MBTCS News & Updates
Lethbridge Christmas Bird Count 2024: A look at our local winter birds
The Lethbridge Christmas Bird Count 2024 brought together 80 dedicated participants who tallied an impressive 55 bird species and 31,020 individual birds across the city and surrounding areas. Highlights included new records for Western Meadowlark, American Dipper, and Northern Saw-whet Owl, along with high counts for Mallards, Downy Woodpeckers, and Northern Shrikes.
Embracing NestWatch: enhancing Mountain Bluebird conservation
Discover how the Mountain Bluebird Trails Conservation Society (MBTCS) is enhancing conservation efforts for Mountain Bluebirds by integrating the NestWatch app into trail monitoring—empowering trail monitors and bird enthusiasts alike.
The Remarkable Journey of the Mountain Bluebird Trails Conservation Society
The Mountain Bluebird, facing threats from habitat destruction and invasive species, found a champion in Duncan Mackintosh and the budding community of conservationists he inspired. This marked the beginning of the Mountain Bluebird Trails, an initiative rooted deeply in community effort and ecological stewardship.
Mountain Bluebirds: 5 key insights from 50 years of nest box monitoring
Learn from our 50 years of experience!
50th Anniversary AGM featuring Myrna Pearman (video)
Check out video of the Mountain Bluebird Trails Conservation Society’s 50th anniversary milestone Annual General Meeting held on Saturday April 6, 2024, at the Helen Schuler Nature Centre in Lethbridge, Alberta.
Highlighting Nature Conservancy of Canada’s work in Southern Alberta
As part of our Annual General Meeting we are happy to share updates from the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC). We are happy to have several videos of their current initiatives and programs in areas that bluebirds habituate.
Citizen Science Projects to Help Birds
If you love birds, then you are likely looking for ways to help birds thrive! Citizen science is a great way to help improve our understanding of birds.
‘How to build your own Bluebird Trail’ from Myrna Pearman’s YouTube Channel
We are thrilled to share a video from Myrna Pearman’s YouTube channel - specifically this great overview of the Mountain Bluebird Trail Monitoring Guide!
Website Year in Review 2022
Explore highlights from our website’s statistics from 2022! Discover how many visitors explore our website and where they came from. Leave a comment to help us plan our 2023 content.
Where do Mountain Bluebirds migrate to in Winter?
Mountain Bluebirds (Sialia currucoides) are an absolute delight during the early spring and summer in Southern Alberta. When they quickly disappear in September it is clear that the seasons are changing, and autumn has arrived. Where do the Mountain Bluebirds go when they leave Alberta?
Bluebird hybrids: help needed with study
Western bluebird numbers appear to be increasing in southwestern Alberta, which suggests they are expanding their range. As they expand, low starting numbers may force them to breed with the more abundant mountain bluebird and produce hybrids… To ensure we don’t miss any sample opportunities, we need the help of citizen scientists and bird enthusiasts from within the community.
Website Year in Review 2021
Explore highlights from our website’s statistics from 2021! Discover how many visitors explore our website and where they came from. Leave a comment to help us plan our 2022 content.
30 years of Bluebird Monitoring of the Carol Porter Mountain Bluebird Trail at Cypress Hills
In the last 30 years of monitoring of the Carol Porter Trail there have been three seasons with low numbers of bluebirds fledged: 2002, 2009, and 2021. The weather appears to be the main factor in the number of bluebirds fledged.
Share your MBTCS History
As our 50th anniversary approaches we are asking for you to share your stories, photos, and history of the Mountain Bluebird Trails Conservation Society! Help us document our history and the impact over the years.
Nest box spacing - Top Recommendations for Various Habitat Locations
Spacing is one of several factors to consider when you install a new nest box. The right spacing will help you maximize occupancy for Bluebirds while minimizing other occupants. It also enhances the habitat’s available resources, giving the Mountain Bluebirds who raise their young in the nest box with the best chance of success!
Nest box placement - Top 7 Recommendations
Placement is one of several factors to consider when you install a new nest box. Where you put the nest box will help you minimize repairs or the need for replacement. It will also help provide the Mountain Bluebirds who raise their young in the nest box with the best chance of success!
Mountain Bluebird Learning Resources & Research
Thank you to all Bluebird enthusiasts for increasing our collective knowledge about these wonderful animals. Below is a select bibliography for this website. These references will help you to take your study of Mountain Bluebirds (Sialia currucoides) to the next level. Please let us know about other great resources we can add to this page!
Nest box paint: yes or no? The results are in!
In November 2017 I installed 21 new nest boxes on the Birds Eye Ranch east of Waterton Park. The land owners have seen bluebirds in the area but there have not been any nest boxes in the area for many years. Ten of the boxes were new plywood, 11 of the boxes were painted grey.
Observation on New Bluebird Trail Monitors Recruitment
Recruiting monitors is an ongoing requirement to maintain the trails and keep the nest boxes in usable condition for bluebird nesting. Proximity to the mountains, recreational areas and parks provides a draw, bringing people to the foothills for recreational activities. Monitoring a bluebird trail can be one of the activities that people and families engage in when they are in bluebird habitat.
About Parasites found in Mountain Bluebird Nest Boxes
The fly larvae that feed on the young bluebirds are common flies. I collected a number of the larvae and pupae from bluebird nest boxes this summer and put them in a jar. Then I left them for a couple weeks until the adults emerged from their cocoons, and what came out? Common flies, nothing special, just the everyday flies you see everywhere in fields and around cattle.