How the Bluebird Trail is helping conservation take flight

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Every spring, people of all ages leave downtown Saskatoon and head south to become citizen scientists along the Mary Houston Bluebird Trail.

The trail, which was established in 1969, is approximately 80 kilometers long, stretching just south of Langham, Sask. Just north of Hanley, Sask.

Every 400 metres, there is a small birdhouse attached to the fence.

Each of the 250 nest boxes acts as a temporary hollow tree, providing an important habitat for migratory birds that are monitored by volunteers.

Biologist and retired environmental teacher Greg Fenty leads the volunteer project for Saskatoon Young Naturalists Via Saskatoon Nature Society.

“A bluebird trail is basically a series of nest boxes that are arranged along a country road, in which bluebirds and tree swallows are monitored to see productivity, how many babies they have, and their survival, how long they live,” Fenty said.

This information helps researchers understand how bluebird and tree swallow populations change over time.

Bluebird populations declined by the 1950s due to habitat loss and pesticide use. After that, conservation and monitoring efforts increased.

The average lifespan of bluebirds can be up to eight years. They fly more than 3,000 kilometers southward during their migration.

When people sign up to volunteer, Fenty teaches them how to properly catch and band birds, and how to identify males, females, and different species. He has a scientific permit from the Canadian Wildlife Service, which is required to band the birds.

“Children learn to identify species by nest material, identify species by egg color, as well as how to identify the actual bird when we catch one,” Fenty said. “So we’re paying attention to how many eggs are in each box, and kids will come over to the box and check out the inside.”

For adults, it’s a chance to connect with nature as they learn with their children.

For children, it is a unique learning experience that teaches them how to observe the life cycle of a bird and eventually watch it fly.

Pai Srithamavut and his family moved to Canada in 2024.

She said she and her son wanted to volunteer for the Pacer Bluebird Trail project so they could learn more about the environment in their new home.

He said that being around birds has increased his interest in nature.

“How do birds hatch? How do they take care of their families?” Srithammavut said. “I want Pacer to experience not only humans on Earth, but also nature, our friends who live together on this Earth.”

Another volunteer, Betty McBride, said she loves visiting with her grandchildren.

She said the children really enjoy holding the baby birds, but she believes everything they learn is enriching their lives.

“We always have a better time outside than inside,” McBride said. “It’s really grown. Like, my grandchildren, especially my little grandson here, have become very interested in birds. And he can see birds anywhere, more than I can.”

Macy McWillie also remembers what it felt like to come here as a child.

He said such positive practical experiences shaped his future as a citizen scientist.

McWillie said, “It sparked my interest in birds in particular, but overall, being a naturalist, and marked the beginning of my career as a biologist.” “Especially with the Bluebird Project, it’s very hands-on, you’re not just watching from the sidelines or hearing about it, you’re actually actively participating in it.

“So it opens up that world that you can actually do this. And it inspired me to pursue a career after field work and actively do it myself.”

Like McWillie, many bluebirds also return.

Fenty said she has seen many birds wearing their bands return to the same boxes on the Mary Houston Bluebird Trail the following year.

In the early spring, long before volunteers hit the trail, the Saskatoon Young Naturalists group holds a workshop where Fenty teaches children to make wooden bird boxes. New boxes will replace old or damaged boxes before the nesting season begins.

Near the end of May, under Fenty’s guidance and supervision, volunteers will begin monitoring and banding the birds.

“There are so many different programs out there now where you can go out and do fun things outside,” Fenty told the Sask Outdoors Podcast. let’s talk outside In 2025.

“I want to try to keep the level of science up there as well. So you’re learning about biodiversity while you’re doing it.”