A Study to Determine Whether Natural Camouflage Will Increase Usage of Artificial Nesting Boxes by Eastern Bluebird, Tree Swallow and Chickadees

Previous studies at the Powell River Project Education Center Bluebird Trail have involved comparisons between standard nesting boxes and open topped design, boxes that were modified by enlarging the holes to 2.75 inches, and most recently, the wedge shaped Peterson Box. The one factor that all these boxes had in common was that they were made of plain hewn wood. For this study, one box at each site was covered with tree bark to determine whether the three species of birds common along the trail (Eastern Bluebird, Tree Swallow and Chickadee) had a preference for naturally camouflaged nesting boxes over the hewn lumber boxes. Birds built nests and laid eggs in both camouflaged and hewn lumber boxes; however, only one clutch laid in an unadorned box successfully fledged.