Bluebird Update
After witnessing the war over housing that went on this spring, I realize how much the shy beautiful Western Bluebird needs the protection of the Prescott Western Bluebird Recovery Project. We have 16 wooden nesting boxes, sized for bluebirds, situated on poles along the drive and the winery. The boxes are also attractive to swallows, which are about the same size as bluebirds, but much more aggressive. Both swallows and bluebirds are voracious insect eaters, which is why we like them around—they’re part of our vineyard ecosystem.
During March the birds scouted out the various nesting boxes, jockeying for postion. During April and May they built their nests and laid their eggs. The boxes ended up being used about equally by the swallows and bluebirds, but the bluebirds had to protect their territory vigilantly, even after they had claimed the spot and were sitting on eggs. It isn’t uncommon to see the male sitting on top of the box to ward off harrassing swallows, while the female bluebird sits on eggs or tends to the young.
We have bluebird hatchlings in 5 of the nests now. Over the last years we have built up a small flock of these gloriously blue little birds. Not as flashy as the swallows, which swirl, dip, and dive through the air, the bluebirds quietly and discreetly go about their job of keeping the insect population under control. It’s always a thrill to catch sight of one.