Diet
What do bluebirds eat?
Insects caught on the ground in warm months; fruit in fall and winter.
Spring and summer diet
- Grasshoppers, crickets and beetles
- Caterpillars and spiders
Fall and winter diet
- Dogwood, sumac, holly, juniper and hackberry fruit
- Mealworms offered at feeders
Best feeder foods
- Live or dried mealworms
- Suet nuggets / insect-suet dough
- Chopped native fruit
Avoid
- Loose seed mixes — bluebirds rarely eat seed
Bluebirds hunt from perches over short grass. Put mealworm feeders in the open, near a low perch, and offer small amounts at the same time each day.
Where bluebirds need winter food
Regions where bluebirds are present in the cold months:
Frequently asked
What do bluebirds eat?
Insects caught on the ground in warm months; fruit in fall and winter.
What is the best food to feed bluebirds?
Live or dried mealworms, Suet nuggets / insect-suet dough, Chopped native fruit.
What should I not feed bluebirds?
Loose seed mixes — bluebirds rarely eat seed.
What do bluebirds eat in winter?
Dogwood, sumac, holly, juniper and hackberry fruit; Mealworms offered at feeders.
Sources
- Eastern Bluebird — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Eastern Bluebird life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Eastern Bluebird — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- NestWatch nest box plans and species requirements — Cornell Lab
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.