Western Bluebird - Sialia mexicana

The Western Bluebird is a welcome resident in any garden. Their numbers in the wild have been declining for years due to habitat loss. Western Bluebirds nest in hollow trees in the wild. Adding a birdhouse to your garden can help give them a place to live and add beauty to your garden as well. The Western Bluebird feeds on insects, snails, worms, and berries. Toyon, Elderberry, Sugarbush, Lemonade Berry, and mistletoe all provide berries for the Western Bluebird. The Western Bluebird will find a high open perch and catch flying insects. I find watching a bluebird flycatching far more entertaining than watching a bug zapper. A bluebird house should be placed 5-10 feet above the ground. The base should be 5"x 5". The cavity should be 8" deep. A 1.5" hole is placed 6" above the floor. I like to slope the roof, and notch the corners of the floor to provide drainage. A roost is only advantageous to pest birds that would harass the bluebirds. Western Bluebirds feeding their young will find an incredible number of insects in your yard for the little ones. Other birds will use the nest boxes too. Often several sets each year. Oak Titmouse, Nuttal's Woodpeckers, and the Violet Green Swallows have all nested in our bird boxes.