Western Blue Bird - Female

This female Western blue bird is building her nest in one of the local Cavity Nesting Boxes. The Cavity Nest Recovery Program (CNRP), has been active for over a decade. Our Audubon chapter teaches maintenance, maintains the local boxes, and provides a forum for the 50 plus volunteers in our area to talk about their successes and challenges. 

Since the program started, there has been an increase of over 50% (close to 100% in some areas) of these beautiful birds. They were diving in numbers about 15 years ago as they are quite susceptible to urban development, losing their habitat and nesting areas to human population growth. These boxes are built to special requirements by hard working volunteers, stored and distributed by our Audubon chapter (in this area), and lived in by these gorgeous birds.

My second and third photos include the male, who is much brighter in color and stands guard as the female goes in and out collecting pine needles and bits and pieces of materials to build the nest. While I was taking these photos, I observed the male occasionally looking into the hole while the female was in there building the nest. On a couple of instances, she chased him off and then went back to her duties.

Enjoy!