Monitoring during a pandemic

Bluebirds did not go into quarantine! This year, we almost tied our 2017 record with 676 chicks reaching day 13. We had to make some adjustments to our monitoring protocols to work individually, but we were fortunate to be in an area without lockdown. This allowed us to continue our monitoring and other research activities.

Last year's tail-free male was here again this year and produced several clutches. Of note, a pair nested together for the fourth year in a row this year and a female reached 6 years-old of age!

Below is a summary of the last 5 seasons in numbers.

First egg date:

2020: March 14 (record tie with 2006!)

2019: March 25

2018: March 22

2017: March 23

2016: March 18

Last Fledging date:

2020: Sept. 11

2019: Sept. 3

2018: Aug. 29

2017: Sept. 7

2016: Sept. 18

Number of chicks banded (day13):

2020: 676

2019: 589

2018: 571

2017: 697

2016: 531

Number of clutches produced with chicks reared to day13:

2020: 161

2019: 141

2018: 143

2017: 167

2016: 131

Number of boxes in which chicks were produced:

2020: 95

2019: 82

2018: 94

2017: 128

2016: 84

Number of recaptured birds:

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

2016: 27 birds who were born in 2015 + 62 birds who were already adults in 2015

Number of new adults:

2020: 60

2019: 56

2018: 73

2017: 75

2016: 53