By Don Bissonette

Here are the Bluebird Trail statistics from the 2025 nesting season. We collected statistics from 14 Bluebird Trails, with a total of 90 Birdhouses. Four of these trails, are the Nature Club’s Bluebird Committee trails, with a total of 20 Birdhouses. The other 10 trails are Affiliate trails.

  In the 2025 Nesting Season, we counted a total of 13 successful pairs of Eastern Bluebirds, which produced 63 Fledglings.  Also, these 14 trails hosted 55 pairs of successful pairs of Tree Swallows, which produced 234 Fledglings.    Every year, we are collecting less Bluebird trail statistics. There are less Bluebird Committee trails, less Affiliate trails and less Affiliate Monitors willing to share their Statistics with us. 

  Recently, I found a Bluebird Committee Trail Report from 1994. That year, we collected statistics from  22 trails, with a total of 231 Bluebird houses. 12 of these trails were Bluebird Committee trails, and the other 10 trails were Affiliate trails. 

  There are a few reasons for the decline. 

  1.  Some of the properties were sold, and the new property owners were unwilling to allow the monitor(s) to continue visiting their properties.
  2. Originally, the property was good Bluebird and Tree Swallow habitat, with large open sunny areas. Over time, trees and shrubs filled in these open areas. The trees and shrubs may have been planted by the property owners, or arrived because of natural succession. The loss of open areas, makes the property less desirable to the Bluebirds and Tree Swallows, and more desirable to the House Wrens.
  3.  House Sparrows became a problem. In a few cases, I had to take down some Bluebird Committee trails, because the number of House Sparrows were overwhelming. The rise in House Sparrows numbers happens when the property owner, or his neighbours, is feeding birdseed in the Winter & early Spring. Those bird feeders attract lots of House Sparrows to the property.
  4. Also, if the property owner or his neighbours have poultry, the House Sparrow population may rise. Grain is set out, to provide feed for the poultry. The House Sparrows are quick to find this grain. In time, there are lots of House Sparrows staying on the property.  I have seen House Sparrows feeding at grain feeders, inside poultry barns; they flew in the barn, through an open door, or through an open window, or through a small hole in the wall.

In the past few years, our committee was given leads on properties with good Bluebird & Tree Swallow habitat. But, there is no point in setting up new Bluebird trails, if there is no one willing to monitor these properties. At present, each of our Bluebird trail monitors has enough trails to monitor and is unable to care for any more trails. 

Thank  You to every-one, who has contributed financially to our Bluebird Committee. 

  The Ontario  Eastern  Bluebird  Society’s  Annual  General  Meeting is on Saturday, March 22, in Hamilton. For more information, visit their Facebook Page, or their Website.

  Van  Ert  Live Traps for Sale. Recently, I received a delivery of Van Ert Live Traps. They are $23.00 each.  Cash only.  (20.35 + 2.65 H.S.T. = $23.00 each). Contact me, (Don Bissonnette) if you want one, and we can arrange pick-up. If You are planning on going to the next Ontario Purple Martin Association meeting, we can meet there. Receipts provided.  Thank You to all of the Bluebird Trail monitors, who shared their 2025 trail statistics with us. Best Wishes for the 2026 Nesting Season! …  Don B.