The Proprietor Review

Two species of beautiful bluebirds nest in the Nicola Valley – Mountain Bluebirds (Sialia currucoides) and Western Bluebirds (Sialia mexicana). Both species suffered precipitous declines in the mid- to late-1900s due to logging of old forest and streamside Cottonwoods that provided nest cavities, and the invasion of the introduced competitor European Starling. Today most of our bluebirds nest in nest-boxes provided on fence-posts in suitable open habitat. The Vancouver Avian Research Centre runs the bluebird nest-box program in the Nicola Valley using local volunteers – monitoring and cleaning the nest-boxes, recording breeding success and banding the chicks for long-term research. Carol Holmes and Susan Newton are local volunteers with this program and will describe the work being done to conserve bluebirds in our area and beyond.

NNS

Blue bird, one of many.

File Photo KDG

In the Nicola Naturalist society, they often say every one welcome…