Bluebird Trail
The Bluebird Trail at the farm was created in collaboration with the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. It consists of 42 Peterson birdhouses along the existing cross-country trail around the research pond area. The farm is an ideal place to create this trail due to the surrounding landscape, according to Dr. Tim Matson, researcher from the Cleveland Museum of Natural History and instructor for the Summer in the Country Birds and Breakfast course.
The selected area around the research ponds and along the cross-country trail offer two basic requirements for the successful breeding and living area. The first requirement is the need for low grass. The second requirement is the water resource, which the research ponds provide.
The trail enriches educational programming at the farm. It provides conservation and restoration opportunities as part of the university curriculum in terrestrial ecology and serves as a resource for continuing education courses.
Over the years, the trail has produced abundant wildlife. During the summer of 2002, the trail produced 112 eggs (54 bluebirds, 40 tree swallows, and 18 house wrens). It also produced 82 hatchlings (34 bluebirds, 33 tree swallows, and 15 house wrens).
In the summer of 2003, a total of 71 young birds fledged: 25 bluebirds, 30 tree swallows, 11 house wrens, and 5 chickadees. The following summer, 38 birds fledged: 17 bluebirds, 15 tree swallows, and six house wrens. Many young bluebirds and tree swallows were lost to more aggressive house wrens and non-native house sparrows.
In 2005, a total of 106 birds fledged: 55 bluebirds, 29 tree swallows, and 22 house wrens. In 2006, 140 birds fledged: 74 bluebirds, 25 tree swallows, and 41 house wrens.
Trail data, which is recorded and analyzed at the farm as part of a long-term study, continues to be included in the Holden Arboretum's totals. Student volunteers at the farm also process the data and send it to Cornell University for inclusion in the national database. Bill Jirousek, farm volunteer and alumnus, checked the houses, recorded data and banded hatchlings on a weekly basis.
If you would like to volunteer for this project, please call the farm at 216.368.0274.