Then & Now: Eastern bluebird
Marlo Perdicas, Park Biologist
The eastern bluebird has delighted Ohioans for decades with its flashy coloration and conspicuous behavior. In the early 20th century, bluebird populations saw rapid decline due to habitat loss, pesticide use and the introduction of non-native birds such as the European starling and house sparrow.
In 1978, the North American Bluebird Society was founded to promote education and conservation of the species. The society led a continent-wide effort to place nesting boxes throughout their range. Together with our volunteers, Summit Metro Parks has monitored bluebird nest boxes since the 1970s.
Long-time volunteer Lew Monagen has monitored the same boxes in Hampton Hills and O’Neil Woods Metro Parks since the establishment of our official monitoring program in 1993.
“Over the years I’ve had a lot of encouragement from folks like former park district employee Bert Szabo and the Akron Audubon Society. My interest in bluebirds and monitoring started in Richfield where my grandfather had a farm,” recalled Monagen. “He talked about bluebirds when we were baling hay and how scarce they were.”
Thanks to efforts of concerned birders all over the United States and the establishment of nest box monitoring programs like ours, populations of eastern bluebirds are currently stable.
For more stories like this, check out Green Islands Magazine, a bi-monthly publication from Summit Metro Parks. Summit County residents can sign up to receive the publication at home free of charge.
