Gilbertson-Style Bluebird Feeder Guide

Bluebirds can become some of the most loyal visitors in your backyard, but getting them started at a feeder does not always happen overnight.

Some bluebirds find a feeder quickly. Others take weeks.

And sometimes, even when bluebirds are already nesting in your yard, they still need time to learn that a feeder is a safe and reliable place to find food.

This guide will walk you through how to introduce bluebirds to a Gilbertson-style mealworm feeder, what to expect, how to use mealworms correctly, and how to reduce frustration from larger bully birds like starlings.

These tips apply especially well to the BlueFeast Deluxe, Classic Gilbertson, and Dual Gilbertson bluebird feeders.

Quick Start Checklist

If you’re just getting started, begin here:

1. Place the feeder where bluebirds already spend time.
2. Start with a small amount of mealworms instead of filling the feeder completely.
3. Make the mealworms easy to notice at first.
4. Use live mealworms in the bowl or cup area if bluebirds are not showing interest.
5. Use training perches or open access only temporarily if your feeder has that option.
6. Add or maintain a bluebird nesting box nearby if you want to encourage long-term activity.
7. Be patient. Some bluebirds take days. Others take weeks or longer.

The Biggest Myth About Feeding Bluebirds

One of the most common myths is that you can hang up a bluebird feeder for the very first time and bluebirds will immediately start using it.

Sometimes that happens.

But often, it does not.

Customers who already have bluebirds feeding in their yard often see them take to a new feeder anywhere from the first day to 12 weeks.

When we started feeding bluebirds ourselves, it took nearly 9 months before they regularly used our feeder, and we already had bluebirds nesting in our backyard.

That does not mean something is wrong.

It simply means bluebirds are learning a new feeding habit.

With a Gilbertson-style mealworm feeder, there may be a little extra training involved at first. The enclosed design is what helps reduce access for larger bully birds, but it also means bluebirds need to discover where the food is and learn how to enter confidently.

The goal is to make the feeder easy for bluebirds and frustrating for bully birds.

Why Nest Boxes Help

Bluebirds are much more likely to become regular visitors if they are already spending time in your yard.

A quality bluebird nesting box can help turn your yard into a place they come back to, especially during nesting season when they are looking for safe places to raise their young and reliable food nearby.

A feeder helps.

A nesting box plus a feeder helps even more.

If you want long-term bluebird activity, think beyond just feeding. Create a backyard they want to live in.

Good nesting habitat, open space, reliable food, and a safe feeding setup all work together.

Make the Mealworms Easy to Find

When you are introducing bluebirds to a Gilbertson-style feeder, do not make them work too hard to discover the food.

Start by making the mealworms visible.

You can try:

• Sprinkling a few mealworms near the entrance area.
• Placing a few mealworms where bluebirds can easily notice them.
• Putting mealworms in a small cup where you already see bluebirds perching.

Once they find the mealworms in the cup, slowly move the cup closer to the feeder.

This helps create awareness before asking them to go inside.

Once bluebirds realize the feeder is a safe place to find mealworms, they usually become much more confident using it.

Start With a Small Amount of Mealworms

When you are just getting started, do not fill the feeder completely right away.

Start with a small amount of mealworms in the bowl, cup, or feeding area instead.

This helps in a few ways:

• It keeps less food visible to larger birds.
• It creates less waste around the feeder.
• It prevents you from having a large amount of uneaten mealworms sitting in the feeder.
• It makes it easier to keep food fresh while bluebirds are still learning.

This is especially important with dried mealworms. If bluebirds do not find the feeder quickly, a full feeder can lead to stale, damp, or wasted mealworms.

Once the bluebirds are visiting consistently, you can begin filling the feeder more normally.

Dried Mealworms vs. Live Mealworms

Dried mealworms can work well, especially once bluebirds are already used to feeding in your yard.

But if bluebirds are not showing interest, live mealworms can help get their attention much faster.

The movement catches their eye, and live mealworms also offer much better nutritional value, especially during nesting season when adult bluebirds are working hard to feed their young.

If you have had the feeder up for a while and your bluebirds still are not interested, trying a small amount of live mealworms can be one of the most helpful changes you make.

Don’t Expect Starlings to Give Up Immediately

A common misunderstanding is that a starling-resistant feeder means starling-proof.

That is not how nature works.

Gilbertson-style bluebird feeders are designed to reduce access for larger bully birds, but persistent starlings may still investigate, hover, or try to figure it out.

One thing that usually helps is offering only a small amount of mealworms if starlings start hanging around too much.

This keeps less food visible, creates less waste, and makes the feeder less rewarding for starlings.

When they cannot easily reach the food and there is not much sitting out in plain sight, they are more likely to lose interest and move on.

The goal is not magic.

The goal is to make the feeder easy for bluebirds and frustrating for bully birds.

And just remember, this reduces the bully birds’ ability to access the food.

Nature isn’t fully foolproof. 🫠

Use Training Features Temporarily

Some Gilbertson-style bluebird feeders include optional training features, such as perches, rods, or openings that make the feeder easier for bluebirds to explore at first.

These can be helpful when bluebirds are learning to use this style of feeder.

Think of them like training wheels.

They can make the feeder feel easier and more familiar while bluebirds are getting started.

But once your bluebirds are confidently going inside, remove or close those optional training features.

Leaving them open long term can give larger birds easier access, which works against one of the main benefits of the enclosed design.

Use them to help bluebirds learn.

Do not leave them open forever.

Where to Place Your Feeder

The best location is usually near an area where bluebirds already spend time.

If you already have a bluebird nesting box, place the feeder where the birds can easily notice it, but not so close that it interferes with the nest box.

Bluebirds often prefer open spaces, so avoid burying the feeder deep inside thick shrubs or heavy cover.

A quiet, visible location is usually best.

If you are using a small cup of mealworms to train them, start the cup where they already perch or hunt, then gradually move it closer to the feeder.

What to Expect

Bluebird feeding is not always instant.

Here is a realistic expectation:

• Some bluebirds may use the feeder the first day.
• Some may take a few weeks.
• Some may take up to 12 weeks.
• If they are not already used to feeding in your yard, it can take longer.

In our own experience, it took nearly 9 months before bluebirds regularly used our feeder, even though they were already nesting in our backyard.

That is why patience matters.

You are not just waiting for them to find food.

You are helping them build a new habit.

The Bottom Line

Successful bluebird feeding usually comes down to patience, consistency, and setting the feeder up in a way that helps bluebirds learn.

• Start with a small amount of mealworms.
• Make the food easy to discover.
• Use live mealworms in the bowl or cup area if you need extra help getting their attention.
• Remove or close training features once the bluebirds are confident.
• Keep the feeder less rewarding for starlings.
• Give the birds time.

Once bluebirds decide your feeder is part of their daily routine, they often become some of the most loyal visitors you will ever have in your backyard.