Behind bluebird-size holes
Birds Choice Bluebird Feeder
A 3 oz cup under a clear roof; the 1.5 in side holes keep bigger birds out.
Mealworm feeders
Mealworms bring birds that seldom eat seed, bluebirds and Carolina wrens among them, as well as chickadees, titmice and nuthatches. Offer a small amount in a dish they can see, such as the Birds Choice Bluebird Feeder, whose 1½ in side holes keep bigger birds out, and soak dried mealworms in water first.
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Under a dome
Birds Choice Supper Dome Bird Feeder for Seed Suet and Mealworms
A small dish under a 10½ in dome that keeps rain off the mealworms, with two suet log holders beside it.
At the window
Duncraft Window Mealworm Feeder
Up to 1 cup of dried mealworms behind 1.5 in openings, on two suction cups.
A commission never decides the picks. How we choose.
8 more feeders
Droll Yankees · Platform feeder
Seed Saver Platform Bird Feeder X-1
- Holds 1 lb
- Comes apart to clean
A covered tray for seed, fruit, suet or mealworms, with a dome you raise for bigger birds.
Keep in mind: Squirrels can reach it: hang it out of jumping range or add a baffle.
Kingsyard · Mealworm feeder
Metal Caged Bluebird Feeder
Mealworms for bluebirds behind 1.5 in openings that keep bigger birds out.
Keep in mind: Kingsyard does not publish its capacity: put out a small daily amount.
Duncraft · Seed feeder
Squirrel Blocker Feeder
- Holds 1.5 lb
- Squirrel-resistant
Clinging birds feed through an outer grid squirrels cannot reach through; no springs or batteries.
Keep in mind: The grid also keeps out cardinals and other big birds.
Duncraft · Mealworm feeder
Classic Bluebird Window Feeder
- Suction cups, no drilling
Bluebirds at your window: mealworms behind 1½ in openings under a clear roof.
Keep in mind: Bluebirds need open grass near the house to find it.
Birds Choice · Mealworm feeder
Bluebird Feeder Flower Shape
- Holds 3 oz
A daily cup of mealworms for bluebirds, in a cup that lifts out to rinse.
Keep in mind: 3 oz: put out a small daily ration, the way bluebirds learn to expect it.
Nature's Way · Mealworm feeder
Bluebird Buffet Metal and Glass Bird Feeder
Mealworms and fruit for bluebirds and wrens in a dish that lifts out to wash.
Keep in mind: The dish holds ¾ cup, so fill it every day or two.
Duncraft · Mealworm feeder
Sheltered Mealworm Feeder
Bluebirds and other small birds, which slip in through the 1½ in openings while the roof keeps rain and snow off.
Keep in mind: Project FeederWatch cautions against wood feeders that cannot be washed well: wash it often and let it dry fully.
Duncraft · Mealworm feeder
Songbird Mealworm Magnet Feeder
- Holds 1 lb
Mealworms or sunflower hearts for small songbirds that feed inside, out of the rain.
Keep in mind: The openings on its four sides are large, and Duncraft makes no claim that they keep bigger birds out.
Who comes for mealworms
Project FeederWatch lists mealworms among the foods of bluebirds, Carolina wrens, chickadees, titmice, nuthatches, woodpeckers and blue jays. They matter most to bluebirds and wrens, which live mainly on insects: a Carolina wren eats little seed, though it comes to suet in winter, Cornell notes.
Dish, cup or roofed feeder
An open dish is easy for birds to find but lets every bird in. A cup behind 1½ in holes, as in the Birds Choice Bluebird Feeder or the Duncraft Sheltered Mealworm Feeder, keeps bigger birds out once the small ones have learned the way in. A clear roof keeps rain off, and a mesh floor, like the Songbird Mealworm Magnet’s, lets water drain.
Live, dried, and how much
Live mealworms wriggle and catch a bird’s eye; dried ones keep for months in a sealed tub. The RSPB, Britain’s bird charity, suggests soaking dried mealworms in water before you put them out, which softens them for nestlings and adds water to the birds’ diet. Put out a small amount once or twice a day, at the same times, rather than a full dish that sits.
Keep the dish clean
Mealworms and fruit spoil quickly in warm weather. Clear what is left at the end of the day, and every few days wash the dish in hot soapy water, rinse it and let it dry before you refill it.
References
| Source |
|---|
| Common Feeder Birds ↗ |
| How and what to feed your garden birds ↗ |
| Carolina Wren: Backyard Tips ↗ |
| Carolina Wren: Life History ↗ |