2. The Tale of the Bluebird Trail by the Virginia Bluebird Society

3. Table of Contents Slides 51 - 55: How-To Guidelines Slides 3 - 15: Bluebird Basics Slides 16 - 19: Causes of Population Decline Slides 20 - 28: Saving Bluebirds with Nest Boxes Slides 29 - 46: Lifecycle of a Bluebird Slides 47 - 50: Other Native Birds

4. Bluebird Basics What is a Bluebird? What do they look like? Where do they nest? What do they sound like? Where do they live? What do they eat? When are they here?

5. Which bird is an Eastern Bluebird? No, this is an Indigo Bunting, a songbird related to the Cardinal. No, this is a Blue Jay, the bold and loud relative of the Crow. Yes, this is an Eastern Bluebird. Bluebirds are members of the Thrush family, cousins to the American Robin.

6. How does a Bluebird sound?

7. Three Species of Bluebirds The Eastern Bluebird is the bluebird found in Virginia. It lives across the east and mid-west. Bluebirds stay in Virginia all year long. The Western and Mountain Bluebirds occupy the western portions of North America. Western Bluebird Mountain Bluebird

8. Photo by Helen Ellis Eastern Bluebird Male Bluebird Sky blue on his back Red on his chest White on his belly Female Bluebird She has the same coloring as the male, but not as bright Juvenile Bluebird The baby has a spotted chest

9. Bluebirds live in open areas with scattered trees … such as parks, golf courses, schools, farms and suburbs. Mowed areas not too close to buildings are ideal.

10. Bluebirds nest in holes, called cavities Just like holes in teeth are called cavities, so are holes in trees

11. Snags, old trees with holes, are nature’s condominiums and cafeterias. Bluebirds’ beaks aren’t strong enough to make their own cavities, so they must find natural holes in trees, or …

12. Bluebirds nest in old holes made by woodpeckers, who are the primary cavity nesters.

13. Since bluebirds adopt old holes, they are called secondary cavity nesters.

14. Home Sweet Home Many bluebirds today nest in man-made cavities, also called nest boxes.

15. Food! Yum, yum – Bluebirds eat bugs and berries Summer - Insects USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Herman, D.E. et al. 1996 Winter - Berries Menu: crickets, beetles, spiders, worms Menu: dogwood, cedar, holly, sumac and other berries, and sometimes seeds

16. Water! In all seasons, birds need a reliable source of clean water for bathing and drinking. Tip: Put out a bird bath to attract bluebirds and other birds to your yard.

17. It’s Tough Being a Bluebird Causes of Population Decline During Colonial times, the bluebird was as common as the American Robin. Then, from the 1920s to the 1970s, the numbers of bluebirds went severely down, almost to extinction. Why? Why?

18. Loss of Habitat Development chews up natural areas and bluebirds lose the open areas they need for nesting and feeding.

19. Herbicides & Pesticides Chemicals pollute birds’ drinking water, and interrupt the food chain by poisoning the insects and/or the plants the insects need. This destroys the bluebird’s food and water supply.

20. Invasive Species House Sparrow European Starling The house sparrow & starling were brought here from Europe. They aggressively compete with the bluebird for nest sites, and will chase away or even kill bluebirds and other birds.

21. How do we save bluebirds? Simple Math: Nest boxes + Volunteers = Bluebirds Bluebird numbers are up because volunteers install and monitor nest boxes. Volunteers install boxes in bluebird habitats: open, mowed, grassy areas with scattered trees, but away from brush, buildings, traffic and where people eat.