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Every year, individuals of all ages depart Saskatoon and travel south to participate as citizen scientists along the Mary Houston Bluebird Trail.
The trail, established in 1969, stretches approximately 80 kilometers from just below Langham, Sask. to slightly above Hanley, Sask.
At intervals of 400 meters, small birdhouses are attached to fences, serving as essential nesting sites for migrating birds monitored by volunteers.
Greg Fenty, a biologist and retired environmental educator, leads this volunteer initiative for the Saskatoon Young Naturalists through the Saskatoon Nature Society.
According to Fenty, the Bluebird Trail comprises nest boxes along a rural road that are monitored to track the productivity and survival rates of bluebirds and tree swallows.
These observations aid researchers in monitoring changes in bluebird and tree swallow populations over time.
Past declines in bluebird populations, attributed to habitat loss and pesticide use until the 1950s, prompted increased conservation and monitoring efforts.
Bluebirds, with an average lifespan of up to eight years, undertake over 3,000 kilometers of migration southwards.
Volunteers receive training from Fenty on bird handling, banding, and species identification, essential for monitoring and conservation efforts. Fenty holds a scientific permit from the Canadian Wildlife Service for bird banding.
