Bluebirds

My heart gave a leap when I saw the flash of brilliant blue outside my living room window.

It meant that spring had arrived and with it the bluebird that lived in my bluebird house. And today, I saw not one, but two bluebirds!

And according to ancient Indian Lore the bluebird brings happiness, joy and prosperity. No wonder I was excited.

There are books, songs, and movies that tell of the Bluebird of Happiness. A most complete history can be found at Sialis. Sialis is the latinized Greek version of the word which means “kind of bird”.

The bluebird is a native of North America and was once common. These birds protected crops by eating insects and served as a planting and harvesting reminder.

They fly south each fall and return again in time for spring planting.

But over the years, land has been cleared, old trees have been cut down and the wooden fence posts that provided nesting cavities have been replaced with metal posts.

And to make matters worse, the house sparrow and European starling were imported to North America. These two aggressive birds will chase away a more timid bluebird.

Thomas Musselman of Quincy, Illinois is generally credited with starting the movement to save the bluebirds in 1926. Since then many others have worked to build special houses for bluebirds and to establish bluebird trails throughout the North American continent.

There are 18,567 nest boxes registered in a network of 360 trails throughout Canada and the United States. The longest one is a 2000 mile trail between Saskatchewan and Manitoba.