Hey all you apartment and condo dwellers in the western half of the country, listen up! Cindy McNatt of the awesome Southern California gardening blog and newsletter Dirt du jour has highlighted an interesting issue that I think we might be uniquely situated to help out in.
Photo by kevincole
The Western Bluebird, which is a really pretty bird, is in decline in Oregon, California, and Arizona, and possibly other western states as well. As I understand it, human development has caused a reduction in the number of old growth trees that Bluebirds like to nest in. However, there has been some improvement in the number of nesting Bluebirds thanks to the hard work of “Bluebirders” who have been placing special nest boxes all over the place.
Now, here is the part where I think apartment and condo dwellers might be able to help out. Bluebirds like to nest in areas with tall trees and lots of lawn (they like to eat bugs that are typically found in grass). In the past, golf courses, regional parks, and the like have been the ideal location for Bluebird nesting boxes. But I was just thinking that a lot of the apartments I have lived in over the years were very “manicured” with tall trees and lots of grass too. And I know the townhouse I’m about to move into is in a complex that has tons of lawn and old 50-60 foot tall pine trees.
Maybe those of us living in those sorts of communities can convince the powers that be to allow some Bluebird nesting boxes to be installed? It doesn’t seem like there is much downside. The boxes are unobtrusive. Bluebirds eat insects. Supporting them fits into the whole “green” thing everyone likes to talk about these days. Bluebirds are pretty and fun to watch…
If you do convince your apartment manager or condo association to allow the installation of some Bluebird nesting boxes, there is a little work that needs to be done on your part. You have to observe what is going on in the boxes and write it down once a week, from February to August. But to me, that seems like fun, so it’s not even “work.”
For more info, contact the Southern California Bluebird club, or a similar club in your area.
p.s. Don’t leave any Easter grass outside this weekend, because it’s really bad for Bluebirds. They use it to line their nest, which in turn can strangle the babies. Who would want to be responsible for killing baby birds?!
You Might Also Like:
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
So everybody is into campaigns these days. Eat the View, Lose the Lawn, …
What about co-op gardens for apartment dwellers? I’m serious. I’ve been thinking about this for a looong time. Apartment complexes have way too much lawn and not enough places to dig.
Cindy — I think that’s an awesome idea! How cool would it be if an apartment complex had a community garden?! I was in Santa Monica today and I drove by a huge community garden there. It was beautiful! So the landlord would save on landscaping costs and get something pretty in return, while the tenants would get access to some gardening space. I love win-win!
What a great idea, Fern! I used to live in a condo that would have been perfect for those Bluebird boxes. I haven’t seen any of those birds here in Humboldt, but maybe I just work in areas that aren’t ideal for them.
The local bluebird folks (Winchester, VA) have grant money available to local organizations that plan a big bluebird project (can cover half the cost of materials for birdhouses, for instance).
Oh, and apparently invasive bird species like the bluebird boxes, and you can…wait for it…kill the baby birds inside!
I was kind of appalled.