LEGEND Blue sialia sialus Bird Houses established Gravel Roads as an Paved Roads Eagle Scout Project Biking & Hiking Trails by: Camping CRITES Parking BOAT RAMP Michael Williamson Creek Hillsdale Property Line Boy Scout Troop 105 Paola, Kansas CEMETERY BEACH Trail DAM Hillsdale State Park

JAYHAWKER BOAT RAMP Hillsdale State Park Office 26001 W. 255th St. SPILLWAY Paola, KS 66762 (913) 783-4507 Equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from programs described herein is available to all individuals without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, political affiliation, and military or veteran status. Complaints of discrimination should be sent to Office of the Secretary, Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, 1020 S Kansas Ave., Topeka, KS 66612-1327. 04/12 Bluebird Facts: Blue diet consists of 90% Description: 5-7 in. long. Male bright insects. They also enjoy berrying blue on back, wings, and tail; throat plants such as bittersweet, hackberry, and most of underparts orange-rusty; The bluebird has long been a dogwood, privet, honeysuckle, bay- belly white. Female similar, but paler, favorite bird in North America. Once berry, sumac and many others. Bluebird back tinged with brown; throat rusty, a common bird, the bluebird has seen The spring courtship rites of the not gray as in western bluebird. a decline in numbers. Insecticides bluebird are among the most enjoy- and destruction of habitat has caused able to witness. The male selects a Habitat: Farmlands, orchards, open a 90% decline in their population. suitable nesting cavity and devotes

woodlands. Those who love the bluebird have all his energy to luring a female with Cutaway view of 8" x 7" x1/2" 5" removable top begun a campaign to save them his song. He sings and sings, as the attach with eye screw

Nesting: Consists of a cup of grass through the erection of thousands of female sits passively by, enjoying his 1 1/2"

NAILING STRIP stems 4-6 ft. above the ground in nesting boxes appropriate for this effort. The final selection of the nest- 8 3/4"

hole, birdhouse or other 3/4" FRONT species. They are predator and com- ing place is hers, and if she finds his shank cavity. 3-7, pale blue or white. petitor proof, and the bluebird is choice unacceptable, he must search VENT UNDER Eggs hatch in two weeks with babies ROOF beginning to reappear where these for something better. BOTTOM 8" 7" leaving the nest in 15-20 days. 1/2" 1" boxes are established. Two never nest near overlap 1 1/2" 1" People sometimes create bluebird each other. They are very territorial. trails by hanging many houses in one Houses must be placed 100 ft. apart 9 1/2"

area, to give the birds ample housing. and 4-6 ft. above ground. 14 3/4" 5" They are often placed atop of fence Nest building is done by the male 2" 2 1/2" posts, giving the appearance of a bluebird. The nest consists of dry BACK “trail.” grass, pine needles and plant materi- These are three species of blue- al approx. 3-4in. deep. bird: western, mountain and eastern. Western and Eastern bluebirds breed east of the eggs are pale blue. Easterns’ are also VENTILATION 8 1/2" 9 1/2" pale blue but are sometimes white. 1/4" Rocky Mountains. It is bright blue VENT SIDE

BOTTOM (2 required) RECESSED with rusty-red breast. The west blue- Blue birds have a couple a nesting 6"

bird breeds in western states from competitors - the sparrow and star- 1/2" Canada to Mexico and east to ling. Sparrows can break the blue- Colorado. It has a blue throat, and birds eggs and starlings are know to the red color extends to its upper chase them out of the area. back. The mountain blue birds breed We can assist in the return of in the northwest, east to the Dakotas these birds, by providing suitable and North into Alaska. It is entirely habitat, winter shelter and feed sup- blue with a white underbelly. plies.