Announcing the
San Juan Islands Western Bluebird Reintroduction Project

Project History and Partners

The American Bird Conservancy (ABC) in cooperation with the San Juan Preservation Trust (SJPT), the San Juan County Audubon Society, and the Ecostudies Institute is working to reestablish a breeding population of Western Bluebirds (Sialia mexicana) to areas of their historic range where they have been extirpated in the San Juan Islands. Western Bluebirds were considered common in the San Juan Islands in the 1930s, but extirpated by 1964. Unlike many species, the cause for the decline and regional extirpations of Western Bluebird was less due to loss or degradation of their habitat type (prairie-oak), than it was to loss of a particular habitat element, cavities for nesting. The establishment of nestbox programs to replace the loss of cavities in snags has been used successfully to restore bluebird populations in many areas of North America.

Today, suitable habitat of sufficient size exists on several islands in the San Juan archipelago to support a viable population of Western Bluebirds. Additionally, there has been a considerable amount of oak-prairie habitat conservation implemented through the traditional modes of land protection, habitat management, education and outreach, etc. However, the retraction of the species distribution approximately 100 miles to the south at this northern extent of its range, and the unsuitable nature of the intervening habitat (water and urban/residential) makes it highly unlikely for reestablishment of the species in the extirpated areas through natural recolonization.

There are two goals for the reintroduction project. One is to reestablish a breeding population of Western Bluebirds in the San Juan Islands, Washington and Vancouver Island, British Columbia through the conservation technique of translocating birds from an expanding population on Fort Lewis Military Installation, Washington. Conservation practioners are increasingly relying on species reintroductions as a tool to help reestablish extirpated populations, especially where natural recolonization is unlikely and habitat conservation efforts are ongoing. The project was initiated in Spring, 2007 and will occur over a 5-year time period, the approximate time needed to establish a stable population of reintroduced Eastern Bluebirds to Everglades National Park, a project from which this project is modeled. We will translocate 5-10 pairs of bluebirds each year with a target of approximately 90 adult bluebirds to be reintroduced into the project area.

The second project goal is to use the Western Bluebird reintroduction as a flagship project for community-based education and local participation to support conservation of the entire biodiversity of the highly threatened oak-prairie ecosystem. One of the strengths of this project is the participation and support of local community organizations and individuals. The San Juan Preservation Trust, the San Juan County Audubon chapter, and The Nature Conservancy have pledged in-kind time of their local staff and membership to assist in various aspects of the project including potential release sites, field assistance, bird monitoring, construction of nest boxes and aviaries, and promotion and outreach. Additionally, a number of private landowners on San Juan Island with ideal bluebird habitat on their properties have agreed to provide space for aviaries and nest boxes. The project partners are confident that having individual landowners working in partnership with these conservation groups will ensure the success of this exciting program.

About the Western Bluebird

Physical Description: The Western Bluebird is part of the Turdidae family, which includes robins and thrushes. It is 6-7" (15-18 cm) long, and a long-winged, rather short-tailed bird. Males and females are easily distinguished from one another: the male has deep blue hood and upperparts; rusty red breast and crescent mark across upper back with a white belly. The female is sooty gray above, with dull blue wings and tail. Juveniles look like the female but are grayer, with speckled underparts. Females are attracted by the vivid blue of the male and by the availability of nesting holes. Once the male secures a nesting hole he entices the female with a colorful display that also serves to repel rivals. His rusty breast, like that of the American Robin, is used to signal aggression toward other males.

Nesting: 4-6 pale blue eggs in a grass nest placed in a tree cavity or nest box.

Voice: Soft calls sound like “phew” and “chuck”. Song is a short, subdued “cheer, cheer-lee, churr.”

Range: Breeds from southern British Columbia and western Alberta south to Baja and east throughout the mountains of the West to eastern New Mexico and extreme western Texas. Winters throughout most of breeding range, although northernmost populations usually withdraw slightly southward.

The Western Bluebird was once a common breeder and migrant in the San Juan Islands, and could also be found uncommonly as a winter resident. According to Lewis and Sharpe (1987), flocks of these birds were seen migrating on the south and west sides of San Juan Island in the fall and spring, up until 1963. They were “common” on the South side of Mt. Dallas in the 1930’s, and “somewhat common” nesters at Mt. Finlayson and near Deadman Bay. The last reported breeding pair was present on Lopez in 1964. Mountain Bluebirds can still be found rarely in the San Juan Islands, as a migrant or winter visitor.

Habitat needs: Open woodlands, agricultural fields, prairies with abundance of low perching areas, pastureland, parks away from human traffic, cemeteries, golf courses (provided no pesticides are used). Heavily wooded and brushy areas as well as areas where the English House Sparrow are abundant (towns, cities, farmsteads and feedlots) are not suitable bluebird habitat.

Bringing Back the Bluebird: the Reintroduction Plan

Beginning in the Spring of 2007, 4-5 pairs of nesting Western Bluebirds were captured from the large and healthy population of bluebirds at the Ft. Lewis Prairie. These birds were transported to the San Juan Islands. For the first several years of this project, release locations focused on San Juan Valley due to its ideal habitat for bluebirds. Captured pairs were placed in portable aviaries, and left to acclimatize to their new surroundings for several days. During this time they were closely monitored by researchers. After several days, the pairs will be released from the aviaries.  At the release locations, and in many other suitable areas around San Juan Island, 250 nest boxes (and counting!) have been placed. Our hope is that the breeding pairs will then establish residence in these nest boxes. Landowners and our summer field technicians keep watch on where the birds go, and report nesting activity.  At the end of the nesting season, all boxes/aviaries will be cleaned, and ready to use again for the next season. If all goes well, this process will be repeated for up to 5 years, until a target of 90 bluebirds have been released in the San Juans. Initially, the release sites will be concentrated in San Juan Valley, but if the program is successful, there is potential to expand to other areas in the islands (such as Lopez, where historical records document the presence of breeding bluebirds).

This reintroduction plan is subject to "adaptive management":  as we learn from each year's successes and setbacks, plans for the reintroduction efforts may change.

How Can You Help?

This project will “fly”, so to speak, only with the help of many, many volunteers. We  need people to help construct nest boxes and aviaries, to place the nest boxes, landowners on Lopez, San Juan, Shaw and Orcas Islands to be nest box hosts.   Please see our volunteer information sheet for a full description of volunteer needs and to sign up to help.

Contacts and More Information

The San Juan Islands Western Bluebird Reintroduction Project is a partnership between the American Bird Conservancy, the San Juan Preservation Trust, the San Juan Islands Audubon Society, and the Ecostudies Institute.

To volunteer for the project or to find out more information:

Kathleen Foley, Director of Education and Outreach, the San Juan Preservation Trust (378-2461) or kathleenf@sjpt.org

Barb Jensen, SJI Audubon Society (378-3068)

Other contacts:

Bob Altman, American Bird Conservancy (541-745-5339)

Gary Slater, Ecostudies Institute (360-416-6707)

This year, the Partners of the San Juan Islands Western Bluebird Reintroduction Project plan to translocate 10 pairs of birds from the Ft. Lewis prairie in South Puget Sound to the San Juan Valley area on San Juan Island. Some of these birds will likely be translocated with their young still in the nest in order to provide more impetus for released birds to stay in the San Juan Islands (and not return to Ft. Lewis, as three pair did in 2007). By having young in the nest, the adults will need to stay in the area for a longer period of time in order to care for their nestlings and fledglings. Birds will also be held for a longer period of time in aviaries in hopes that they will have more time to acclimate to their new territory. Because of the longer time in captivity, the Partners are building larger aviaries that will allow the birds more freedom of movement within the cage. Additionally, the Partners are hoping there will be sufficient funds to employ a full-time technician during the summer season to track the birds’ whereabouts in a manner we were not able to do in 2007.

As of January, 2008, the Partners are anxiously waiting to see if the one pair that nested on San Juan Island last year will return this spring, followed by their young. As the Western bluebirds are migratory, their return at the end of the winter migration is a key component in measuring the success of the program.

Bluebird nesting boxes are another critical element in ensuring the success of this program. As natural nest cavity sites are limited, and bluebirds adapt readily to nest boxes, making sure that enough nest boxes installed in appropriate bluebird habitat around the islands is critical. Currently there are around 150 nest boxes installed on public and private land in the islands; our goal for this year is to increase that number to 300.

If you would like to be a nest box host, or discover other ways of getting more involved in the 2008 effort to reintroduce the Western Bluebird, click here to see a list of volunteering opportunities. For questions regarding the project, or to report a sighting of a Western bluebird, contact Kathleen Foley at kathleenf@sjpt.org, or at 360-378-2461.

2007 Successes and Summary

The San Juan Islands Western Bluebird Reintroduction Project, a partnership of the San Juan Preservation Trust, the American Bird Conservancy, the San Juan Islands Audubon Society, and the Ecostudies Institute, officially got underway in January 2007. During this first year of the project, 8 pair of adult Western bluebirds were captured and translocated to San Juan Island. After several days in captivity to acclimate to their new surroundings, the birds were released.

Although there were insufficient funds to monitor the released birds via satellite or radio tracking, we were able, by citizen reports, to determine the whereabouts of four of the pair. Remarkably, three pair returned to the exact same nest boxes that they were captured from at Ft. Lewis. Four pair went completely unaccounted for. And one pair made island history by staying in San Juan Valley and becoming the first Western bluebirds to raise young in San Juan County in over 40 years.

Introducing the first pair of Western Bluebirds to nest successfully in San Juan County in over 40 years	A young male Western bluebird begins to show his colors
One of the three fledgling Western bluebirds	The male father stays close by as the family forages for insects on the ground

Male (left) & female (right) Western bluebird

Juvenile Western bluebird

Identification Tips: Length: 5.5 inches (smaller than a robin) Thin bill Where found: In open habitat, pastureland, meadows; perched on fencelines Adult male: Bright blue upperparts and throat Brownish patch on back Orange-red breast and sides Gray belly and undertail coverts Adult female: Blue wings and tail-duller than male Gray crown and back Eye ring Gray throat Brownish wash to breast and sides Gray belly and undertail coverts

WE NEED YOUR HELP! Please report any bluebird sightings to:
Kathleen Foley, THE SAN JUAN PRESERVATION TRUST (378-2461 or kathleenf@sjpt.org)
OR Barbara Jensen, SAN JUAN ISLANDS AUDUBON SOCIETY (378-3068)

Citizen sightings are critical for us to track the whereabouts of the Western bluebirds that have been released. Even if you are not certain if your sighting is that of a Western bluebird, we would still love to hear from you.  Please note that these birds are wearing colored leg bands...this will differentiate them from any other songbird in the region. To report ANY Western bluebird sighting (with leg bands, or without) contact Kathleen Foley at the San Juan Preservation Trust (378-2461) or Barbara Jensen at San Juan Islands Audubon at 378-3068.

GET YOUR BLUEBIRD CAP AND SUPPORT THE REINTRODUCTION EFFORT!