Our ninth Statewide Bluebird Blitz was held November 6 & 7. We conduct the Fall Blitz in a effort to determine where bluebirds are finding food and residing across the State during non-breeding season. We now have data from five Fall and four Spring Blitzes.
For this Blitz we received 154 reports, three of which reported no bluebirds found. Reports were received from 36 of Florida’s 67 Counties with a total of 547 bluebirds reported.
Our data indicates there are more bluebirds found in Florida during the non-breeding season (November) than in early April which is breeding season.
Another interesting fact emerging from our data is that bluebirds are more concentrated during their non-breeding season. We consistently have more bluebirds reported during the Fall Blitz from fewer Counties. In 2014, there were 411 bluebirds reported in 43 Counties during the Spring Blitz, and 598 bluebirds found in 37 Counties during the Fall Blitz. In 2015, 440 bluebirds were found in 45 Counties during the Spring Blitz with 547 bluebirds reported in 36 Counties during the Fall Blitz.
We thank all who sent us reports for the Blitz. With your continued participation we will continue to collect data that we hope will provide some meaningful information about bluebirds in Florida.
| County | # of reports | # of bluebirds reported |
| Alachua | 11 | 25 |
| Baker | ||
| Bay | 2 | 21 |
| Bradford | ||
| Brevard | 1 | 3 |
| Broward | ||
| Calhoun | ||
| Charlotte | 1 | 6 |
| Citrus | 6 | 23 |
| Clay | 5 | 13 |
| Collier | 7 | 24 |
| Columbia | 2 | 5 |
| DeSoto | ||
| Dixie | ||
| Duval | 20 | 55 |
| Escambia | 2 | 20 |
| Flagler | 1 | 0 |
| Franklin | 1 | 2 |
| Gadsden | ||
| Gilchrist | ||
| Glades | ||
| Gulf | ||
| Hamilton | ||
| Hardee | ||
| Hendry | ||
| Hernando | 12 | 49 |
| Highlands | ||
| Hillsborough | 9 | 41 |
| Holmes | ||
| Indian River | ||
| Jackson | 3 | 3 |
| Jefferson | 2 | 2 |
| Lafayette | ||
| Lake | 8 | 37 |
| Lee | 1 | 1 |
| Leon | 8 | 29 |
| Levy | ||
| Liberty | ||
| Madison | ||
| Manatee | 1 | 2 |
| Marion | 5 | 14 |
| Martin | ||
| Miami-Dade | ||
| Monroe | ||
| Nassau | 1 | 2 |
| Okaloosa | 2 | 13 |
| Okeechobee | ||
| Orange | 3 | 12 |
| Osceola | 3 | 6 |
| Palm Beach | ||
| Pasco | 8 | 38 |
| Pinellas | 3 | 10 |
| Polk | 1 | 1 |
| Putnam | ||
| Santa Rosa | 4 | 23 |
| Sarasota | ||
| Seminole | 1 | 2 |
| St. Johns | 5 | 13 |
| St. Lucie | ||
| Sumter | 5 | 20 |
| Suwannee | 3 | 9 |
| Taylor | ||
| Union | ||
| Volusia | 3 | 10 |
| Wakulla | 2 | 6 |
| Walton | 2 | 7 |
| Washington |
This was the first year that we had nesting bluebirds in our new home. We put up a 12 room Purple Martin house in early spring but were surprised to see a bluebird couple claimed it before the PMs. So we put up a second 12 room house for the PMs 30 feet away from the first house. For the most part everyone lived in harmony until just before the bluebirds were ready to fledge. A concerted effort by the PMs drove the parents and fledglings out of their house so my husband quickly made a bluebird box and two weeks later the bluebird couple came back and had a second clutch. I am now researching whether bluebirds will roost over the winter in North Florida and if it would be worth putting out a roosting box and feeder. I just noticed your website and will participate in your next Blitz with a report from Clay County!
Hi Connie, yes, bluebirds are year round residents in Florida. I always leave my box up over the winter so they can have a place to stay if the weather gets too cold. I usually don’t feed anything special. They tend to like the bark butter and suet with bugs that I feed other birds. I’ve notice they only eat this over the winter, but not in the other 3 seasons.
Sorry for the delay in response! Feel free to send any follow up questions here or at: fbs.inquiries1@floridabluebirdsociety.org
Hi Connie, yes, bluebirds are year round residents in Florida. I always leave my box up over the winter so they can have a place to stay if the weather gets too cold. I usually don’t feed anything special. They tend to like the bark butter and suet with bugs that I feed other birds. I’ve notice they only eat this over the winter, but not in the other 3 seasons.
Sorry for the delay in response! Feel free to send any follow up questions here or at: fbs.inquiries1@floridabluebirdsociety.org
Kissimmee, Osceola County- I noticed a young bluebird here last fall. I now have an adult pair that showed up this spring and just fledged their first clutch of 4. They have moved into the bluebird house I’ve had up (which sat empty for 8 years until now).