A lethal snowstorm

Arkansas experienced a record snowstorm in February 2021 with more snow, longer, and below-freezing temperatures for over a week. With these conditions, bluebirds lacked food and were challenged to thermoregulate. As a result, the Jonesboro population suffered about 89% loss. We collected 69 individuals directly from nest boxes where they must have died of hypothermia overnight.

Here are the numbers from this year, relative to previous years.

First egg date:

2021: March 28

2020: March 14 (record tie with 2006!)

2019: March 25

2018: March 22

2017: March 23

2016: March 18

Last Fledging date:

2021: Aug. 23

2020: Sept. 11

2019: Sept. 3

2018: Aug. 29

2017: Sept. 7

2016: Sept. 18

Number of chicks banded (day13):

2021: 74

2020: 676

2019: 589

2018: 571

2017: 697

Number of clutches produced with chicks reared to day13:

2021: 17

2020: 161

2019: 141

2018: 143

2017: 167

Number of boxes in which chicks were produced:

2021: 23

2020: 95

2019: 82

2018: 94

2017: 128

Number of recaptured birds:

2021: 4 birds who were born in 2020 + 1 bird who was already adult in 2020

2020: 79 birds who were born in 2019 + 101 birds who were already adults in 2019

2019: 41 birds who were born in 2018 + 75 birds who were already adults in 2018

2018: 52 birds who were born in 2017 + 57 birds who were already adults in 2017

2017: 45 birds who were born in 2016 + 67 birds who were already adults in 2016

Number of new adults:

2021: 24

2020: 60

2019: 56

2018: 73

2017: 75