Music to Attract Bluebirds

Bruce...I enjoy your posts and am honored to be a member of your constituency.You pose a very interesting question about music and bluebirds. However, I see and understand now why you have had no snow in NH.Try this: Start playing a better and higher form of music.A new genre. Sorry, don't know the german word.

My experience and theory runs against the grain and against your theory as to what sound waves attract birds, especially Bluebirds. Now pay attention here, because I may move a little fast for you!

I have been down the long music road and have the research settled many years ago so no need for you to reinvent the wheel on this subject. One of my former brides was a performance flute major at Indiana University and controlled and limited me to Opera and Classical experimenting, until later when she traded me in for a dream come true and then I was free to broaden my experimenting, since current bride does not manage my research. But while former was performing in the pit at LaBoheme, I was playing classical music for the birds.

So, I started as you are with theory and hope for classical music help. Believe me it didn't work; with one exception. I went thru the popular guys you mention, including, Beethoven, Mozart, Chopin. To mix it up I included Wagner,Vivaldi,Stravinsky,Brahms,Handel,Verdi,Puccini,Rachmaninov,Debussy, Schubert,Schumann,Copeland,Mahler. As you see I included Opera and moved up to more recent composers. The damn squirrels increased and the birds grew fewer. And the deer mice abounded. Yes, I included the Spring Symphony too.

The more fiddle, flute and oboe the greater number of Starling.

I had one success that I still use to this day and that is Bach's Brandenburg Concertos, especially the 5th and 6th. Don't ask me why, but they rock to the see saw sounds as I do! My choice would be the great Chicago, Cleveland or Philadelphia Orchastras or Symphonies.

But, all the above is prologue as is the past bride of many years ago.

So, what's happen' today. Well, Bluebirds love Country Music!!!

Now, I am playing the good stuff and they and I are much happier(I admit I work in Bach now and then just to keep up with Brooks and Dunn.

But here are the Bluebird favorites in order of number of fledglings per artist in controlled research, based on the testimonial methods of Elmer Gantry and Billy Sunday.

1. George Jones, by far and away the leading success.

2. George Morgan(candy kisses) the late father of Lori.

3. Brad Paisley, He Didn't Have To Be.

4. Mark Wills, Wish You Were Here.

5. Tracy Byrd, Redneck Roses and Keeper Of The Stars.

6. Kenny Chesney, the one where he wants to know how forever feels.

7. Tim McGraw, One Of These Days.

8. Leon Redbone, Blue Ain't the Word for the way that I Feel.

9. Reba, For my broken Heart and Had I only Known.

10. Leann Womack, anything at all.

As you see, they love the crying songs as I do. We are at our most happy times having a good cry down here in Bluebird country year around.

I hope the foregoing helps you in your work. Space does not allow a complete report, but I could not stop without mentioning the fact that Willie Nelson dropped from the top ten when he began his farm aid concerts. I could never figure this--even ask Willie personally since I am a member in good standing of his fan club, and he thought it was because he quit drinking Glenmore Bourbon. I think he is wrong about that but you don't fuss with Willie!

I should mention briefly that some of the great stars were not big hits and I don't know why, but production dropped when I played them--they included Rod Brassfield, Minnie Pearl, Bill Monroe, Earnest Tubb, and even the great Eddie Arnold so one cannot assume anything these days when it comes to Bluebird music.

By the way is that good Bluebird Pie Company still in business? Ooops sorry did not mean digress.

I have a new Eudora Pro including spelling checker but keep forgetting to use it--if you forgive this time, I promise to start using.

Seriously, Bruce I do think it is a good idea you have to play music, including such favorites as Peace in the Valley, Little Brown Church in the Wildwood, The Spring Symphony, 4th movement of the 9th and your singing with the chorus. I feel sure someone qualified will send you the lyrics. But as for me and my money I stick with the group from the Grand Ole Opry from Nashville, TN. Long live the Uncle Dave Macon, Little Jimmy Dickens. But I can't forget Merle Haggard from the Bakersfield sound.

Check out country.com

Please let me know how things work out for you. And play at least Kenny Rogers new song about the kid who becomes such a great strikeout artist, just for your own pleasure ok?


Wendell Long,Chairman
Melodies in the Mind.

PS: The Bluebirds all time favorite, they just love, continues to be Mr Rogers of PBS TV singing "It is a wonderful day in the neighborhood"

Hello Bluebirders.. I've done some experimenting playing bluebird sounds from my backyard deck & observing what happens. Some people might be interested in trying this. About 3 or so weeks ago, the idea occured to me.... what would happen if I played some EABL songs, calls, & sounds using my cd player on the deck which is about 40-50 ft. from the bluebird nestbox & also the bluebird feeder. Let me say that prior to this for about a month or so, I hadn't seen or heard our EABL anywhere around. So after I played their sounds for a few minutes, out comes our family of EABL from the trees...Mom, Dad, & 3 juveniles. (4 had fledged back on May 6)... Anyway, almost without missing a beat, everytime I played this recording, the male would fly out & sit on the wire, then go to the feeder, then go to his nestbox & repeat. Sometimes the babies would follow him. Sometimes he'd come alone..then later the babies would follow. Sometimes the babies would go & sit on the frontyard nestbox, which is separated from the backyard box by our house. Now I make sure there's Bluebird treat food (not his favorite such as mealies now) in the feeder whenever I do this & most of the time he goes straight to the feeder & eats a little of this food. Let me say, a couple times he didn't come when I played the recording, but most times he comes. I think on those times he didn't come, he probably was out of the immediate area & didn't hear the recording. Anyone ever try this? I think the main reason he comes when I play the recording is to check out what he thinks might be a competitor around. What do you think? ...anyone who has done this...(By the way my cd has all the eastern US bird sounds & calls, & I've also gotten some other local birds to come in... Interesting... Horace in NC.

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