SAVE the DATE!

2024 Missouri Bluebird Conference

July 12th – 14th

On the Campus of the beautiful Hannibal-LaGrange University
Hannibal, Missouri

The event will feature Workshops and Educational Programs, Field Trips to surrounding Nature Trails, a Silent Auction/Raffle, Saturday evening Social, and the Annual Friday evening “Bluebird Banquet”.
Rumor has it that Hannibal’s own Tom Sawyer and Becky Thatcher will be making an appearance during the conference!

Registration forms available now by clicking here!

There is no specific host hotel, however wonderful lodging options abound

Check back here for updates

You will also want to visit the Hannibal website: http://www.visithannibal.com

We’ll keep you posted!

A New Way!

Thanks to Laura Samuels we now have a new way to send in our MOBS 2023 Nesting Report. Scan the QR code below with your phone camera and you will be asked if you want to open a link. Answer yes and a form will open for you to insert your information and send.

2023 Missouri Bluebird Society Conference

July 14th – 16th
Lincoln University Carver Farm
Jefferson City, MO

Featuring FUN & Educational Field Trips and Presentations!

For the latest schedule of events and silent auction form please click here!

Speakers include:

Nadia Navarrete-Tindall, Native Plant Specialist

Bob Peak who has managed over 200 nest boxes for the past 33 years and has kept exceptional records on his trails.

Ivan Ray Miller shares his birding knowledge and decades of experience!

And of course: Our Annual Friday Bluebird Banquet, Saturday Picnic, and time spent together at the one and only “Mockingbird Hill” for food, friendship, and bird walks.

For additional information or to register please click here!

2022 Missouri Bluebird Conference

July 8th thru July 10th
Springfield Botanical Gardens
Springfield, Missouri

Please join us for a weekend filled with great events, all in ONE gorgeous location!

Conference attendees will have Free Time to Explore the Springfield Botanical Garden’s many Attractions!
•Dozens of Themed & CollectionG ardens ( 8Plants, Herb, Roses, Level II Accredited Arboretum, Mosaic Garden, Hosta, Rain Garden, English Garden, Woodland Garden and more!)
•An Active Bluebird Trail!
•Gray/Campbell Farmstead (Discover life in the 1860s!)
•Roston NATIVE Butterfly House
•Master Gardeners Demonstration Gardens (a teaching Garden with abundant educational projects!)
•7.5 acre Japanese Stroll Garden!
•Audubon “Bubbler”/Native Tapestry Garden

For additional information on the 2022 Missouri Bluebird Conference please click here!

For additional information on the 2022 Missouri Bluebird Conference speakers, please click here!

2021 Missouri Bluebird Conference

You are Invited to the 2021 Missouri Bluebird Conference!

Please join the Missouri Bluebird Society as Bluebirders and nature enthusiasts gather on July 9th- 11th in Jefferson City, Missouri for a special time devoted to learning more about our native cavity nesting birds. There will be a variety of venues and environments in an attempt to accommodate various comfort levels for social gatherings. This year’s conference is designed to allow attendees to register and attend all events at the entire conference–or pick and choose the events you are comfortable attending and register only for those.  

Like so many other events last year, our 2020 Bluebird Conference had to be cancelled due to the pandemic. We are so pleased to be able to offer this opportunity for us all to get together again and to welcome new folks just discovering the wonderful world of Bluebirds and Bluebird enthusiasts!

For additional information on the 2021 Missouri Bluebird Conference please click here.

Steve Garr
Missouri Bluebird Society, President

One of those winters in Missouri

Fielding calls about “winterkilled” Bluebirds in nest boxes
by MOBS President Steve Garr

The artic blast we received here in Missouri and other areas in mid February was certainly hard on our Bluebirds. Scattered reports have started coming in of finding dead bluebirds in nest boxes. Periodically, areas have winters with extended severe cold that result in this situation with Bluebirds in particular. Often, in these circumstances the Bluebird “hosts” feel they have done something wrong or didn’t do something they should have. Please know that is truly not the case in the vast majority of these cases. I think rarely is lack of food or water the cause. For the most part it involves the habit of our Eastern Bluebirds of piling into a cavity (whether a nest box or corner or piece of equipment or whatever) to stay warm. Even when you have SEVERAL nest boxes available within feet of each other they will all pile into just one or two. In these super cold temps for such a long time, sadly, the birds on the bottom can just get smothered.

Please do not think this means you need to close up nest boxes! They provide such valuable winter cover for many birds. However, while Carolina Wrens or Downy Woodpeckers or Chickadees may roost in the boxes for warmth they rarely roost in them with more than one or a few individuals. ( I have never seen a box with more than one Downy at a time roosting in the box.) Bluebirds on the other hand can sometimes have 20 or more birds inside a standard size nest box. (sometimes the last one in still has their tail sticking out of the box). This is OK unless they are in there for an extended length of time under extreme temps. If you have a very successful breeding season (which is great!) and lots of Bluebirds, you are more likely to see more dead bluebirds in the boxes in these unusually cold years.

There has been some research and much speculation as to whether or not these “winterkilled” birds in the nest boxes are local resident birds or if in mid to late February some of them could be birds that were on their way back north to their breeding grounds. I don’t know the answer to that question positively, however I do know that here in Missouri we generally have the highest number of Bluebirds coming to our feeders, bird baths, and yards in the month of February.

My good friend (and MOBS member) Bob Peak has perhaps done more research and documentation on “winterkill” in Bluebirds than anyone I know. Bob and his wife Judy monitor an extensive nest box trail at Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area. They also maintain a trail in Henderson, KY . The Peaks have a vast number of boxes (over 200) and decades of winters and nesting season data from which to pull when researching the loss of bluebirds in the winter in nest boxes. Naturally when I began getting calls a few weeks ago about dead Bluebirds in boxes I reached out to the Peaks. Given the size of their trail and the number of boxes they monitor, it was not surprising to hear they had also been finding dead bluebirds in some of their nest boxes. Bob wrote a very interesting paper concerning winterkilled bluebirds which can be found on the NABS Website in the Summer 2016 issue of the Bluebird Journal.

Roosting boxes ( boxes designed for roosting and not nesting) and roosting box plans are available fairly widely. Some Bluebirders feel they are very beneficial to use– others do not. Perhaps that is a good topic for a future newsletter.

This I do know: As important as it is for us all to turn in our Trail Summary Report each season to MOBS’ nesting data chair Greg Samuel—this year it will be even more important. Enclosed in the Winter 2021 newsletter is a recording form for you to make copies and use on your trail if you would like. (this is not the SUMMARY report form you will turn in to Greg. That form can be found by clicking this link and is distributed annually in the newsletter). How ever you choose to collect nest box data on your trail, be sure to send your summary report to Greg at the end of the 2021 nesting season.

I know this is not happy news or a fun part of birding but I thought it was important info to have and I hope Bluebirders will take heart in knowing their efforts for our native cavity nesters ARE worthwhile and beneficial. Thank you all who have been hosting bluebirds year -round in Missouri.

2020 Mail-in Raffle Winners!

Because we had to cancel our 2020 conference due to the pandemic, (thus eliminating our Annual Auction/Raffle) MOBS Board elected to host a mail-in Raffle . Sixty Eight members participated and MOBS raised $945.00!

And the Winners Are…

Audubon Great Blue Heron Print:
Dana and Ethan Duke,
Marshall, MO

Audubon House Wren Print:
Dana and Ethan Duke,
Marshall, MO

The Darling Bird Quilt:
Cindy and Joy Haeffner,
Hermann, MO

Audubon Oriole Print:
Leonard (pictured) and Ellen
Conrad, Stover, MO

The Bluebird Basket:
Fred and Susan Burk,
Kirkwood, MO

Thank you to all who participated!

Raffle to benefit MOBS!

Raffle tickets are now on sale for several framed Audubon prints, a bluebird basket and a darling bird quilt. Additional information and raffle ticket form can be found at the following link:

Raffle tickets for sale NOW to benefit MOBS!

This raffle is open to anyone wishing to support the Missouri Bluebird Society! Please note, MOBS will only ship items at no charge to addresses within the 48 contiguous United States.

2020 Conference Canceled

Dear Bluebirders and Friends,

After much deliberation, and in the interest of safety to our MOBS members, conference attendees, and all who would be involved in the event, the Board of Directors of the Missouri Bluebird Society has elected to cancel the 2020 Missouri Bluebird Conference, originally scheduled for July 10th -12th. There are no plans at this time to reschedule the 2020 conference. While we are sad to make this announcement, we hope everyone will appreciate that, given the issues caused by the global Covid pandemic, we will be putting safety first and looking forward to a wonderful conference 2021.

I am very proud of our entire Board for coming together (electronically) to discuss and come to this decision. Each Board Member is an asset to MOBS and we are all fortunate to have such dedicated and talented individuals volunteering their time and efforts for our Society.

We also certainly appreciate each of our MOBS members and thank you for the work you all do to further Bluebird and cavity-nester Conservation in your part of the world.

Please know that this cancellation does not preclude the possibility of MOBS-sponsored learning events in a variety of alternative fashions prior to our 2021 Missouri Bluebird Conference. We will keep you posted on any developments and are looking forward to seeing everyone again!

Do what you can to help the Bluebirds,
Steve Garr
Missouri Bluebird Society, President

2020 Missouri Bluebird Society Conference

Save The Dates!

July 10-12,  2020

Jefferson City, Missouri

Watch for updates on speakers, field trips, and more here on the MOBS
website and Facebook page and in upcoming issues of The Fledgling.