The Western Bluebird (Sialia mexicana) was a common inhabitant in oak-prairie and other open habitats in western Washington and southwestern British Columbia until the early-1900's when habitat loss and fragmentation and competition for nest cavities from exotic species triggered a wave of extirpations across the region.
Since 2007, Ecostudies Institute and other conservation partners have been working to restore a regional population through reintroduction. Join us as Gary Slater, Executive Director of Ecostudies, talks about the first successful reintroduction of a migratory passerine species, the progress and setbacks to this conservation program, and the important role that private landowners play in the recovery of this iconic species.
Gary Slater is the founder and Executive Director of Ecostudies Institute (www.ecoinst.org). Gary oversees a broad science and outreach program aimed at advancing bird conservation. His current research focuses on the reintroduction ecology of passerines and shorebird monitoring and ecology in Puget Sound.