What do bluebirds feed their babies

The adults also keep the nest clean by removing the fecal sacs that enclose the nestlings' waste. The nestlings grow very rapidly, with theirs eyes opening on about the eighth day.

By the time the nestlings fledge leave the nest box 16 - 20 days after hatching, they will be nearly the size of an adult bluebird. Usually the entire brood of fledglings leaves the box within two hours. The fledglings can fly fifty to one hundred feet on their first flight and try to land in a bush, shrub or low branch to avoid predators. The adults continue to care for the young and teach them to forage for food. The male bluebird will continue this job while the female begins her second or third nest.

On occasion, the young from a first nesting will help feed the nestlings from their parents' second or third nesting.

After nesting season is over, bluebirds give up their territories and flock together. South Carolina bluebirds do not migrate. They are joined by migrant northern bluebirds and roam the area looking for berries.

In winter, bluebirds will roost in pine tree stands and nest boxes to avoid cold weather. There are a number of reasons for this but the main ones are loss of habitat and competition from other species. The bluebird is a cavity nesting bird, which means it prefers to build its nest in a tree cavity. Unlike the woodpecker, however, the bluebird's beak is no suited for excavating. It depends on natural cavities, or ones made by other birds.

However, the expansion of large commercial or agricultural operations, growth of cities and dense residential land development have destroyed many of the bluebirds' natural nesting places. The main source of competition for bluebirds is a bird that is not native to North America - the House or English Sparrow.

The House Sparrow was introduced to this country in the mid 's. It was thought that this bird would help control insect pests; however, those that brought them here seriously underestimated this bird's fiercely competitive nature. The House Sparrow population exploded, while that of the bluebird declined alarmingly. While House Sparrows will nest about anywhere they can find a nook or cranny, they compete with the more finicky bluebird, and will often drive away adult bluebirds, leaving bluebird nestlings to starve to death.

Worse, they will also peck open unhatched bluebird eggs and kill the babies, or even adults they happen to find sitting on the nest. They have even been known to build their own nests on top of the bodies of the bluebirds they have killed. Another source of competition for the bluebird is the Eastern Starling, a bird that is equally aggressive and will also kill both bluebird adults and young.

Birdhouses are readily available, but not everything called a "bluebird house" is really suitable for them. Real bluebird conservation takes a bit of effort, but it is well worth it when you see your first brood of fledglings take flight. Several things to keep in mind when you decide to put up a nest box for bluebirds are:. A: By Day , the first feathers start to grow. They look like quills. Eyes open up. E: Around Day , you can tell the boys from the girls.

The boys have cobalt blue feathers on their wing and tail, while the girls have duller gray-blue feathers, with white edging on the outer tail feathers. Notice that the babies eyes are now fully open. S: By Day 13, the babies have all their feathers. At this stage, the babies may pretend to be asleep or dead if the box is opened.

Young bluebirds have a spotted breast and back, and a white ring around their eyes. All 5 babies are still in the nest, eyes open, fully feathered. The runt is on the bottom of the pig pile. By early morning, four have fledged. At fledging, the babies weigh slightly more than their parents. The runty girl has not fledged. The parents continue feeding her mealworms.

As I approach the box I hear her calling to them. The runtess is still in the nest! I probably should check to make sure that her feet are not tangled in anything, and that her wings are okay. There is some fecal material in the nest, as the parents have probably stopped removing it. Empty nest syndrome begins. The nest is typically flattened and soiled.

A dead mealworm lies in the nest. Young stay in cover for several weeks. Parents will continue to feed them until they are about 30 days old. Helping bluebirds is a deeply satisfying hobby, and a unique adventure in conservation. May all your blues be birds! The purpose of this site is to share information with anyone interested in bluebird conservation.

No permission is granted for commercial use. Appearance of automatically generated Google or other ads on this site does not constitute endorsement of any of those services or products! Photo in header by Wendell Long. Please honor their copyright protection.

See disclaimer , necessitated by today's sadly litigious world. Last updated August 24, Design by Chimalis. Bluebird and Small Cavity Nester Conservation. The female is more gray, and has a white eye ring. She makes the final choice for a nest site. Occasionally an Eastern Bluebird will add feathers to a nest. I offer mealworms to help the parents feed the hungry nestlings.

I'm raising my own , since they get expensive. Soft gray down is now along the edges of wings, the head and spine. The skin beneath looks blue-black as feathers begin to develop beneath it. One of the babies the last to hatch probably is clearly smaller than her nest mates. Feather sheaths begin to emerge on wings. Wings are darker. Eyes are still closed. Nestlings are almost completely feathered. White eye rings may be visible. No unfeathered areas are visible.

At this age, nestlings are capable for short, weak flight. The runt is still much smaller. I decide not to interfere, as the parents continue to care for all the young, and the runt continues to develop.

Perhaps the mealworms will help it survive. At this point, the Gilbertson box, which is 4" in diameter, is quite crowded. She finally fledges by p. I have heard reports of the last one leaving a full three days after the other when the first ones fledged around day