We had such a problem last summer with all of the Grackles and Starlings and Crows eating all of the Bluebird’s mealworms (very expensive food but the Bluebird’s favorite), Phil decided he had to do something about it. He designed his own Bluebird bird feeder that only allows the “little” birds to eat from it. (Click on link for a better photo.) It has worked wonderfully!
We bought a bird feeder from the Bird Watcher’s General Store in Orleans and then Phil “retrofitted” it with 10 screws going all around the inside of the dish and some electrical tape. The inside of the dish had to be raised so only the Bluebirds, sitting on the edge of the dish, could eat the mealworms. You can also adjust the height of the top cover so that only the Bluebirds can get in. It is amazing that they fly right in and out, even when lowered more than in the photograph.
The Bluebirds and a few other small birds have no trouble flying in for a meal, while the other “pesky” birds that eat everything in sight cannot get in.
Ingenious, don’t you think?
