BALDWINSVILLE — The eastern bluebird is New York State’s official bird. If you witness these captivating birds in your backyard, you will understand why it was chosen. Bluebirds are linked to American culture and, like Robins, are a sign of spring. Who can forget Judy Garland singing “Somewhere over the rainbow, bluebirds sing”? Famed naturalist Henry David Thoreau proclaimed, “The bluebird carries the sky on his back.”
I have had bluebird houses in my Baldwinsville homes for several years and a set at the Canton Woods Senior Center for eight years. During these periods I was fortunate to have bluebirds nest in at least one of these boxes every year.
Luck has a lot to do with attracting bluebirds, but more important is understanding proven methods. My success has been buoyed by bluebird icon John Rogers, who was one of the 1982 co-founders of the NYS Bluebird Society. John has given over 600 bluebird lectures plus fabricated and distributed over 5,000 bluebird box kits. I first met John when I picked up my bluebird kits at his Brewerton home.
This article is intended to encourage folks to install bluebird boxes. It includes my experiences and photos coupled with John’s expertise and review.
Overview
Bluebirds and robins are cousins that belong to the thrush family. Both hatch from bluish eggs and both have a spotted breast when they are young. Contrary to popular belief, both can be seen in the winter because they survive on fruit and berries that are still available on trees, shrubs and vines. John states he takes daily walks with his binoculars. During winter months he sees or hears bluebirds almost every week.
Bluebirds have blue or blue and rusty red plumage. Female birds are less brightly colored than males although color patterns are similar and there is no noticeable difference in size. Most bluebirds winter in the south and generally begin returning to our area in early March so I normally remove old nests in late fall. However, John adds a caveat that wintering bluebirds often shelter in boxes and that he leaves nests for insulation and removes them in the spring.
Bluebirds can produce two — or rarely three — broods each year in our CNY area. Males identify nest sites and try to attract females by singing or flapping their wings. The female alone builds the nest and incubates the eggs. They prefer open grassland with a few trees generally limiting residential settings.
Henry and Minnie
I live in the village of Baldwinsville and I am fortunate to have a large open area behind my home. Based upon John’s recommendations, I have two sets of bluebird houses that are 6 feet apart. John states that box pairing does not always work, but it increases the chances of bluebirds settling in one of them. My closest box pair is 50 feet from my house with woods between 50 and 150 feet away. The second setting is 90 feet away from the first with the closest wooded area 40 feet away.
My first bluebird sighting this year was March 18, 2022, and I named them after my wife’s parents, Henry and Minnie.
Henry and Minnie began their house selection with an intense inspection and settled on one closest to our house.
On April 6, my daughter was helping me with my native wildflower garden where my bluebird boxes are located and we both witnessed a thrilling exhibition of bluebird aerodynamics. Henry and Minnie successfully fended off an attempt by a pair of swallows to take over their new home. The swallows later took up residency in one of the other boxes located farther away and produced a nice family. Apparently, to show dominance, Henry or Minnie initially could be seen sitting on the box the swallows had taken over or the one next to it.
I photographed Minnie building a nest for a second family on June 12 and have a June 20 photo of four lovely blue eggs inside this box. My intent is to take other photos showing her chicks and fledglings and maybe, with a little luck, one of her or Henry feeding their offspring.
Bluebirds eat mainly insects they capture on the ground and berries. They almost never eat seeds. The native flowers growing where the bluebird houses are located provide an insect smorgasbord for all birds.
Roger Dahlin is a historian, gardener and author based in Baldwinsville.
John Rogers is the co-founder of the New York State Bluebird Society.
