Bluebirds Across Nebraska (BAN) was organized in November of 1993 when a group of twenty-four concerned citizens met to determine what steps could be taken to increase the population of bluebirds in the state. None of these twenty-four people could have possibly imagined what would happen to this newly founded organization in just ten short years. BAN’s membership has grown from the original 24 to over 1,700 members.

There are numerous reasons for this dramatic increase in membership. One big reason is the County Coordinator program which was started in 1996. It is the goal of this program to have at least one person in every county who is available to put on workshops, work with children, be available to help people determine good bluebird habitat, help put up nesting boxes and make people in their community aware of the plight of bluebirds. The County Coordinators are the heart of BAN. In Nebraska there are presently 51 coordinators representing 47 counties. This number represents half of the counties in Nebraska. BAN also has eleven County Coordinators representing seven counties in Iowa. The County Coordinators not only hold workshops in their own counties, but also in surrounding counties and states where there are no coordinators.  Thus BAN has acquired many members from Iowa, Kansas and South Dakota. Recently, BAN has been fortunate to have members in both Kansas and South Dakota volunteer to become Coordinators of their counties.

Education has always been a top priority for BAN. Many members help with that effort by manning booths at the state fair, county fairs, plant shows and other festivals across the state. At these events, members visit with the public making them aware of bluebirds and teaching them what they can do to help increase the population; handouts on a broad range of bluebird topics are available for people to take home; and many new bluebirders are recruited.

The annual state conference held by BAN has been another valuable tool in educating the public and recruiting new members. Each year the conference is held in a different part of the state so that more people can be reached. BAN has a tradition of having top-notch speakers at these conferences who speak, not only about bluebirds, but also on a broad range of nature related topics. Because the majority of members are located in the eastern and central parts of the state, an additional conference was held in 2002 and in 2003 in the western portion of Nebraska. These conferences were well attended resulting in many new members. In addition to the conferences, four general meetings are held throughout the year. At the spring & summer meetings, which are also pot-luck picnics, members love to socialize and share their bluebird trail stories.

BAN’s excellent quarterly newsletter is another educational tool. This publication keeps members abreast of the activities of the organization, what other members are doing to increase the bluebird population and many nature related articles. Many articles are submitted by members telling of their successes or failures, questions or answers, problems or solutions, or anything they find interesting, helpful and entertaining.

The measure of success for any bluebird organization is the number of bluebirds fledged. This is where BAN really shines. In 1993, when the organization began, 1,606 bluebirds  were reported fledging from 1,975 boxes. In 2002, 26,135 bluebirds left their nests from 8,578 boxes. The Iowa members have also been very successful increasing from 280 fledgings in 1998 to 1,642 in 2002.

The increase in the bluebird population could never have taken place without the attention so many of the members of BAN give to their trails. Throughout the cool spring months and the hot summer months they untiringly monitor their bluebird boxes to make sure everything is as it should be.

The explosion of bluebirds in the state is also due to the dedication of the Box Production Committee of the organization. This group of volunteers, led by Almon “Connie” Conover and Sanford Downs, has built over 17,000 bluebird boxes which have been distributed not only across Nebraska but to many other states as well. These boxes are sold at very low prices so that people can afford to place more nesting sites on their land.

The members of BAN are dedicated to helping other cavity nesting birds. Towards this end two projects have recently been started. The first project to get underway was the building, erecting and monitoring of American kestrel boxes. On a stretch of Interstate 80 from Omaha to York, kestrel boxes were placed last winter at rest areas and interchanges in an effort to increase the numbers of these magnificent birds in our state. This summer members monitored the kestrel boxes while they monitored their bluebird boxes. This is a trial project and, if it proves successful, other boxes will be erected in the appropriate habitats. The other project is still in the planning stages and it will be an effort to help increase the number of wood ducks in the state.

In the past ten years, the members of Bluebirds Across Nebraska have truly brought bluebirds back to Nebraska and our neighboring states. This organization is one of the most successful conservation groups in the state. As Bluebirds Across Nebraska celebrates its tenth anniversary, we, as members, have many reasons to be proud.