Bluebirds at mealworm feeder

Western Bluebirds
Got this box mealworm feeder for the western bluebirds because of mealworm cost going up and European sparrows eating all the worms minutes after filling the open dish. I have been using the box feeder for about 2 months now and it is doing a good job keeping all the other birds out.
Cameras used:
iPhone
Insta360 go 2

[@063317Art]

I made a blue bird feeder like this one. The damn house sparrows try to build a nest in it and chasing the blue birds out

[@joequillun7790]

One of the best birding videos out there. Well edited, and super nice housing and feeders. I was gunna mention making it perfect by adding a camera "inside" the bird house, "but you beat me to it!". LOL. Thanx for posting.

[@RayRay-zc2ed]

Thank you for the nice comment.

[@billybigrig1317]

Great video... I can hear all the birds chirping in the background

[@RayRay-zc2ed]

Thank you

[@annabekter]

Pozdrawiam z Londynu

[@timberskid]

I have put up a similar Bluebird feeder but only one side is plexiglass. The bluebirds in my yard have not figured it out. Is there a trick to training them to enter the feeder? Thanks for the great video.

[@RayRay-zc2ed]

One of the plexiglass sides on my feeder can be removed. So in the beginning I removed it and put just a few worms inside. It took a few days or maybe a week, it’s been awhile. They eventually went inside and ate. Then after a couple of days of that I put the side plexiglass back on.

[@timberskid]

@@RayRay-zc2ed Oh thank you! That's a great idea! They are sitting on top of this one so maybe that will work.. I just have to watch out for the scrub jays. 💪

[@annereynolds66]

How long can you keep live mealworms in there ?

[@RayRay-zc2ed]

I just add a few each morning. The live mealworms need to be kept in a dark cool place to slow down their process of changing into small black bugs. So I keep the container that I purchase them in, in the refrigerator and every morning I add a few into the feeder. As it gets into the summer I will add a little bit larger amount because the babies that hatch will also feed at the feeder. By mid summer I will have about 10 bluebirds at the feeder!

[@annereynolds66]

@@RayRay-zc2edthank you for your reply . Last year I put live mealworms out also and had I believe it was the same brood that came out in the winter . I fed dry in the winter. This year I did live again when the babies hatched . Maybe two weeks later is when the brood appears but I put on tray for them because I don’t know when the fledglings are able to get into the box . Sadly enough only one fledgling comes now I don’t know if the others made it . Have second round now and am putting the live worms in the same type feeder you have . I just thought it would be nice if I could put the mealworms in in the morning and they would still be alive in the evening

[@annereynolds66]

I do keep the container in the frig . Got 1,000 this time from Wild Birds Unlimited, they were cheaper than the pet store

[@RayRay-zc2ed]

@@annereynolds66 I also get mine from WBU. I buy a 5000 count bag and that will last a week. Because of prices going up I started to just put live worms out when they start building their nest until after the last batch of chicks are about a month old. Then during the off season I’ll pickup some worms once a month. The feeder stays out year around. The worms stay alive for several days in the feeder. Some of them will transform into the little black bugs. As they crawl out and fall to the ground the other birds eat them. As far as the chicks go, the pattern I have been experiencing is they will fledge and I won’t see them for about 3 days. I have read that they fly to a nearby tree where they feel safe. In those 3 days they learn to fly while the parents bring them food. Then after about those 3 days the parents and chicks show up at my feeder most of the day every day and eat. Usually, depending on the chick, they will enter the feeder on their own that same day or some will take a day or two before they feel safe doing so. I will go out and put a small amount of worms about 3 times a day. I have seen one of the ladies that works at WBU feed their bluebird worms out of her hand. That takes patients

[@annereynolds66]

Wow , that’s something, thanks for sharing . Last year I had a brood that kept coming back . Not sure why but the first brood of five came back but there were only 3-4 and then a couple weeks later only one fledgling kept coming back . Thinking maybe the other ones didn’t survive, makes me sad .

[@allencouncell4468]

Did you make the feeder or buy it? Thanks

[@RayRay-zc2ed]

I purchased it. Still using it till this day. Works very well keeping other birds out and with prices going up on worms, just like everything else, it saves me money.

[@LymanSheba]

@@RayRay-zc2ed can you tell us where you purchased it? My local bird store doesn't have this product

[@RayRay-zc2ed]

@@LymanSheba I purchased it on line. Kettle Moraine is what is written on the side of the feeder.

[@RayRay-zc2ed]

@@LymanSheba kmwoodworking.com

[@allencouncell4468]

Has anyone tried dried mealworms soaked in water?

[@RayRay-zc2ed]

I have tried dried mealworms several times but the bluebirds just push them aside and will not eat them. I have never tried soaking them in water.

[@allencouncell4468]

@@RayRay-zc2ed I can get them to eat dried mealworms outside of my box but will not go inside.

[@RayRay-zc2ed]

One of the plexiglass sides on my feeder can be removed. So in the beginning I removed it and put just a few worms inside. It took a few days or maybe a week, it’s been awhile. They eventually went inside and ate. Then after a couple of days of that I put the side plexiglass back on.

[@allencouncell4468]

Thanks for the reply 👍👍