WildWatchcams

Bluebirds are dependent on the open grasslands and oak savannas found in the South Puget Sound. Western Bluebirds have suffered from competition for nest sites because of the introduced European Starlings and House Sparrows. Western Bluebirds feed primarily from perches, dropping to the ground to feed on grasshoppers, caterpillars, beetles, bugs, and spiders. Insects make up about 80 percent of their diet; the rest is fruit, which is consumed from late summer to early spring. As their habitat has dwindled, so too have their numbers. Though not listed as an endangered species, the western bluebird is an uncommon bird in Puget Sound, due to habitat loss and nesting competition by non-native birds.

Update May 2013
The bluebird nest is now under new management by tree swallows. Tree swallows are common in the South Sound prairie habitats, while the charismatic Western bluebird is still in a recovery mode. Competition is often fierce for limited cavity nesting sites. Due to lower numbers of Western bluebird’s they often get edged out by more abundant and aggressive tree swallow here’s hoping that next year they will keep their valuable piece of real estate!