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NABS news

NABS 2024 Awards

Better late than never, here is the list of the 2024 NABS Award recipients!

A NABS Bluebird Conservation Award goes to the River Landing Bird Club for their outstanding effort to provide safe, appropriate housing for bluebirds. The River Landing Bird Club was founded in 2018 and is made up of a group of 137 residents of the River Landing at Sandy Ridge, a Continuing Care and Retirement Community located on 220 acres in Colfax, North Carolina. Their bluebird trail project began in 2018, with the rehabbing of an abandoned 16 nestbox trail on the facility’s golf course. The trail initially began as a Boy Scout project but, thanks to the efforts of the River Landing Bird Club, it has been rehabilitated and has grown to a 65-nestbox trail, organized into four sub-trails so as to involve more members in weekly monitoring. Nesting data is also reported weekly to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s NestWatch program.

In addition to maintenance and monitoring of the trail itself, the group sponsors guest speakers for 10 months of each year and these presentations can be attended in person or via the facility’s in-house TV system. Announcements are given in residents’ mailboxes and are also published in Community newsletters, which are circulated each month. Consequently, the River Landing Bird Club is also the recipient of a NABS President’s Award for their outstanding efforts in Senior Educational Programs. Congratulations to the members of the River Landing Bird Club!

NABS President’s Awards have also been awarded to NABS Bluebird Managing Editor, Lori Jo Jamieson and to Broken Arrow Solutions/Judy Fushtey, for their dedication and devotion to delivering a quality publication each quarter. The feedback on their fresh new design has been overwhelmingly positive and their hard work is very much appreciated.

2025 NABS Hotline

Be prepared for nesting emergencies – Information about the NABS Hotline!

Wow!  Can it truly be that nesting season is only a few weeks away, at least in the Southern regions?  Well, the NABS Hotline Committee is gearing up for another season of assisting bluebird landlords in emergency situations.  An emergency situation is defined by whether or not the lives of birds are in imminent danger.  Keep in mind that general knowledge questions are not considered emergencies and should be directed to our Facebook or to Messenger.

Emergency situations include predator attacks on nests with young/eggs, house sparrow harassment and predation on active nests, and apparent abandonment of young by adult birds, etc.

In an emergency situation, please visit the Hotline page on the NABS website, and follow the instructions for leaving your information.  A volunteer will respond as soon as possible.  Please note that leaving accurate information regarding your location and specific situation will help us to determine which volunteer is best suited to assist you, as well as helping that volunteer in preparing to offer you the most helpful advice and recommendations.

It’s also helpful to remember that NABS has many Affiliate organizations who may be able to offer “boots on the ground” assistance.  Be sure to check the Affiliate listing on our website and in our Journal to see if there is an organization located near you.

Welcome to the NABS Blog!

Welcome to the inaugural post of the North American Bluebird Society (NABS) blog! We’re excited to embark on this journey of sharing insights, stories, and updates about bluebirds and other native cavity-nesting bird species across North America.

About NABS

Founded in 1978 by Dr. Lawrence Zeleny, NABS is a non-profit organization dedicated to education, conservation, and research aimed at promoting the recovery of bluebirds and other native cavity-nesting birds. Our mission is to ensure these vibrant songbirds continue to thrive in our ecosystems. Learn more about NABS mission and history.

What to Expect from Our Blog

In this space, we’ll provide:

Get Involved

    Your participation is crucial to the success of our mission! Here are ways you can get involved with NABS:

  • Become a member, or give the gift of membership: Please join NABS! Memberships start at just $25/year and Members of all levels receive 4 beautiful bluebird journals, 1 for each season, can use our hotline and other contact methods to get advice, and are invited to join NABS for educational Zooms and other events.
  • Set Up Nestboxes: Install and monitor nestboxes in suitable habitats to provide safe nesting sites for bluebirds – but be sure to do your research first! It’s better to offer no nestbox at all than to offer one that isn’t monitored and properly protected from predators and non-native bird competitors. Check out all our great fact sheets and resources available at https://www.nabluebirdsociety.org/fact-sheets-plans/.
  • Participate in Citizen Science: Contribute to research by reporting your observations and nesting data to Nestwatch.org.
  • Spread the Word: Share our blog and resources with friends, family, and your community to raise awareness about bluebird conservation.

Stay Connected

We invite you to follow us on social media and check this space regularly to stay updated on the latest news and events. Your engagement and support are vital as we work together to ensure a bright future for bluebirds and all native cavity nesting birds across North America!

Thank you for joining us on this exciting new platform. Together, we can make a difference!