Bluebirds In Northern California

While we do have a year-round population of them in the larger northeastern part of the state, we also have wintering birds that reside in northern California and the far south. For the most part, Mountain Bluebirds are wintering in Mexico and parts of Texas and Oklahoma.

What kind of blue birds are in Northern California?

- There are three species of bluebird across North America: Western, Eastern, and Mountain. Western Bluebirds are our common species in Marin, while Mountain Bluebirds can be found at higher elevations in California.

What kind of birds are blue in California?

Blue Birds in California

• Barn Swallow.
• Belted Kingfisher.
• Blue Grosbeak.
• Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher.
• California Scrub-Jay.
• Island Scrub-Jay.
• Lazuli Bunting.
• Mountain Bluebird.

How do you attract bluebirds in California?

How to Attract Bluebirds

1. Install a Bluebird Nesting Box in your back yard.
2. Place the box in an open area five to six feet off the ground. ...
3. Provide food such as meal worms, suet balls or seed consisting all or in part of sunflower chips.
4. Water in the form of a small pond or bird bath.

What attracts bluebirds to your yard?

Plant native. In winter, bluebirds add berries and other fruit to their diet, so planting trees and shrubs native to your area is a natural way to attract them. Junipers, dogwoods, sumacs, hollies, serviceberries and elderberries are good choices. Just add water.

Do bluebirds come back to the same house every year?

Adult Bluebirds tend to return to the same breeding territory year after year, but only a small percentage (three to five percent) of young birds return to where they hatched. Bluebirds love mealworms and can be drawn in with a small dish filled with mealworms.

What time of year do bluebirds come out?

Bluebirds begin scouting out nest boxes as early as late February, or even earlier in the south. If conditions are favorable, they sometimes continue nesting into August or even September.

What bird is mistaken for a blue jay?

Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay This bird is found in dry lowlands from Nevada south to Mexico. It strongly resembles the California scrub jay but was named a separate species in 2016.

Where do bluebirds sleep at night?

Nest Placement Eastern Bluebirds put their nests in natural cavities or in nest boxes or other artificial refuges. Among available natural cavities, bluebirds typically select old woodpecker holes in dead pine or oak trees, up to 50 feet off the ground.

What are bluebirds favorite trees?

Trees and shrubs that work well at attracting bluebirds are: dogwood, hawthorn, wild grape, sumac seeds, hackberry seeds, blackberries, bayberries, honeysuckle, red cedar, pokeberries, and Virginia creeper.

What does a California bluebird look like?

Adults have a grey belly. Adult males are bright blue on top and on the throat with a red breast; they have a brown patch on their back. Adult females have duller blue wings and tail, a brownish breast and a grey crown, throat and back.

What are the three types of bluebirds?

The eastern bluebird is the most prevalent species of the three bluebirds: The eastern bluebirds, western bluebirds, and mountain bluebirds and can be seen throughout eastern North America. Bluebirds are in the thrush family, who have a melodic tone when they sing, so they come by their vocal talents quite honestly.

Which direction should a bluebird house be?

Helpful Tips. Position the nest box so that the entrance hole is facing east and towards open habitat. To decrease competition from Tree Swallows, you can pair nest boxes about 15–20' apart, with pairs of houses about 300' from each other.

What are bluebirds favorite food?

Meal worms, suet, sunflower hearts, softened fruits, and cornmeal muffins can all be fed to bluebirds. Most of these will be accepted during the cold weather months if bluebirds have wintered over. But, meal worms are the best food to feed bluebirds and they will readily eat them year-round.

What does it mean when a bluebird visits you?

Some believe the bluebird is a symbol of joy and hope; others, that good news will be arriving soon. Others still think that bluebirds represent a connection between the living and those who have passed away.

Are bluebirds good to have around?

These brightly tinted native birds share their gentle personalities, warbling song and brilliant color. Even better, bluebirds live on insects, which means having them around helps keep bugs in check. But the most important reason to invite bluebirds is because they can use the help.

What color should a bluebird house be?

You may leave the wood its natural color or paint the bluebird house any dull color; do not use white. Do not use chemical- treated wood and don't add a perch. The inside surface of the front piece should be rough wood so the young birds can cling to it for feeding and to exercise their wings before their first flight.

How high should you hang a bluebird house?

Height: Bluebirds nest within a wide range of heights, from two to 50 feet. Mounting at eye level provides easy checking; however, if cats or other predators are problems, hang nest boxes at least six to eight feet from the ground.

Should you clean out bluebird houses every year?

Nest boxes should be cleaned out each year. You will greatly increase the chance of bluebirds (and other desirable species) nesting in your box if it is cleaned annually; this is why our box design comes with a pivoting door.

Should bluebird houses be in the shade?

Bluebirds prefer open grassy areas, fields and no shade. It's best to have a place where high grass and weeds do not grow beneath the nest box. Boxes should be posted five to six feet off the ground, although boxes placed a little higher usually suffice.