Fort McCoy Bluebird volunteers review success in previous season

Photo By Scott Sturkol | A volunteer moves through the grass to check a bluebird nesting box June 22, 2018, on South Post at Fort McCoy, Wis. Annually, 10 volunteers come to Fort McCoy and participate in a bluebird nest box and monitoring program to track the Eastern bluebird population. The volunteers complete the survey for the Bluebird Restoration Association of Wisconsin (BRAW). The (program) at Fort McCoy is sponsored by the Aldo Leopold Audubon Society of central Wisconsin, and the data collected by the Fort McCoy volunteers is sent to BRAW. (U.S. Army Photo by Scott T. Sturkol, Public Affairs Office, Fort McCoy, Wis.)  

FORT MCCOY, WISCONSIN, UNITED STATES

06.10.2024

Courtesy Story

Fort McCoy Public Affairs Office           

BY JERRILYN AND BRUCE BREWER
Fort McCoy Bluebird monitors

Eastern Bluebirds are a migratory songbird that arrive in Wisconsin in March and fly south in September or October. They are insectivores, prefer open grassy habitat, and normally utilize cavities in trees for nesting.

Eastern Bluebirds can raise one or two broods each year and, on rare occasions, a third brood. These beautiful songbirds were once very common, but they experienced a huge population decline from the 1920s through the 1970s.

During late 1970s and 1980s, Bluebird restoration groups began to form and have created artificial nest boxes placed along routes that volunteers maintain and monitor throughout the summer. One of these groups, the Fort McCoy Bluebird Monitors (FMBM) is located on the Fort McCoy in Monroe County and is one of the largest producers of Eastern Bluebirds in the state of Wisconsin.

There are several reasons why a large number of Eastern Bluebirds are fledged each year at Fort McCoy: excellent bluebird habitat, dedicated Fort McCoy leadership, synergistic partnership between Fort McCoy and FMBM, and committed bluebird volunteers led by seasoned bluebird monitors.

A beautiful oak savanna provides a perfect spot for 293 bluebird boxes that are monitored by seven teams of one or two people. Kevin Luepke, Fort McCoy wildlife biologist, provides guidance and supervision to this group and collects data on volunteer hours as well as production data that are also reported to the Bluebird Restoration Association of Wisconsin (BRAW).

Last year (2023) was an average year for production for the 293 boxes at Fort McCoy: 1,541 bluebirds were fledged, 171 Tree Swallows, and 126 House Wrens. One of the Fort McCoy Bluebird boxes had a Triple Brood this year and fledged a total of 16 Eastern Bluebirds.

The FMBM are grateful for the leadership they received for many years from Kent Hall, professor emeritus from Stevens Point and the person who recruited all of the original Fort McCoy volunteers. Professor Hall was an active member of BRAW and instilled in all of us an understanding of the importance of “clean data” and reporting weekly results on a timely basis.

His energy, passion, knowledge, and dedication served as a role model for all FMBM. After Professor Hall retired from bluebird monitoring, Charlie Lautermilch, a seasoned bluebird monitor with the Fort McCoy group, took over as “leader” of the FMBM.

He continues to bring us together twice a year for mentoring, advice, encouragement, and a steady supply of nest boxes and poles. He tallies our yearly data and submits it to BRAW after giving each of us a “blue ribbon” for our most productive box!

We love Eastern Bluebirds, our beautiful oak savannah habitat, working together, and continuing a tradition started many years ago. Thank you for letting us be part of BRAW.

• Date Taken: 06.10.2024
• Date Posted: 06.10.2024 12:02
• Story ID: 473502
• Location: FORT MCCOY, WISCONSIN, US