I would like to make my yard a haven for bluebirds and hummingbirds. Are the two compatible?

Question

How would I go about doing this?

Not blue JAYS. I don't like Jays. Blue BIRDS.

Answer 1

Your yard can attract both quite easily.

Bluebirds aren't very territorial and they are a colony type of bird who live in very loose colonies. If you place a typical bluebird house on a pole about 5-8' off the ground in a fairly clear area this is the environment they like to nest in. Make sure you have a couple of houses out if possible to let them choose the best one.

Bluebirds like to have small seed and insects. They normally won't feed from a hanging style feeder and prefer ground or platform feeding. Thistle (nyjer), millet, and black oil sunflower attract the widest variety of birds. The more birds you have around the more comfortable the bluebirds are going to feel.

Make sure you also have a water source (bird bath, pond, etc) so that they can bath and drink.

Hummers are quite easy to attract. Purchase a couple humming bird feeders and fill them with a sugar solution. 1 part white table sugar to 4 parts water is the proper feed mix for them. Place the feeders on opposite sides of the house as male hummers are very territorial and will try to keep all other males away. Make sure you change the feed solution once per week even if there is some left in it as old sugar water can contain a mold that is fatal to the humming birds. Wash the feeders in a mild bleach solution and rinse them well before refilling and putting them back out.

You can plant a large variety of native and non-native species of plants to attract humming birds.... rhodies, trumpet vine, canna, honeysuckle, basically anything with a large flower with a deep nectar well will attract them. They love the color red but will frequent many different types of flowers. They also eat insects so don't spray the yard if possible. The hatchling spiders, aphids, etc are all sought out by humming birds.

They nest in dense brush, so if you can leave a little bit of the yard to go wild this will benefit all the birds in your yard.

Answer 2

Bluebirds and hummingbirds have completely different personalities and feeding habbits. Hummingbirds like flowers that produce a lot of nectar - regardless of the color and shape (although trumpet-shaped flowers tend to produce more nectar than flat flowers), therefore a feeder with sugar water and/or a great variety of flowers in a garden will attract hummingbirds. Bluebirds on the other hand eat worms, grubs, small insects, etc. and like to reside in birdhouses or holes in trees which are located along the border of a wooded area. In my Michigan garden bluebirds scout out the area in February, raise a brood in May / June and again later in the summer. There should be no problem having both birds in your yard; just make it inviting for both birds and they will come.

Answer 3

I have had better success attracting humming birds with different types of flowers that they like,more so than with sugar water. I don't know all the flowers but one of them is columbine.
Humming birds and blue jays are territorial but I have never seen them bother one another.
I've not seen jays go for any flowers,they prefer trees and bushes more if they have berries.
You might try the Audubon website or the local library. I love birds a lot and collect ceramic ones.
Good luck with your project.

Edit: Sorry hon I don't really know anything about blue birds. I think they are small like a sparrow and I tend to think the 2 would be compatible.
But I would still try to find some info on them and the flowers that will attract them.
BTW...Humming birds are my favorite kind.

Answer 4

I have hummingbird feeders and feeders with seed. I don't see any fighting at any of the feeders. Hummingbird feeders should be kept a good distance apart because the males will "protect" their area. Bright flowers also attract them.

Answer 5

FROM WHAT I HAVE SEEN HUMMING BIRDS AND BLUE JAYS ARE VERY TERRITORIAL SO THAT MIGHT BE A PROBLEM. IF YOU WANT TO ATTRACT HUMMING BIRDS HANG SUGAR WATER 50/50 MIX FROM TREES/STRUCTURE AND THEY'LL SHOW UP IT MAY TAKE A LITTLE WHILE FOR THEM TO FIND IT BUT IF YOU HANG IT IN THE SAME LOCATION OVER TIME TEN PAIRS COULD COME UP. THEY ALSO LIKE MIMOSA TREES FOR NESTING AND FOOD SOURCE. I'M NOT SURE AS FAR AS BLUE JAYS.

Answer 6

Keep me away from your yard, lions are considered bad publicity for yards.