One of the Met Students’ projects was to build bluebird nesting boxes. PZC provides an ideal habitat for bluebirds. They like open fields and water away from human traffic. Bluebirds eat bugs, which makes our Garden Master David Barstis very happy. The population of bluebirds has dropped significantly due to loss of habitat, pesticides and competition from other species of birds. The Eastern Bluebird is indigenous to this area, and quite shy. Birds that were introduced from abroad are more aggressive and have out competed them. The Bluebird population has dropped significantly and, at one point, was 17% of its original numbers.
The Met students, who intern at the Center, carefully followed the directions for building and locating the nesting boxes. The teenagers were delighted to learn we now have a mated pair of bluebirds that have moved in. Papa bluebird was observed lighting on his nesting box this morning. Plans are in the works to build more nesting boxes and create a bluebird trail.
A Bluebird Trail is a series of nesting boxes located at regular intervals along a path. We were not optimistic that we would attract the bluebirds as we had been told by other members of the KUSZ that it is difficult to attract them, even with the right habitat. With having a nesting pair the first year, we now feel a Bluebird Tail is feasible. Met students Eugenio DaCosta and Austin Perez have brought good karma with them and we can now remove the “for rent” sign.
-Diana Starr Daniels, PZC Resident