It’s mid-winter, but bird nesting season is nearer than you think! Nesting season is the special season for Prescott Bluebird Recovery Project (PBRP). PBRP is a non-profit conservation organization of over 50 citizen scientist volunteers dedicated to the recovery, restoration, and enhancement of the Western Bluebird. PBRP relies on volunteers to monitor the nesting activities in our bird boxes throughout the suburban areas of the northern Willamette Valley near Newberg, Dundee, Scholls, Farmington, Sherwood, Wilsonville, Oregon City and Canby.
PBRP provides these boxes because of the loss of nesting sites for these cavity nesters. Loss of nest sites comes from loss of naturally occurring cavities, reduction of native habitat (food supply) and the introduction of competition for sites from non-native (invasive) house sparrows. The Western Bluebird is listed as a “sensitive species” in Oregon by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Monitors are assigned to a route of multiple boxes, which they visit on a weekly basis from early April till the end of August. Bluebird pairs will often have two clutches a year! PBRP provides an experienced leader who conducts field training and answers questions throughout the season. Monitors are citizen scientists who record information on the number of nests, eggs and hatchlings. Data is consolidated and shared with several scientific organizations.
Every year, some of the volunteers retire or relocate, leaving a few routes without monitors. PBRP holds an annual event to refresh current monitors and recruit needed new volunteers.
Several studies published in recent years found that seeing and hearing birds improved people’s mental well-being by up to eight hours. Couple this with the opportunity to get away from the hustle and bustle of urban life, and you have a win-win situation.
So come and check us out! This year we will host a meeting for anyone interested in volunteering or just learning more about Bluebirds. This meeting will inform you about bluebirds, bluebird boxes and how we monitor them. This Spring meeting will be on Saturday, February 22, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the Heritage Center in Tualatin. There will be time after the presentation to visit and ask questions. Parking is free, and so is the meeting.
For more information and to register for this event, please visit prescottbluebird.com.
