Bluebird Conservation Project: Goals and Objectives

A main goal of the project is to provide habitat for Eastern Bluebirds and Tree Swallows that will allow the species to reproduce. These steps are being taken to monitor the success of the birds' nesting season:

• Six nest boxes were placed around Columbus State's Delaware Campus in 2023. These nest boxes aim to support the native bird population by providing areas for Eastern Bluebirds and Tree Swallows to nest and lay eggs. In 2024, two additional nest boxes were added to the area. Locations for all eight nest boxes can be seen in the image below. 
• The nest boxes are monitored every 3 to 5 days during the nesting season to check for progress of nesting birds. 
• Data is recorded during every monitoring session. The recorded data includes the date of the observation, number of eggs, number of young, nest status, and more. 
• The data, notes, and images that are taken during observations are submitted to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's NestWatch, a nationwide nest monitoring program that tracks the status and trends in the reproductive biology of birds.  

Check out the Data Collection Example page to see how the data is recorded and tracked during a day's observation. 

During nesting season, a table is set up in the Delaware Learning Center to promote the project, track the current number of nests, eggs, and young, and provide educational materials to students.