Monitoring Eastern Bluebirds in a Suburban Neighborhood and Their Surprising Adaptability

For many years, Al Sherkow has been the area’s busiest, most experienced and most-in-demand bird bander, working on monitoring projects at the Urban Ecology Center, Riveredge Nature Center, and the Mequon Nature Preserve. During 2022, Al and his wife moved from Whitefish Bay to Bayside. He soon started banding in his yard and sharing with his new neighbors the wonder of seeing birds up close and the process of banding them. A neighbor noticed birds flying out of an unused wooden newspaper holder under a mailbox. Al looked and Eastern Bluebirds were building a nest there. In 2025, he monitored 19 traditional bluebird nest boxes, and 18 newspaper holders. These latter birds aren’t following the guidelines for placing bluebird boxes. That they are using the newspaper holders is an interesting adaptation to expand their range into this suburban neighborhood. Al and his neighbors have learned a lot, and this program will share it with you.

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