How long after the babies leave the nest do you keep giving live mealworms? I never fed the bluebirds before Daddy Blue died. I really just wanted to do anything I could to help Mama Blue and her babies. I haven’t been using a “permanent” bird feeder for Mama Blue. I put the 50 worms in a small cup (the kind that hangs inside a birdcage), I hang it on a 3 ft. PVC fence that encloses my “dog yard,” and Mama Blue comes right down and empties it out. She eats some of the worms and takes the rest to the birdhouse. Because I didn’t know anything about proper bluebird care, I hanged the bluebird house 20 ft. off of my deck on a 6 ft. high privacy fence that encloses my swimming pool. When I gave her the worms today, I moved the feeder a few feet farther away from the birdhouse. I figured that I could just move it a few feet each time I feed her.
I have been spotting what I believe to be female house sparrows around the bluebird house. The sparrow spooker has helped so far, but the sparrows are really stressing Mama Blue. I saw one hovering near the entrance of the birdhouse yesterday and I scared it away and put extra streamers on the sparrow spooker. Do you think Mama Blue will be able to keep them out on her own?
I think I will just take the birdhouse down after the babies fledge. I doubt that the Mama would build another nest here this year anyway since the Daddy Blue died.
Susan
Pennsylvania