Bluebird Trail Monitoring 2023
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Bluebirds suffered major population declines with loss of native forests. These losses have been reversed with the help of Bluebird Restoration Association of Wisconsin (BRAW). The organization developed successful Bluebird box designs, locations, and predator control. Although Bluebirds are the target bird for these boxes, other cavity nesting song birds in the Biocore Prairie also benefit from them, including Tree Swallows, House Wrens, Black-capped Chickadees.
The Biocore Prairie Bluebird Trail currently consists of 9 Bluebird Boxes, mounted on predator resistant steel poles around the Biocore Prairie. The boxes are located near walking paths as shown on the map. A Citizen Science team of 5 members of the Friends maintains the trail and monitors the boxes weekly. Select data are shown below. The annual summary is submitted to BRAW. BB - Eastern Bluebird, TS - Tree Swallow, HW - House Wren, HS- House Sparrow July 19th
Early July Update
The birds in the Preserve are having a great year! I think we had 20-24 tree swallows that have fledged. There were 3-5 bluebirds that have fledged. There are still several blue bird eggs in house 1 and 1 to 2 juveniles. The house wrens have taken over 2 houses from the tree swallows. There are 3 houses with second nesting of tree swallows and 10-12 nestlings. June 27th
June 19th
June 3rd
Early Season Update
This year, our dedicated team of 5 monitors are regularly checking the Biocore Bluebird Trail for eastern bluebirds and other cavity-nesting birds. Thanks to Jeff Koziol, Pam Fornell, Laura Berger, Maggi Christianson, and Genevieve Murtaugh for their ongoing efforts! |
The BRAW design Bluebird boxes are luxury boxes, considering that the cedar wood used for building them is more than 100 years old and from the attic floor of a Wisconsin home. The trail was established by the Friends in 2014. At the top of the page, click on earlier years of monitoring results.
Photo 4-8-19, Paul Noeldner
The Madison Bluebird Trails are an ongoing Madison Bird City Partners initiative. Annual summary report data is submitted to BRAW and to the Lakeshore Nature Preserve to document success and continually improve practices. Reports also go to the eBird database at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology for scientific analysis and application.
BRAW Information, Preserve Edition 2023 monitors: Primary Monitor: Jeff Koziol Monitors: Pam Fornell, Genevieve Murtaugh, Laura Berger, Maggi Christianson |
