INTRODUCTION

 

The Oklahoma Nestbox Trails Project was initiated in 1985 to enhance habitat for cavity-nesting birds in Oklahoma and reverse the population decline noted for the Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis).  The project depends entirely upon volunteers to place the boxes in suitable habitat, monitor usage, control competition from House Sparrows, alleviate predation problems and report the nesting season’s results. The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation’s Wildlife Diversity Program would like to especially give credit to those trail reporters who take the time and have the dedication to establish extensive trails and report on them. 

 

The Wildlife Diversity Program would also like to express our sincere gratitude to the Oklahoma Bluebird Society (OBS) for promoting bluebird conservation in Oklahoma. Twenty-two percent (16) of the bluebird nestbox reports we received for the 2006 breeding season listed they were affiliated with OBS.  If you wish to learn more about your bluebirds please consider joining this important conservation organization.  They have already made a significant contribution to conservation by encouraging trail monitors to provide us with their data.  The database of the Oklahoma Nestbox Trail Project provides a “window” into the conservation of cavity-nesters particularly bluebirds in Oklahoma.  Membership includes receiving their excellent newsletter, The Hole Story, which provides good information about monitoring bluebird nesting activities and habitat enhancement.  Heart-warming stories and poems provided by members will offer inspiration!  A membership form is included in your packet.

 

The staff of the Oklahoma Wildlife Diversity Program wishes to extend our sincerest “thank you” to all trail monitors who know the work, the joy and the frustrations of maintaining a bluebird trail.  Thank you for helping bring back the Eastern Bluebird.

 

 

RESULTS

 

The number of nestbox trail reports received for the 2006 breeding season (48) reflected a significant decrease from the 2005 (71).  Accordingly, the number of nestboxes monitored decreased (744) as compared to 2005 (973).  Twenty-one (21) counties are represented for the 2006 breeding season, a decrease over the 28 counties in 2005.  Table 1 provides a ten year comparison (1996-2006) of survey results.  The comparison focuses primarily on Eastern Bluebird breeding activities.

 

The top four species in frequency of nesting attempts and occurrence on trails were the Eastern Bluebird, Carolina Chickadee, House Sparrow, and the Tufted Titmouse.  Over 99% of nestbox usage was by Eastern Bluebirds and this species was reported on 99% of the trails. 

 

Ten (10) identified bird species were reported nesting in nestboxes including the first reported nesting of a Tree Swallow for Custer County. Nesting attempts of these cavity-nesting bird species by year is provided in Table 2.  In 2006, the House Sparrow was again an unwelcome species on the list.  However, absolutely no chicks fledged out of the combined 102 eggs reported!  This demonstrates how continual monitoring helps to alleviate competition from these non-native species.  Congratulations!

 

As in previous years, not all nesting attempts were monitored throughout the breeding season, and therefore, the number of eggs laid, hatched, and young fledged represent the minimums for the species (Table 3). Monitors reported at least 2,317 Eastern Bluebirds fledged from 715 clutches.  Figure 1 is a map of Oklahoma showing bluebird data by county for the 2006 breeding season.  Included are the number of monitored nestboxes and the number of fledgling bluebirds reported by county.

 

 

 

 

 

	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006
Counties Reporting	25	24	31	21	24	25	21	21	21	28	21
Reports Submitted	51	40	56	46	47	47	38	43	50	71	48
Species*	13	9	12	11	11	11	7	9	10	12	10
NestBoxes	983	1081	1280	963	871	803	714	780	767	973	744
Nesting Attempts	1016	1072	1458	1075	879	703	650	664	110	734	754
Clutches	945	980	1290	1053	811	649	588	641	612	736	715
# Eggs	4276	4221	5958	4622	3592	2847	2611	2863	2676	3309	3253
Eggs/Clutch	4.5	4.3	4.6	4.4	4.4	4.4	4.4	4.5	4.4	4.5	4.5
# Chicks	3538	3731	4444	3704	3002	2019	1998	2250	2165	2708	2519
Chicks/Clutch	3.7	3.8	3.4	3.5	3.7	3.1	3.4	3.5	3.5	3.7	3.5
Chicks/Eggs	83%	88%	75%	80%	83%	71%	76%	78%	81%	82%	77%
# Fledged	3393	3655	4395	3383	2789	1907	1879	2128	2092	2551	2317
Fledged/Clutch	3.6	3.7	3.4	3.2	3.4	3	3.2	3.3	3.4	3.5	3.2
Fledged/Eggs	79%	87%	74%	73%	77%	67%	72%	74%	78%	77%	71%
Fledged/Hatched	79%	97%	98%	91%	93%	94%	94%	94%	97%	94%	92%

TABLE 1.  Ten year comparison of breeding success reported for Eastern Bluebirds using monitored   nestboxes.

 

                                             

 

 

 

 

                                           

 

 

* Includes all species reported using the monitored nestboxes.

 

 

 

 

TABLE 2.  Nesting Attempts by Year.

    

Species	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006
Eastern Bluebird	1390	1075	879	686	690	664	654	734	754
Carolina Chickadee	53	36	47	49	39	40	59	92	61
House Sparrow	143	118	78	90	70	105	89	59	38
Bewick's Wren	19	8	13	6	11	16	17	20	4
Carolina Wren	22	6	12	6	5	11	9	7	6
House Wren	6	3	3	2	1	0	0	7	2
Tufted Titmouse	45	31	71	20	18