Bluebirds Thriving at Monticello

For those who have visited the Thomas Jefferson Center for Historic Plants at Tufton Farm, you have probably caught glimpses of our resident Eastern bluebirds (Sialia sialis). Tufton Farm provides ideal managed habitat for bluebirds with its abundance of pastures, fence perches and variety of tree species that provide food for birds through fall and winter.

Recently, volunteer Jamie McConnell built, donated and installed “Carl Little” bluebird boxes that are scattered about Tufton Farm.  Within one week of installation, these structures were already hosting bluebird eggs that later hatched. Now, these boxes support thriving baby bluebirds. (In the picture above, the stovepipe pole guard deters snakes, raccoons, opossums and cats from accessing the nest.)

With such success, our goal is to increase the amount of bluebird boxes at Tufton to eventually have a true bluebird trail with boxes placed every 100 yards or so. Future plans also include installing additional bird boxes for smaller and larger birds including, wrens, chickadees, kestrels, screech owls and wood ducks. We look forward to seeing guests leisurely strolling across our property and marveling at the amazing sights and sounds. We’ll keep you posted!

If you are interested in building a nesting box and raising bluebirds in your own yard, consult the Virginia Bluebird Society’s website and consider joining the North American Bluebird Society. After installing your bluebird box, remember to regularly monitor throughout the nesting season; as nests can be infiltrated by snakes, mice, paper wasps and unwelcome birds species, such as house sparrows and English starlings, two common nest box interlopers.  

Although Tufton Farm is not regularly open to the public, participants in the Heritage Harvest Festival pre-event at Tufton Farm will have a unique opportunity to see our new bird boxes and many other recent on-site habitat improvements.