please check it out! Lots of info there and recipes.
  • Mealworms. You can put out mealworms in winter. They will eat them frozen. They are expensive to buy if your birds gobble them down. An occasional treat will be appreciated. You can propagate your own mealworms if you want. It is a bit of a process though. The dehydrated mealworms are not as palatable to the Blues but you could mix them with the live and they may start to eat them. Even though Blues are Thrushes, do not feed them earthworms, or any spiny or stinging insects as they can made them sick.
    Grasshoppers and crickets are something they like.
  • Seeds.Blues will eat some seeds. Sunflower chips, Safflower, hulled chopped peanuts, chopped pecans.
  • Do not feed nuts that are salted. Keep in mind that bluebirds do not have seed cracking beaks. So chop chop! This can be added to a cornmeal peanut butter suet, along with berries.
  • Water. Putting out water is important in winter. It is a bit of a chore but so worth it.
  • Clean!!! Please keep feeders clean. Especially after rain and snow fall. Mold and bacteria can spread disease.

Enjoy seeing Blues in winter!!!

Evangeline LaMore, Songbird Rehabilitator / County Coordinator NC Bluebird Society Polk County

Content retrieved from an article published in the Winter 2022 edition of Bluebird Notes (page 13).