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Kansas City, Mo. – Bluebirds are delicate but cheerful looking creatures. Their bright blue backs and rusty brown breasts, and the spring appearance of nesting pairs, makes them extra popular among people who enjoy wild birds. Plus, they are the official Missouri state bird. But they are also recovering from declines caused by habitat changes and competition from nonnative bird species. People can help. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) will offer free programs where people can build bluebird nest houses and learn about their habits and habitat on Saturday, March 12 at the Anita B. Gorman Discovery Center in Kansas City. A bluebird house building session will also be offered on Tuesday, March 15.
Educational displays and staff presentations about bluebirds will be offered from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. indoors at the Discovery Center. Susie Harris, MDC naturalist, and MDC volunteers will discuss the displays and answer questions from visitors. This program is for all ages on a walk-in basis, no registration is needed and families are encouraged to attend. They will have a chance to build a simple platform bird feeder. COVID-19 safety precautions will be followed for all programs.
Bluebirds begin nesting in early March in western Missouri. Providing appropriately sized and designed nest houses in outdoor settings helps bluebird populations. MDC will offer two free bluebird house building sessions on March 12 at the Discovery Center. All materials and instruction will be provided. Visitors can build a nest house to take home. The houses mimic natural cavities in trees that bluebirds also use for nests in the wild.
Bluebird house building sessions on March 12 will be offered from 10:30 to noon and from 12:30 to 2 p.m. in the Discovery Center woodworking classroom. This class is offered to ages 10 and older. Registration is required. To register for the morning session, visit https://short.mdc.mo.gov/4oW. To register for the afternoon session, visit https://short.mdc.mo.gov/4om.
MDC will also offer a bluebird house building session from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 15, at the Discovery Center. This class is open to participants ages 18 and older. Registration is required. To register, visit https://short.mdc.mo.gov/4oe.
To learn more about MDC’s Gorman Discovery Center, visit https://mdc.mo.gov/discoverycenter.
