CUE Monitoring Projects
The CUE participates in long term monitoring projects as they
relate to the urban character of the Butler campus. Many
projects are pursued by an intern and then established as a long
term project. These monitoring projects provide students with
experience in field settings and serve as a backdrop for outreach
and education projects. All of our monitoring data is collected and
submitted to larger databases.
Eastern Bluebird Nest Boxes
Bluebirds are cavity nesters, preferring
decaying trees or old wooden fence posts as nesting sites. As a
result of specific nesting requirements, and competition with other
cavity nesting species, urban Eastern Bluebird populations have
been reduced dramatically. In an effort to return nesting Eastern
Bluebirds to the Butler campus, the CUE began a long-term
nesting box project to attract breeding Eastern Bluebirds. In
the spring of 2008 six nest boxes were placed on campus. Nest
boxes were carefully monitored and maintained. At the end of the
2008 nesting season, one of the boxes produced three Eastern
Bluebird fledglings. For more information about nest boxes and nest
watching please visit the Cornell
Ornithology Lab Nest Watch page.