Western Bluebirds were once common in their native habitat on northwestern Washington’s San Juan Islands, but by the 1960s had been extirpated as a breeding species. Restoring a viable population of breeding Western Bluebirds requires both the translocation of birds and conservation of the oak-prairie ecosystem in which they thrive.
Watch the Western Bluebird Reintroduction Project video: Double click the video to the right to watch in full screen.
ABC Conservation Framework
Efforts to conserve the Western Bluebird fall under Conserving Habitats in ABC's conservation framework
Primary Birds Impacted
Western Bluebird
Solutions
American Bird Conservancy, in collaboration with Fort Lewis Military Installation, Eco-studies Institute, San Juan Preservation Trust, San Juan County Audubon Society, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and The Nature Conservancy, is restoring the Western Bluebird population in the San Juan Islands by translocating birds from an expanding population at the Fort Lewis Military Installation in Olympia, Washington. The reintroduction is also an opportunity to promote education and local participation in support of conserving the entire biodiversity of the highly threatened oak-prairie ecosystem.
Since 2006, ABC and partners safely translocated and released 49 pairs of Western Bluebirds, including seven pairs with 35 nestlings.
The first nesting of a Western Bluebird on San Juan Island in over 40 years was subsequently reported from a translocated pair during the first year of the project.
The population on San Juan Island has increased every year since the program began, with 15 pairs fledging 74 young in 2011.
Project partner San Juan Preservation Trust has protected approximately 300 acres of prairie-oak habitat on the San Juan Islands including a 120 acre tract where two pairs of bluebirds nest annually.
ABC and partners have reached a large number of individuals about the importance of oak-prairie habitat conservation through presentations, volunteer participation, and media coverage.
ABC and partners have gained considerable knowledge regarding translocations of birds which will be valuable in future efforts with other species in this as well as other ecosystems.
What Next?
Work with Garry Oak Ecosystem Recovery Team to initiate translocations of bluebirds to Salt Springs Island, British Columbia, about 20-25 air miles from San Juan Island.
Continue to monitor the nesting birds on San Juan Island to determine status of the population and breeding success for two years post-translocations, 2012 and 2013.
Continue to promote conservation of the oak-prairie ecosystem through this and other projects.
