NEST BOX PROGRAM

The Shuswap Naturalist Club, in collaboration with the Salmon Arm Bay Nature Enhancement Society, actively participates in a bird nest box program to support local bird populations. This program involves building, installing, and maintaining nesting boxes for various species, including swallows, chickadees, bluebirds, owls and ducks which rely on cavities for nesting. The program has expanded in recent years and now involves more than 100 boxes. Data are collected annually to document nesting success and help guide improvements to the program. This Salmon Arm Observer article provides an excellent description of the recent history of this project, including a short video.

For anyone wishing to install their own nest box, the Cornell University website has excellent information on box configurations, siting and other important factors. Check All About Birdhouses within their Project NestWatch program site. At this site, you will learn what birds the habitat in your yard might attract for nesting and what features a nest box should have to appeal to those birds.  Once you have decided which species you want to attract you can download plans to build a suitable box. For those wanting to purchase nest boxes (fully assembled or kits), please check the Shuswap Makerspace Facebook page.

Coordinator Dianne Wittner at work maintaining records for the nest box program.