BBRP To Pounce On Those Who Break The Rules
Long known for friendly promotion of bluebird conservation, the
Minnesota Bluebird Recovery Program (BBRP) has decided to turn its
common sense management recommendations into rules and pounce of those
who break them. (See “Bluebird News” March, 2009.) Through its “Keep
Bluebirds Safe” program the organization is encouraging members to
patrol the state and take down poorly mounted and poorly placed nest
boxes as well as any that aren’t visited weekly during the bluebird
nesting season.
Poorly placed nest boxes include any located in town or near trees,
wetlands and livestock farms. Presumably removing these boxes will
benefit bluebirds and discourage house sparrows and other undesirable
species such as wrens, chickadees and tree swallows.
The BBRP appropriately encourages members to work with scouts, 4-H
groups, sportsman groups and others that make boxes to “get them on
the right track.” It then subverts this goal by advising members to
encourage would be bluebird conservationists to build bird feeders or
suet feeders instead.
BBRP’s mission seems to be moving from education to enforcement. It’s
probably only a matter of time before conserving bluebirds requires a
license or certificate from BBRP and permission to leave home or go on
vacation during bluebird nesting season.
Bob Bystrom
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