Bluebird Feeder: Need advice

[Dana]

Hi everyone –
I just got the round caged bluebird mealworm feeder. Its been up for 2 weeks with no birds. Yesterday it snowed here about 4-5 inches. This morning the bluebirds showed up, about 4 of them – but all struggled to get inside the feeder. They have been trying all morning to get into the feeder to eat from the mealworm dish inside without success. In desperation I threw some dried mealworms out on the deck. But I know the larger birds and the squirrels we eat that up sooner or later. I bought this feeder to solve that problem. But wasn’t expecting the bluebirds to have so much trouble getting inside the feeder. Any advice on what I can do? – Dana

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

Dana, can’t imagine why they cannot get inside the cage feeder – have you measured the distance between the wire holes – it should be 1 1/2″ clearance space. Sometimes I have seen my blues try a different hole if they cannot get into one, after all, the holes could be off a fraction of an inch or so, but they should find their way in and out. It is good that they are trying at least. Keep at it and watch closely to see what is happening. My blues are eating suet out of my cage feeder now – they balked at first but we have had two snows already and I believe they finally figured out there was some food in there! Good luck . . . .

[tamsea]

Dana. They will eventually figure it out. I’m sure if it! Once one figures it out the others will follow. You could open the top so they can get in that way to help them out but even without doing that they’ll figure it out. Sprinkle some outside the dish near the openings to entice them more.

Tammy

[Dana]

Hi Carol and Tamsea,
Thanks for your advice! I sprinkled some mealworms around the outside of the cup as tamsea suggested. One of the male bluebirds has figured out how to get in and out of the feeder. The others blues are still figuring it out. They either flutter around the feeder, or land at the bottom and poke their heads thru the openings but don’t go in. I guess its a learning process for them. I’m just happy to see one of them has gotten inside. Hopefully he can show his buddies how its done.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

[tamsea]

That’s wonderful, Dana!! I bet by now more have figured it out. Is it close to your house where you can watch from you window? Mine is on the edge of my back porch. But right now, when there’s no bully birds that are competing for the mealworms I just throw them out my sliding glass door on the ground and my blues come and get them.

Tammy

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