Loren Hughe s’ crusade garners Edgar County recognition as Illinoi s’ top county for fledgling bluebirds. On the Tr ai l of the Blue bird Story By Jeanne luebirds seem to be Since building his first bluebird part of an idealized Townsend Handy nest box 14 years ago, Loren remembrance of an Hughes has created 1,006 boxes Photos By Tom Handy earlier era, a feature B of his own design. within a watercolor “Is there any sign of spring landscape complete with picturesque quite so welcome as the glint barns and meandering gravel lanes. It is us who can claim to have laid eyes on of the first bluebird unless it hard to imagine such a bird—brilliant in one. But in Paris, Illinois, the bluebird is is his softly whistled song? No color, pleasant of voice, and gentle of once again a common sight—thanks to nature—fitting into the sharp-edged, Loren Hughes. wonder the bird has become fast-paced present. And, indeed, it has “Bluebird Man” announced a sign at the symbol for happiness.” not fared well. Loss of habitat and com - the end of Hughes’s driveway, and this —Neltje Blanchan, petition from other species have been was but one indication of the 81-year- Birds Worth Knowing, 1917 the worst of threats causing eastern old’s involvement in the recovery of bluebird populations to drop an esti - the eastern bluebird. He greeted me mated 90 percent between the 1920s outside his home, decked out for our and 1970s, and there are far too few of 10 / Outdoor Illinois October 2010 excursion in an East Central Illinois Weekly monitoring of bluebird Bluebird Society cap and a polo shirt nest boxes is necessary to insure boasting a “Bluebird Man” insignia. the viability of future eastern blue- Hughes’s commitment to the blue - bird’s plight began 14 years ago when bird populations. he found a nest box diagram in a handy - man magazine. He built the box, hung American robin when English settlers it up, and soon saw his first bluebird— first arrived in this country. Of the blue - ever. By 2006, Loren Hughes would be bird, John James Audubon would write: standing before the annual gathering of “Full of innocent vivacity, warbling its the East Central Illinois Bluebird Soci - ever pleasing notes, and familiar as any ety, of which he is founder and presi - bird can be in its natural freedom, it is dent, to announce that he had fledged one of the most agreeable of our feath - 955 bluebirds in that year alone. ered favorites.” In fact, up until the mid- After touring a workshop where 1800s, human activities helped the blue - Hughes has now constructed 1,006 bird thrive. The conversion of forest to bluebird houses of his own design, we pasture and the installation of wooden hopped into his car and set off on a fence posts along agricultural fields, bluebird trail. which would provide additional nest sites for this cavity-seeking species, “The Bluebird of Happiness were an unintentional boon. In the late 19th century, however, long absent from his life, Ned introduction of the non-native English is visited by the chicken of house sparrow spelled the beginning of Depression.” disaster. tor for the same nesting sites as those —Gary Larson, The Far Side “The sparrow’s bill can crack the sought after by bluebirds, and in their skull of another bird,” Hughes told me. desire to prevail, house sparrows have It is thought that the eastern bluebird The house sparrow is a fierce competi - been known to kill bluebirds, destroy (Sialia sialis ) was as common as the their eggs or push them from their nests. As the country progressed through the 20th century, the eastern bluebird population faced additional peril in the form of harmful pesticides and habitat loss as agricultural methods changed, metal posts replaced wooden fence posts, and development upon open land increased. By the late 1960s, east - ern bluebirds had been placed on the National Audubon Society’s Species of Concern list. But, fortunately for these birds—and for those of us who wish for their soci - ety in the midst of ours—bluebirds will readily take up residence in human- made nest boxes. And this is where people like Loren Hughes, a recipient of the 2007 Environmental Hero Award, come in. Bluebirds usually lay four to five eggs (laying one egg a day), and may have up to three nests in one season. October 2010 Outdoor Illinois / 11 Nearly ready to fledge—in 2009, the outline of Illinois was a caption that Loren Hughes personally fledged read, “Only 30 counties out of 102 reporting—where are the rest?????” 844 bluebirds. with numerous question marks reveal - ing frustration at the lack of reporting. Within the pages of five calculation books, Hughes records data that ulti - mately increase the chances of bluebird success and provide important popula - tion trends. And it is his hope that more people within more counties will do the same. In 2009, Hughes reported 844 fledged bluebirds for the community of Paris alone and a total of 1,971 bluebirds in the entire county—making Edgar County number one in the state for the sixth year in a row for number of report - ed fledglings. Humankind may have been unwitting partners in both their ini - tial rise in numbers and their subsequent collapse, but now, as an educated part - ner, we can be witness to their return. “The increase in the bluebird population is a remarkable “Only with the construction nest boxes on both public and private success story. It is the direct of bluebird trails, consisting property in and around Paris, and at result of widespread action by of next boxes erected and each stop we made he would carefully sympathetic bird lovers who monitored for bluebird use, open the box to reveal nestlings of vari - pledged their help and fol - ous ages. Between my exclamations of have populations rebounded lowed through.” in recent years.” “Oh my gosh!” as the oversized beaks and scrawny bodies were revealed to —Arnette Heidcamp, —Illinois Natural History me, he explained the importance of Bluebirds in My House, 1997 Survey report, July-August 1996 box monitoring. Weekly inspection of a box makes it Our last stop of the day was at the As we tooled about town from nest possible, through examination of the Paris Dairy Queen—and we stopped box to nest box, Hughes rattled off the nesting material and eggs, to determine not only for a meal. Behind the restau - schedule he follows from mid March to whether another species has taken it rant, beneath the shade of a tree, sits mid August as he monitors his “bluebird over. Other potential problems can be ) . trails”: Tuesday—Willow Creek Trail caught early as well. Hughes pulled out g n u o and the golf course; Saturday—City Trail a copy of a state map sectioned off by Y s i r h 1; Sunday—the Indiana Trail with 27 county, which indicated the bluebird C y b o t boxes between Paris and Terre Haute; numbers reported in 2006. Alongside o h P and Mondays—City Trail 2, on which he ( travels over 50 miles to monitor 108 boxes. A trail consists of a minimum of Help Bring Back Our five nest boxes placed at regular inter - Gems of Blue vals. Hughes’s routes now include 300 boxes and many miles of driving. hink about next year’s bluebirds now, “I think the cops know who I am,” Twhile winter weather keeps you indoors. To order a copy of the above referenced he stated. brochure describing bluebird nesting habits, But it is not enough to set up a trail. tips on nest care and instructions for a con - The boxes must be monitored. Hughes structing bluebird house, visit the DNR Clear - inghouse at dnr.state.il.us/teachkids/order has obtained permission to place his type5.asp 12 / Outdoor Illinois October 2010 A male bluebird awaits an opportunity to check on his three nearby nestlings in a box located behind the Paris Dairy Queen. an outdoor eating area. Beyond that is one of Hughes’s bluebird boxes, mounted on a pole in a grassy oasis. The nest box has been a feature at the Dairy Queen for six years, and it attracted bluebirds almost immediately. “I’ll have a hotdog and a side order of bluebird viewing,” I could imagine cus - tomers saying. “Let’s see if everything looks good,” Hughes suggested. And, sure enough, all was well with three fast-asleep, five-day- old nestlings. Soon he would spot the take over much of the feeding, allowing When Gayla Foote, who owns the bluebird father in the nearby tree, patient - the females to rest or perhaps start a new Dairy Queen along with her husband ly awaiting the chance to check on his nest, since bluebirds can have as many as Mike, joined us at the bluebird box ask - young. Hughes explained that the males three nests in one season. ing, “How are our little babies?” it became obvious that these birds were an expected and appreciated part of the neighborhood. This thought was con - firmed when Mayor Craig Smith pulled into the parking lot at his office next door, and we walked over to find out how his bluebird nest box was doing. Given their charm and the assis - tance provided through their substan - tial consumption of insects such as cut - worms, crickets, beetles and grasshop - pers, who could ask for a better neighbor? Thanks to Loren Hughes and his trails, the bluebirds of Paris have found not only a friend but also an entire community.