February cold snap, deep snow caused bluebird kill

When their food is covered by snow and temperatures fall into the 20s, teens and lower for too many days in a row, the result is dead bluebirds. Jim Coffman, local coordinator with the Ohio Bluebird Society, said he found the sad news Saturday when he visited his bluebird nesting box trails at Forrest and Garlo Heritage nature preserves. "I was out to Forrest and Garlo parks last Saturday to clean, as needed, any of the boxes that make up the trails there. This is a chore that is done in February as preparation for the bluebirds and their nesting season," Coffman said. "Ones that migrated south are coming back and others that were able to hang around during winter would be looking for a cavity to nest in. "In both parks, the worst happened," he said. "There was a loss of six bluebirds each — a total of 12 — and it was very disappointing, but not unexpected." Coffman said winter kill is widespread, and not confined to nest box trails. "For Seneca County, the loss is hundreds and maybe reaching into the thousand level," he said. "No one knows the resident population numbers nor mortality rate." When bluebirds face extended snow and cold temperatures, they often migrate to the south where harsh weather happens for a few days followed nicer weather for several days. "Down there, they're able to forage soon enough to maintain body fat, which maintains them through each night," he said. "The recent extended snow cover and cold prevented them from finding food. They would retreat to the nest box, if available, at days end, then be too weak the next morning to leave. While my trails have boxes for them to roost in, I'm unable help their food needs." Coffman said bluebirds eat a lot of insects during their nesting season and through summer and into early fall. "As colder days come along, they kind of switch to any berry trees and bushes whose fruit become more palatable during the winter," he said. "Matter of fact, there are quite a few natural food items that lend themselves to this fruit-type class, even buds on some trees and saplings become a food source." During winter especially, Coffman said people who feed them are the salvation of bluebirds and similar birds. "People can provide food in the form of meal worms, unsweetened currents or homemade morsels with ingredients like crunchy peanut butter, corn meal and small bits of unsweetened fruit," he said. "Water is very important all the time, summer and winter."