Male Eastern bluebirds are distinguished by an electric blue head, back, wings, and tail, accented by a warm red-brown breast and white underbelly. A predator guard on the pole helps to keep snakes, squirrels, and other hungry creatures out of the nest. The opening of the nest box faces out of the prevailing wind and, if possible, toward shrubs or trees so fledglings have a target for their first flight. The best place for a bluebird box is in or on the edge of an open meadow or field, with nearby places to perch while looking for insects to eat. Eastern bluebirds don’t often visit bird feeders offering seed, but they can be frequent diners at a buffet of mealworms. You can also provide plants that feed bluebirds, like red chokeberry ( Aronia arbutifolia) and flowering dogwood ( Cornus florida). Human-built nest boxes are designed to provide them with both shelter and safety from predators. Today, a large proportion of Eastern bluebirds make their homes in boxes provided by people.

They’re secondary cavity nesters-meaning they build their nests in holes in trees that have been excavated by animals or other birds. What makes a good home for a bluebird? Eastern bluebirds require open habitats like meadows, clearings, and farm fields to find the food and nesting places they need.

If you live in a place where Eastern bluebirds might thrive, you can support this species at home with your own bluebird house. During Longwood’s temporary closure, staff who live on and near the property have risen to the occasion, learning how to monitor the nest boxes while we eagerly await our volunteers’ return. The houses you see are built, maintained, and monitored by dedicated volunteers with the help of Longwood’s Land Stewardship and Ecology staff, who together work to preserve and restore habitats for species like the Eastern bluebird. These 200 small, sturdy houses spread throughout our natural areas are homes for Eastern bluebirds ( Sialia sialis), a native songbird found from Canada to Nicaragua that lives in our region year-round.

As you’ve wandered in our Meadow Garden you may have wondered about the wooden boxes perched up on poles along the paths.

Download bluebird feed