SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
BLUEBIRD CLUB
THE CALIFORNIA BLUEBIRD
RECOVERY PROJECT
Jim Semelroth
Socal Bluebird Club
2008
Western Bluebird
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What is a Western Bluebird?
A Bluebird is in the thrush family, like
a Robin redbreast.
Robin
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It is called Sialia Mexicana.
WHY I LOVE BLUEBIRDS?
Bluebirds offer hope and happiness. They have probably
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appeared in more songs, poems and literature than any other
bird.
In 1909, Maurice Maeterlinck published The Blue Bird, a fairy tale
about the bluebird of happiness.
In 1934, tenor Jan Peerce made the Bluebird of Happiness a
nationwide hit.
It’s hard not to smile when hearing about Mr. Bluebird on My
Shoulder from the Disney film Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah.
In 1939, in the movie The Wizard of Oz, Judy Garland sang
plaintively that "Somewhere over the rainbow, bluebirds fly."
One of the most famous WWII-era pop classics was a song by Nat
Burton: “There'll be bluebirds over the white cliffs of Dover,
Tomorrow, just you wait and see, There'll be love and laughter
and peace ever after, Tomorrow when the world is free.”
1955: Marvin Rainwater sang Gonna Find Me A Bluebird
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1964: Frank Sinatra recorded I Wish You Love
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WHY I LOVE BLUEBIRDS?
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Bluebirds are unique to North America.
Bluebirds are family oriented. The courting male
dotes on the female, waving his wings, enticing
her to select a nest site, and offering her treats.
He courageously guards the box during nest
construction. He delivers food to the incubating
female, and participates equally in feeding
nestlings and fledglings. Both parents will die
defending their young from House Sparrows.
After fledging, young birds tend to stay with their
parents, begging for food, and sometimes
altruistically helping tend to siblings in a second
brood.
WHY I LOVE BLUEBIRDS?
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Bluebirds are friendly. They seem to
almost enjoy human company. They
display no fear of nesting near human
habitation. They usually tolerate
monitoring of their nests as we peek in to
see their fuzzy-headed hatchlings. They
quickly learn an association, whether it be
a whistle or a banging door, with a
mealworm feeder being filled, and
instantly show up to investigate. If we do
not fill the feeder in a timely manner, they
may follow us around the yard, warbling
away.
WHY LOVE BLUEBIRDS?
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Bluebirds do no harm. In the days before
pesticides, farmers put up nest boxes
around their fields, as they were aware
that bluebirds eat many insects, and the
fruit they eat during the winter is not of
the cultivated variety. While bluebirds will
compete for nesting sites and defend their
own abode, they do not maliciously attack
other birds, eggs or nests.
WHY I LOVE BLUEBIRDS?
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Bluebirds remind us of both the bad and
good humans are capable of. Almost all
impacts to bluebird populations, both
negative and positive, have been directly
associated with human activity. On the
negative side, there is the introduction of
House Sparrows and starlings, pesticide
use, and loss of open space. But on the
positive side, grass roots conservation
efforts by individuals and groups across
the continent are a shining example of the
power we all have to make a difference.
WHY I LOVE BLUEBIRDS?
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Attracting bluebirds is a challenging
hobby. Since the number of natural
cavities has dwindled and competition
from exotic species like House Sparrows
and starlings is severe, bluebirds depend
on humans to survive and thrive. Because
of this, we feel an almost parental sense
of ownership and satisfaction when we
enable successful nesting. Bluebirding
taps into problem solving skills and
creativity, scientific curiosity, and a love of
nature and the outdoors.
WHY I LOVE BLUEBIRDS?
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They are beautiful!!!
WESTERN MALE
SIALIA MEXICANA
EASTERN MALE
SIALIA SIALIS
MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD
Bluebirds are Cavity Nesters
Hello, John Wayne Tower, Bluebird
On Final Approach
Hey, Mama, I found a house for us.
It’s over there.
Hmm, nice and roomy.
OH, THIS ONE’S NICE, TOO,
OK, let’s buy this house. Here’s
some grass for the nest,
Big Boy.
EASTER GRASS KILLS
Yep, five it is.
WOW, TWO WEEKS OF THIS?
Worms, worms, I need some
worms.
Me, Me, Me.
How about a meal worm?
Bluebird’s favorite food, Mealworms
Anybody awake in there?
OK, who’s first?
I think I see another mealworm for
the kids
What no worms? OK, we’ll take a
berry.
Scoot over, you’re on my foot!!!
I’m outta here today. Too crowded
for me.
WHY ARE THEY ALWAYS
WATCHING US?
Last one out is a rotten egg.
OK, I flew. Now where’s my treat?
Does Dad have a worm for me,
too?
Take your pick. Mom’s or Dad’s?
Hey, what about me?
Mom says eating worms’ll give us
pretty eyes.
Starbirds Cafe
DICK PURVIS,
Bluebirdman of Orange County
USING THE PURVIS LIFTER TO
PLACE A BOX ON LIMB
Manny Ackerman
Sully Reallon and school class
It’s OK, I’m checking your babies.
What have we got in there?
Let’s see, one, two, three, four, five.
Up she goes.
There you are, Mama. Get back in the nest.
2007 RESULTS
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County
#Trails #Boxes Total Fledged WEBL Fledged
Orange
47
Merced
2
Santa Clara 52
Los Angeles 5
San Mateo 20
Contra Costa11
Santa Barbara 6
Yolo
1
Amador
3
Solano
1
El Dorado
2
Riverside
3
Alameda
2
Nevada
3
San Diego
6
San Bernardino1
Placer
2
Kern
1
Butte
1
Mendocino
1
Yuba
1
Ventura
1
1293
688
703
144
274
165
96
92
59
79
58
36
243
37
10
7
27
2
2
2
10
5
5612
3436
1582
808
631
368
335
321
259
223
171
151
87
65
40
37
36
10
7
4
3
2
5212
38
491
795
247
203
245
84
196
12
115
132
44
49
26
37
26
10
7
3
1
Bluebird Recovery 1996 vs 2007
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Counties
Reporters
Nestboxes*
Tries
Eggs*
Hatchlings*
Fledglings
1996
2007
20
113
NA
966
NA
NA
3020
22
128
NA
2053
11156
9086
7973
Success. At the community pool
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www.socalbluebirds.org
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www.cbrp.org
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www.sialis.org
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www.nabluebirds.org