Mountain Bluebird

About the Mountain Bluebird

Colorado's state bird. Brilliant sky-blue males are found in open meadows and foothills.

When to See Them in Colorado

Seasonal visitor. The Mountain Bluebird can be spotted during specific seasons in Colorado, with abundance varying depending on weather patterns, elevation, and food availability. Their presence is often tied to natural seed and berry crops, which can shift from year to year.

When natural food sources run short — often in late winter — Mountain Bluebirds become much more likely to visit backyard feeders. This is when a well-stocked feeding station can make all the difference in attracting these seasonal gems.

What They Eat

In Colorado, the Mountain Bluebird's diet reflects what's locally available across seasons. At feeders, they're most drawn to Mealworms, berries, insects, which mirrors the high-energy foods they seek in the wild. Offering the right food in the right feeder is the single biggest factor in successfully attracting Mountain Bluebirds to your yard.

During nesting season (typically April–July on the Front Range), Mountain Bluebirds also rely heavily on insects as a protein source for their young — so a pesticide-free garden benefits them beyond just the feeder.

How to Attract Them to Your Yard

Creating a welcoming habitat for Mountain Bluebirds in Colorado is straightforward once you understand what they need. Here are the most effective steps our experts recommend:

• Offer live or dried mealworms in a shallow dish. Mountain Bluebirds are highly responsive to this protein-rich food, especially during breeding season when they're feeding nestlings.
• Provide a clean water source year-round. A heated bird bath is one of the best investments you can make for winter birding along the Front Range — fresh water is often scarcer than food on cold days.
• Plant native shrubs and trees that produce berries or shelter nesting birds. Serviceberry, chokecherry, and native viburnums are excellent choices for Colorado front-range gardens.
• Keep feeders within 3 feet or beyond 30 feet of windows to minimize window strike risk — the most common cause of feeder-bird fatalities.
• Clean feeders regularly. Moldy or wet seed drives birds away and can spread disease through your local bird population. WBU No-Mess blends minimize hulls and spoilage.