Arlington Bluebirds is a volunteer-run initiative to provide essential habitat to Eastern Bluebirds and other native cavity-nesting birds in and around Arlington, Virginia. We build and monitor nest box trails and teach people how to support native birds. We serve as:

STEWARDS – We install nest boxes and monitor them weekly to ensure that native birds have a fighting chance with fewer predators, pests, and invasive competitors disrupting their nesting. 

CITIZEN SCIENTISTS – We collect data on eggs, nestlings, and timing to advance nesting and conservation research.

EDUCATORS – We offer programs to schools, community organizations, and businesses so that people can make a difference in their own backyards, businesses, and communities. 

This initiative is a collaborative effort between:

• Our volunteers who are the powerhouse forces that plan, build, dig, monitor, educate, and connect with members of the community. They are naturalists, neighbors, students, scouts, teachers, and park staff.
• The Virginia Bluebird Society leadership who grants all nest box kits on public land and provides training material on nest box monitoring.
• Arlington Regional Master Naturalists (ARMN) which trains master naturalists who volunteer on our trails and funds some monitoring supplies and educational materials.
• Arlington County Department of Parks and Recreation staff which approve nest box locations and install some nest boxes. 
• Private contributors including Ron Knipling, Crystal City Business Improvement District, Columbia Gardens Cemetery, and Cassidy Greenwalt (for her Girl Scout Gold Award project).

To learn more about nest box monitoring, see What We Do.

(Eastern Bluebird egg photo © Alison Davis-Holland)