Best bluebird feeders

This is a different product from a bluebird box, and the two get confused constantly. A nest box is where bluebirds breed and it is specified by Cornell's NestWatch dimensions — that is covered on the bluebird house page. A bluebird feeder is where they eat, it holds mealworms rather than nesting material, and nothing about it will attract a nesting pair. Most yards that want bluebirds need the box first and the feeder second. Every figure below is the maker's own, read on the dates in the sources; we have not handled these feeders.

What we judged on

1. The entry hole, and whether the maker states what it excludes. 1.5 in is the figure across this whole class. Kettle Moraine and Birds Choice both publish it, and Kettle Moraine names the birds it keeps out. That is the single most useful sentence on any of these product pages.
2. How many ways out there are. Bluebirds are cautious about entering an enclosed space. More openings means a bird that goes in can see a way out, which is the difference between a feeder that gets used and one that does not.
3. Whether the food surface comes out. Dried and live mealworms leave residue. A removable cup is trivial to clean; a molded indentation in a feeder floor means cleaning the whole feeder.
4. Material, honestly costed. Cedar looks right and weathers. Recycled plastic never weathers and costs more. Both makers here sell the same feeder in both materials, which makes the trade unusually easy to see.
5. What it takes to get it working. Two of these need a pole kit or a hanging cable bought separately, and one needs a mealworm cup bought separately. That is real money on top of the price.
6. Honesty about the learning curve. Kettle Moraine's own instructions describe removing a window for a few days to teach the birds to go inside. A maker that publishes that is more useful than one that pretends the problem does not exist.

The picks

Ranked picks with what each is best for, our score out of ten, the budget band it falls in, and a link to check its current price on Amazon.

#	Pick	Best for	Score	Price
01	Kettle Moraine Recycled Hanging Bluebird Feeder (8516-BB)The cedar feeder's design in recycled milk jug plastic, with grooves under the holes to help the birds find their way in.Under $100	The same feeder, in a material that never weathers	8.0out of 10	$52.00 · View on Amazon #ad Price as of September 21, 2026. How we are funded
02	Kettle Moraine Cedar Hanging Bluebird Feeder (8515)Solid cedar with plexiglass on both sides and a 1.5 in entry hole — an enclosed feeder that excludes starlings and jays by geometry rather than by hope.Under $50	Keeping the mealworms for the bluebirds	7.9out of 10	$41.50 · View on Amazon #ad Price as of September 21, 2026. How we are funded
03	Birds Choice Recycled Bluebird Feeder (SNBBF)Four 1.5 in holes on each side in recycled poly lumber, built around escape routes rather than just access — with the mealworm cup sold separately.Under $100	The most ways in and out, for a nervous bird	7.8out of 10	$76.99 · View on Amazon #ad Price as of September 21, 2026. How we are funded
04	Birds Choice Bluebird Flower Feeder (BBFF)A 3 oz polycarbonate cup on a steel hanger — no exclusion, no learning curve, and a fraction of the price of an enclosed feeder.Under $25	Finding out whether bluebirds will come at all	7.3out of 10	$18.99 · View on Amazon #ad Price as of September 21, 2026. How we are funded

Ranked for a yard that already has bluebirds and a starling problem. If you have never seen a bluebird on the property, start at the bottom of the list with the open cup and spend $20 finding out.

Pick 01

The same feeder, in a material that never weathers

Kettle Moraine Recycled Hanging Bluebird Feeder (8516-BB)

The cedar feeder's design in recycled milk jug plastic, with grooves under the holes to help the birds find their way in.

Score

8.0

Starling exclusion

9.0

Durability

9.5

Ease of use

6.5

Value

7.0

Budget band

Under $100

$52.00 · View on Amazon

#ad Price as of September 21, 2026. How we are funded

Published specifications

Entry holes

1.5 in, on each sideSource: Kettle Moraine Woodworking, Recycled Hanging Bluebird Feeder (SKU 8516-BB) product page, kmwoodworking.com, read 2026-09-20

What it excludes

The maker states the 1.5 in entry holes prevent larger, more aggressive birds such as starlings and jays from feedingSource: Kettle Moraine Woodworking, Recycled Hanging Bluebird Feeder (SKU 8516-BB) product page, kmwoodworking.com, read 2026-09-20

Other birds the maker lists

Chickadees, nuthatches and wrensSource: Kettle Moraine Woodworking, Recycled Hanging Bluebird Feeder (SKU 8516-BB) product page, kmwoodworking.com, read 2026-09-20

Construction

Recycled milk jug plastic with stainless steel screwsSource: Kettle Moraine Woodworking, Recycled Hanging Bluebird Feeder (SKU 8516-BB) product page, kmwoodworking.com, read 2026-09-20

Windows

Heavy acrylic viewing windows with entry holesSource: Kettle Moraine Woodworking, Recycled Hanging Bluebird Feeder (SKU 8516-BB) product page, kmwoodworking.com, read 2026-09-20

Entry aid

Grooves under the holes, which the maker says assist entrySource: Kettle Moraine Woodworking, Recycled Hanging Bluebird Feeder (SKU 8516-BB) product page, kmwoodworking.com, read 2026-09-20

Filling

Hinged roof lifts; stainless steel hanging cableSource: Kettle Moraine Woodworking, Recycled Hanging Bluebird Feeder (SKU 8516-BB) product page, kmwoodworking.com, read 2026-09-20

Mounting

Hangs, or bottom-mounts to a pole kit sold separatelySource: Kettle Moraine Woodworking, Recycled Hanging Bluebird Feeder (SKU 8516-BB) product page, kmwoodworking.com, read 2026-09-20

Dimensions and capacity

Not published by the manufacturer in a form we could verify on the maker's product page

Maker's list price

$52.00 on 2026-09-20Source: Kettle Moraine Woodworking, Recycled Hanging Bluebird Feeder (SKU 8516-BB) product page, kmwoodworking.com, read 2026-09-20

What it gets right

• Recycled plastic does not gray, split or need treating — the honest upgrade over the cedar version
• Acrylic windows are far harder to crack than plexiglass in a feeder that gets knocked
• The molded grooves under each hole are a small design detail aimed at the real problem, which is teaching birds to go inside
• Same exclusion geometry as the cedar model, so the starling logic is unchanged

What it does not

• About a quarter more than the cedar version for what is functionally the same feeder
• The maker publishes no dimensions and no capacity for this model, though it does for the cedar one
• Recycled plastic in bright colors looks like what it is; the cedar model is the better-looking object
• Same learning curve — bluebirds still have to work out the entry holes

Who it is for

Anyone who has already replaced one weathered wooden feeder and does not intend to do it again.

Skip this if

You want it to look like wood. This is the practical choice rather than the handsome one, and the cedar version costs less.

Pick 02

Keeping the mealworms for the bluebirds

Kettle Moraine Cedar Hanging Bluebird Feeder (8515)

Solid cedar with plexiglass on both sides and a 1.5 in entry hole — an enclosed feeder that excludes starlings and jays by geometry rather than by hope.

Score

7.9

Starling exclusion

9.0

Durability

7.5

Ease of use

6.0

Value

8.0

Budget band

Under $50

$41.50 · View on Amazon

#ad Price as of September 21, 2026. How we are funded

Published specifications

Entry hole

1.5 in, sized for Eastern BluebirdsSource: Kettle Moraine Woodworking, Cedar Hanging Bluebird Feeder (SKU 8515) product page, kmwoodworking.com, read 2026-09-20

Access

Entry holes on both ends and in each plexiglass windowSource: Kettle Moraine Woodworking, Cedar Hanging Bluebird Feeder (SKU 8515) product page, kmwoodworking.com, read 2026-09-20

What it excludes

The maker states the entry holes prevent larger, more aggressive birds such as starlings and jays from feedingSource: Kettle Moraine Woodworking, Cedar Hanging Bluebird Feeder (SKU 8515) product page, kmwoodworking.com, read 2026-09-20

Other birds the maker lists

Chickadees, nuthatches and wrens will also feed hereSource: Kettle Moraine Woodworking, Cedar Hanging Bluebird Feeder (SKU 8515) product page, kmwoodworking.com, read 2026-09-20

Dimensions

11 in wide x 7 in deep x 8 in tallSource: Kettle Moraine Woodworking, Cedar Hanging Bluebird Feeder (SKU 8515) product page, kmwoodworking.com, read 2026-09-20

Construction

Solid cedar with stainless steel screws — the maker specifies no staples or bradsSource: Kettle Moraine Woodworking, Cedar Hanging Bluebird Feeder (SKU 8515) product page, kmwoodworking.com, read 2026-09-20

Filling

Hinged roof; stainless steel hanging cableSource: Kettle Moraine Woodworking, Cedar Hanging Bluebird Feeder (SKU 8515) product page, kmwoodworking.com, read 2026-09-20

Mounting

Hangs, or bottom-mounts to a pole kit sold separatelySource: Kettle Moraine Woodworking, Cedar Hanging Bluebird Feeder (SKU 8515) product page, kmwoodworking.com, read 2026-09-20

Made in

USASource: Kettle Moraine Woodworking, Cedar Hanging Bluebird Feeder (SKU 8515) product page, kmwoodworking.com, read 2026-09-20

Maker's list price

$41.00 on 2026-09-20Source: Kettle Moraine Woodworking, Cedar Hanging Bluebird Feeder (SKU 8515) product page, kmwoodworking.com, read 2026-09-20

What it gets right

• The 1.5 in hole is the whole point: mealworms are expensive and this is the design that stops starlings clearing the dish
• Plexiglass on both sides, so the birds can see the food and so can you
• Solid cedar and stainless screws rather than staples — this is built like the maker's nest boxes
• Bottom-mounts to a pole, which matters because bluebirds prefer open ground to dense cover

What it does not

• Bluebirds take time to learn the entry holes; the maker's own instructions describe removing a window for a few days to teach them
• Cedar weathers and will gray over, unlike the recycled-plastic version of the same feeder
• The maker publishes no capacity figure at all
• An enclosed feeder is harder to clean than an open cup, and mealworm residue does need cleaning

Who it is for

Someone whose bluebirds already come and whose mealworms keep disappearing into starlings. This is the fix for that specific problem.

Skip this if

You have not yet seen bluebirds in the yard. This is a single-species feeder with a hole sized to exclude almost everything else, so it will simply sit full.

Pick 03

The most ways in and out, for a nervous bird

Birds Choice Recycled Bluebird Feeder (SNBBF)

Four 1.5 in holes on each side in recycled poly lumber, built around escape routes rather than just access — with the mealworm cup sold separately.

Score

7.8

Starling exclusion

8.5

Durability

10.0

Ease of use

6.0

Value

6.0

Budget band

Under $100

$76.99 · View on Amazon

#ad Price as of September 21, 2026. How we are funded

Published specifications

Entry holes

Two holes in the poly lumber and two in the acrylic on each side, all 1.5 in — sized for bluebirdsSource: Birds Choice, Bluebird Feeder in Taupe and Blue Recycled Plastic (SKU SNBBF) product page, birdschoice.com, read 2026-09-20

Why so many

The maker states the multiple entrances are for easy access and escape from predatorsSource: Birds Choice, Bluebird Feeder in Taupe and Blue Recycled Plastic (SKU SNBBF) product page, birdschoice.com, read 2026-09-20

Dimensions

13.5 in L x 10.25 in W x 8 in H, 5.25 lbSource: Birds Choice, Bluebird Feeder in Taupe and Blue Recycled Plastic (SKU SNBBF) product page, birdschoice.com, read 2026-09-20

Material

Recycled poly lumber, which the maker guarantees will never crack, split or fadeSource: Birds Choice, Bluebird Feeder in Taupe and Blue Recycled Plastic (SKU SNBBF) product page, birdschoice.com, read 2026-09-20

Panels and hinges

Thick heavy-duty acrylic panels; aluminum rust-resistant continuous hingesSource: Birds Choice, Bluebird Feeder in Taupe and Blue Recycled Plastic (SKU SNBBF) product page, birdschoice.com, read 2026-09-20

Feeding surface

An indentation in the bottom for mealworms; a cup is sold separatelySource: Birds Choice, Bluebird Feeder in Taupe and Blue Recycled Plastic (SKU SNBBF) product page, birdschoice.com, read 2026-09-20

Mounting

Pole or hanging — the pole kit and the hanging cable are both sold separatelySource: Birds Choice, Bluebird Feeder in Taupe and Blue Recycled Plastic (SKU SNBBF) product page, birdschoice.com, read 2026-09-20

Made in

USASource: Birds Choice, Bluebird Feeder in Taupe and Blue Recycled Plastic (SKU SNBBF) product page, birdschoice.com, read 2026-09-20

Maker's list price and stock

$85.99, in stock and ready to ship on 2026-09-20Source: Birds Choice, Bluebird Feeder in Taupe and Blue Recycled Plastic (SKU SNBBF) product page, birdschoice.com, read 2026-09-20

What it gets right

• Four openings per side means a bird that goes in has an obvious way out, which is what makes enclosed feeders acceptable to a cautious species
• Continuous aluminum hinges rather than a pair of screws — the part that usually fails on a hinged-roof feeder
• The largest enclosed feeder here at 13.5 in, so several birds fit at once
• Recycled poly lumber with a no-crack, no-fade guarantee

What it does not

• The most expensive feeder on this page, and neither the mounting hardware nor the mealworm cup is included
• 5.25 lb before food, so it needs a real pole or a substantial hook
• A bare indentation rather than a removable dish means cleaning the whole feeder rather than lifting a cup out
• More openings also means marginally easier access for anything small enough to fit

Who it is for

Someone committed to feeding bluebirds properly, with a pole already in the ground and no intention of replacing the feeder again.

Skip this if

You want one box with everything in it. Between the pole kit, the hanging cable and the mealworm cup, three separate purchases stand between this feeder and a working feeding station.

Pick 04

Finding out whether bluebirds will come at all

Birds Choice Bluebird Flower Feeder (BBFF)

A 3 oz polycarbonate cup on a steel hanger — no exclusion, no learning curve, and a fraction of the price of an enclosed feeder.

Score

7.3

Starling exclusion

1.0

Durability

7.0

Ease of use

10.0

Value

9.0

Budget band

Under $25

$18.99 · View on Amazon

#ad Price as of September 21, 2026. How we are funded

Published specifications

Capacity

3 oz, in a removable blue polycarbonate cupSource: Birds Choice, Bluebird Feeder Flower Shape for Mealworms and Dried Fruit (SKU BBFF) product page, birdschoice.com, read 2026-09-20

Dimensions

8 in L x 8 in W x 10 in H, 0.5 lbSource: Birds Choice, Bluebird Feeder Flower Shape for Mealworms and Dried Fruit (SKU BBFF) product page, birdschoice.com, read 2026-09-20

Materials

Polycarbonate cup on a black powder-coated steel hangerSource: Birds Choice, Bluebird Feeder Flower Shape for Mealworms and Dried Fruit (SKU BBFF) product page, birdschoice.com, read 2026-09-20

Food

Mealworms or dried fruitSource: Birds Choice, Bluebird Feeder Flower Shape for Mealworms and Dried Fruit (SKU BBFF) product page, birdschoice.com, read 2026-09-20

Cleaning

The cup lifts out; the maker describes it as easy to fill and cleanSource: Birds Choice, Bluebird Feeder Flower Shape for Mealworms and Dried Fruit (SKU BBFF) product page, birdschoice.com, read 2026-09-20

Decoration

A blue ornamental heart jewel hangs from the centerSource: Birds Choice, Bluebird Feeder Flower Shape for Mealworms and Dried Fruit (SKU BBFF) product page, birdschoice.com, read 2026-09-20

What it excludes

Nothing — an open cup has no entry hole and no exclusion of any kind

Maker's list price and stock

$19.99, in stock and ready to ship on 2026-09-20Source: Birds Choice, Bluebird Feeder Flower Shape for Mealworms and Dried Fruit (SKU BBFF) product page, birdschoice.com, read 2026-09-20

What it gets right

• No learning curve at all: the food is visible and reachable, so birds use it the first day
• A removable cup is the easiest thing here to keep clean, and mealworm residue does need cleaning
• Half a pound, so it hangs anywhere — including somewhere you can watch from indoors
• The cheapest honest way to find out whether your yard has bluebirds before spending enclosed-feeder money

What it does not

• Excludes nothing. Starlings, jays and mockingbirds will clear 3 oz of mealworms in minutes
• 3 oz is a single daily ration, not a reservoir
• Open to rain, which turns dried mealworms into a mess
• The ornamental jewel is decoration, and you are paying a little for it

Who it is for

Anyone starting out, or anyone who wants a second dish they can put out for ten minutes while they watch and then bring back in.

Skip this if

Starlings or jays are already taking your mealworms. This feeder has no answer to them whatsoever — that is precisely what the enclosed feeders on this page are for.

Start from what is taking your mealworms

The published figures, side by side

The learning curve is real, and one maker tells you so

An enclosed feeder asks a bird to fly into a box. Bluebirds do not do that immediately, and a feeder that sits untouched for two weeks gets taken down by people who assume it does not work. Kettle Moraine publishes the fix on its own product pages: remove one window, put a few live mealworms in a small dish inside where they can be seen, and replace the window after a few days once the birds have understood there is food in there.

That single paragraph is worth more than any material claim on this page, and it is the reason both Kettle Moraine feeders rank above the more expensive Birds Choice one here. Buying from a maker that documents the awkward part is a genuine advantage in a category where the awkward part is the whole purchase.

What bluebirds actually eat

• Mealworms, live or dried. This is what every feeder on this page is built to hold. Live are taken more readily; dried keep indefinitely and are what most people use.
• Dried fruit. Both Birds Choice feeders list it alongside mealworms, and it is a cheaper thing to put out while you are still finding out whether the birds will come.
• Not seed. Bluebirds are insect eaters and largely ignore a sunflower or nyjer feeder. A bluebird that appears at a seed feeder is unusual rather than typical.
• A daily ration rather than a full hopper. Three of these four feeders hold small amounts by design. Mealworms are expensive enough that putting out what gets eaten is the sensible pattern.

What not to buy

• A bluebird house, if what you want is to watch them feed. A nest box is a different product with different dimensions and a different purpose. Both are worth owning; only one of them holds mealworms.
• An open dish, if starlings are already the problem. An open cup has no answer to them. That is the whole reason the enclosed feeders exist.
• An enclosed feeder before you have seen a bluebird. The entry hole that excludes starlings also excludes almost everything else, so in the wrong yard it simply sits full.
• A feeder you cannot get into. Mealworm residue needs cleaning. Check the roof hinges and whether the food surface lifts out before you buy.