Bluebird Life Cycle

photo by: Gabriel Mapel

Bluebird Trial Monitoring has had a major impact in the recovery of the Eastern Blue, with citizen scientists of all ages aiding in the conservation project.  From 1920-1970 there was a major decline in the Bluebird population. The bluebird went from being as common as the robin, to being so rare that birders were sure of its inevitable extinction. There were many reasons for the decline, including loss of habitat, pesticide use, weather changes, snag (dead tree) removal, and an influx of house cats. However, the main reason for the population decline was the introduction of the House Sparrow and the European Starling into America, both cavity nesters, both extremely competitive and aggressive.  

Bluebird societies were established on the state level to help recreate habitat for these secondary cavity nesters, and through care and monitoring the population of Bluebirds has steadily increased. The Virginia Bluebird Society collects the data submitted by the county coordinators.  Their website has invaluable information about Bluebirds and how to establish a trail of your own and submit data to your own county coordinator.  The Blue Ridge Young Birders are proud to have their own BRYBC Bluebird Project and to be monitoring  trails in both the Piedmont and Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.  

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The video below is a compilation of Bluebird videos found on youtube, the first section is produced by Audubon North Carolina and the second part of the video is of a webcam inside a Bluebird nestbox showing the chicks from hatchlings to fledging.