The end of Winter is near. But also, bird nesting season is near! Nesting season is the exciting season for Prescott Bluebird Recovery Project (PBRP). PBRP is a non-profit organization of over 50 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 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 the loss of naturally occurring cavities due to the reduction of native habitat from urbanization, plus 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. PBRP provides an experienced leader who will work with the monitor by conducting field training and answering questions throughout the season. Monitors are citizen scientists who collect 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 seeing and hearing birds improved people’s mental well-being for up to 8 hours. Couple this with the opportunity to get away from the hustle and bustle of urban life, and you have a great chance to help out our Western Bluebird population.
So come and check us out! This year, we will host a meeting for anyone interested in volunteering. This meeting will inform you about bluebirds, bluebird boxes and how they are monitored. This Spring meeting will be on Saturday, March 2, from 9:30 am till 11 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.
