They help brighten the sky and add music to the morning. Bluebirds are a fascinating native bird species found in Colorado. Help improve the vitality of these songbirds. The 2022 season of the Colorado Bluebird Project kicks off Wednesday, Feb. 16.
Join nature experts for an informational virtual open house from 7 to 8 p.m. Learn about why it’s important to look after these beautiful birds. Plus, find out about the basics of having a bluebird box in your backyard, or how to become a volunteer with the Town. For more details and registration, visit CRgov.com/Bluebird.
The program begins in late March, when bluebirds return from their winter migration, and runs through the end of summer. Weekly monitoring begins in April.
Volunteers of all ages are needed to help maintain and monitor nesting boxes throughout the community. Registered volunteers will visit the boxes regularly on a rotating two- or three-week basis to collect important nesting data. Volunteers are also needed to help with nest box construction and repairs.
A separate virtual training will be held from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday, March 3, for those who decide to participate as volunteer monitors in the program.
For more than 14 years, the Colorado Bluebird Project has operated under POST Partners and Denver Audubon. The program aims to improve the vitality of native bluebird populations throughout Colorado, with the goal of informing and educating the public about bluebirds. Since 2007, there have been more than 7,200 bluebirds, swallows and other native birds fledge from the boxes around Castle Rock.
There are 190 nesting boxes installed in Castle Rock’s parks, open spaces, trails and other public spaces. In 2021, 126 volunteers contributed nearly 2,200 hours to help increase the bluebird and swallow populations in Castle Rock.
For volunteer sign-up and more information, including a training manual and guidelines for installing nest boxes, visit CRgov.com/Bluebird.
Questions? Contact Barbara Spagnuolo, natural resource specialist, at 720-733-2294, or bspagnuolo@CRgov.com.
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