SC Bluebird Society Establishes Scholarship at UofSC Aiken

Aiken, SC (09/24/2021) — A generous donor recently established The South Carolina Bluebird Society Scholarship Fund at the University of South Carolina Aiken (UofSC Aiken).

The annual $1,000 scholarship will be awarded to full-time, degree-seeking students majoring in biology and in good student standing. Students will be required to comply with the mission statement of the South Carolina Bluebird Society (SCBS) as follows: "The SCBS is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization dedicated to the recovery and conservation of the Eastern Bluebird and other cavity-nesting birds native to South Carolina and elsewhere." Students will assist the SCBS in conducting research on bluebirds and other cavity-nesting birds.

UofSC Aiken senior biology major Emelie Alarcon is the first scholarship recipient. "Thanks to this generous scholarship, I can focus more on the most important aspect of school, which is learning," Emelie said. "Because of the SCBS, I have been given the opportunity to extend my passion for wildlife. I am extremely thankful for the opportunity to assist in the recovery of the bluebird population."

UofSC Aiken is also working with the SCBS to establish a bluebird nest box trail on the university campus.

"We hope to have as many as 20 nesting boxes on campus that will be maintained and monitored by UofSC Aiken biology students," said Dr. Michelle Vieyra, associate professor of biology. "Aside from monitoring the reproductive success of our campus bluebirds, we also plan to test various strategies for protecting the nestlings from predators and answer other biologically important questions related to bluebird nesting. I am very grateful for the support, training, and funding provided by the SCBS."

The SCBS was established in Aiken on October 19, 2010, and has currently installed and is monitoring over 1,472 bluebird, wood duck, screech owl, and kestrel nest boxes over 88 trails across South Carolina and Eastern Georgia. The need for protection arose when between the 1920s and 1970s, the bluebird population declined by an estimated 90%. The main reasons for this decline are loss of habitat and competition from other species.

According to the SCBS, "The bluebird is a cavity-nesting bird, which means it prefers to build its nest in a tree cavity. Unlike the woodpecker, however, the bluebird's beak is not suited for excavating. It depends on natural cavities or ones made by other birds. However, the expansion of large commercial agricultural operations, growth of cities, and dense residential land development have destroyed many of the bluebird's natural nesting places."

The primary source of competition for bluebirds is the house sparrow or English sparrow. This very aggressive species will often drive adult bluebirds away from the nest, leaving nestlings to starve. They will also peck open un-hatched bluebird eggs and kill the babies or adults they find sitting on the nest. The European starling is an equally aggressive species that will also kill both bluebird adults and young.

Nest boxes have been very helpful in restoring the bluebird population, but there are several things to keep in mind when deciding to put one up, such as:

Suitable location: Bluebirds prefer to nest in an area that includes open space, scattered trees, and low ground cover such as lawns, golf courses, parks, school campuses, and industrial campuses. Multiple boxes should be placed at least 300 feet apart.

Proper nest box: Purchase or build a nest box designed specifically for bluebirds. Preferably, these are made of unpainted cedar, redwood, cypress, or pine. The box should have an overhanging slanted roof, no perch, and a round entrance hole 1 " in diameter. It should have ventilation and drainage holes, be deep enough so predators cannot reach in to get the eggs, and have a door that opens for ease of monitoring and cleaning.

Proper mounting: Next boxes may be mounted at any time, but to attract bluebirds for their first nesting of the season, they should be in place by early February to mid-March. Metal mounting poles are recommended as they are difficult for predators such as snakes and raccoons to climb. The nest box should be mounted on the post so that the entrance hole is 5 feet off the ground.

Feeding: It is not typically necessary to feed bluebirds; however, many people find they enjoy offering treats to their birds. They eat insects, insect larvae, and berries. Common native berry bushes that bluebirds enjoy are Flowering Dogwood, Holly, Juniper, Sumac, Mountain-ash, Mistletoe, Hackberry, and Firethorn. Another food commonly offered to bluebirds is mealworms. If you like to feed other bird species, do not place your bluebird nest boxes too close to your wild bird feeding area. Bluebirds also enjoy shallow birdbaths.

Monitoring: Bluebirds readily tolerate humans monitoring their nest boxes. They will not abandon their young because humans have looked at or touched them. Human scent on the nest will not disturb them. Boxes should be monitored at least once a week to ensure that undesirable competitors are not using them. Monitor for blowflies, ants, and other parasites, and predators. Care should be used in opening once the hatchlings are 12 days old, as this could cause them to fledge too early. The nest box should be cleaned out after each batch of babies has fledged. They will typically produce three broods of three to six young between March and August in South Carolina.

If it weren't for human intervention, bluebirds might have been lost forever. As a result of the efforts of concerned individuals, the bluebirds are making a comeback. But there is still much more to be done. For additional information about the SCBS and how to help, visit southcarolinabluebirds.org.

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