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Download BRAW’s mail-in membership form to join or renew. Support bluebird conservation with easy offline registration options. MAIL-IN FORM Use this form to: Apply for Membership Renew A Membership Give A Gift Membership Download Mail-in Form

Key summer tasks for bluebird trail upkeep, nest box checks, and fledgling support.

Important Note- Read first Andy and/or or Site collaborators: This page contains a legacy membership form for emergency restoration purposes. It is not visible to site visitors and should not be indexed or linked publicly. Please use the current form at: /mail-in-membership-form Please use the Membership Mail-in Form or the Online Membership Form below to: Apply for Membership Renew Membership Give A Gift Membership MEMBERSHIP MAIL-IN FORM Click button to Get Your Mail-in Printable Form for New, Renewal or Gift Membership Get Mail-in Form ONLINE MEMBERSHIP FORM Instructions 1. Fill-in the form below if you plan to submit and pay online. 2. Remember the amount you entered in this form as you need it to complete the payment page . 3. When done - r eview entries then if OK click SUBMIT - a new page appears, this is the Payment Options Menu page. 4. Choose your mode of payment - Check by Mail or Online Payment - and double-check entries 5. Click ADD TO CART - The PayPal payment page appears. Select your desired membership . Fields marked with an * are required. First Name Last Name Street Address State Zip / Post Code City County Email Phone Number Use Checkbox to Select Desired Membership * Required Annual Gift Membership (Online subscription is mailed to gift recipient) - $10 USD Student/Teacher Annual Membership - $15 USD Online Annual Membership - $20 USD Extended Online Annual Membership for 2 years - $ 40 USD Extended Online Annual Membership for 3 years - $ 60 USD Individual or FamilyMembership (printed copy mailed) - 25 USD Individual or Family Membership (printed copy mailed) - for 2 years - $50 USD Individual or Family Membership (printed copy mailed) - for 3 years - $75 USD Corporate Annual Membership - $100 USD Life Membership - $300 USD Nature of the Membership * Required This is a RENEWAL Membership. This is a NEW Membership. This is a GIFT Membership. Please enter: First & Last Name, Address and email of person receiving this gift in box below. You cannot gift yourself a membership. Comments: Submit Form & Pay Online Your form has been successfully submitted. Thank You! An error occurred. Try again later

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IN LOVING MEMORY OF Carol J. McDaniel July 1, 1948 - May 9, 2021 On May 9, 2021, Carol Jean Mc Daniel passed away. She was passionate about restoring bluebird populations. In 1981, Carol organized the Lafayette County Bluebird Society. As a lifelong member of BRAW she made notable contributions enhancing field operations, restoration activity effectiveness, and proudly rose to serve as its president. Among numerous accomplishments were Carol's tenure as vice-president and director of the North American Bluebird Society and authoring the Eastern Bluebird species count for the "Atlas of Breeding Birds of Wisconsin" by the Wisconsin Society of Ornithology. Her persistent commitment and support of BRAW's restoration activities are legendary . Carol Remembers - Celebrating 35 Years With BRAW Course Name The Carol's commitment to the to the restoration of bluebird populations continues today via Carol's generous gift donation enabling BRAW's Board of Directors to create the Carol McDaniel Legacy Fund to honor her memory. This fund supports: • A leadership award named in Carol's honor, • Perpetual recognition on the BRAW website • The Carol McDaniel Legacy Nest Box Program • Named grants for bluebird research • Long-term sustainability endowment fund.

BRAW Newsletter Archive Current Edition Archive Note T he most current edition is mailed to our members and is not available for public viewing until the next quarterly newsletter is sent to our members. 2027 Spr i ng Summer Fall Winter 2026 Spring Summer Fa ll Winte r 2025 Spring Summer Fall Winter 2024 Spring Summer Fall Winter 2023 Spr i ng Sum mer Fall Winter 2022 Spring Summer Fa ll Winte r 2021 Spring Summer Fall Winter 2020 Spring Summer Fall Winter 2019 Spring Summer Fall Winter 2018 Spring Summer Fall Winter 2017 Spring Summer Fall Winter 2016 Spring Summer Fall Winter Wisconsin Bluebird Newsletter Archive WB Newsletter Archive

Learn how to start a bluebird trail in Wisconsin. BRAW offers expert tips, nest box placement guides, and seasonal advice for new monitors. Starting A Trail BRAW Informational Packet: Attracting Eastern Bluebirds & Other Cavity Nesters by Kent Hall, Ph. D. and Pat Ready, Editor (26 pages) This booklet pulls together the collective experiences of people who work especially in the interest of bluebirds, particularly those persons who record and summarize their nest box data and whom we term monitors. It is our hope that this Informational Packet will bring you better understanding about how to succeed in helping this bird “with the sky on its back.” Click to open Information Packet (Photos by Pat Ready) Kent Guidelines for Successful Monitoring of Eastern Bluebird Nest Boxes By Kent D. Hall, Ph. D. Frequently asked questions General3 What are the best Locations for a Bluebird Trail? Location... Location... Location... Ideal sites: • Short, sparse grass with interspersed trees • Cemeteries • Golf courses • Parks • Business park • Bike trails • Rail Road tracks What are the best Perch Sites? • One or more trees (10’ ideal) within 100’ (preferably closer) to the front or to one side of nest box (most hunting starts on a perch and these trees are vital for use as survival perches when chicks first fledge) • Fences (barbed, electric, wooden) • Electrical wires (no more than 30’ high preferred), clothes lines • Boxes should be totally exposed to sun-light from sunrise until noon; thereafter, shading is permissible • Need a territorial forage area of 1-3 acres of predominantly open habitat • Noisy sites okay (interstates, other roadways, railroads, temporary air shows, church picnics) • Roadways with limited traffic can be ideal nest box sites and adults and young chicks are rarely killed by traffic. What are the best Perch Sites? • One or more trees (10’ ideal) within 100’ (preferably closer) to the front or to one side of nest box (most hunting starts on a perch and these trees are vital for use as survival perches when chicks first fledge) • Fences (barbed, electric, wooden) • Electrical wires (no more than 30’ high preferred), clothes lines • Boxes should be totally exposed to sun-light from sunrise until noon; thereafter, shading is permissible • Need a territorial forage area of 1-3 acres of predominantly open habitat • Noisy sites okay (interstates, other roadways, railroads, temporary air shows, church picnics) • Roadways with limited traffic can be ideal nest box sites and adults and young chicks are rarely killed by traffic. How close should the boxes be? • Space no closer than 100-200 yards (1-3 acre territories needed): • encourages Tree Swallow occupation if boxes are placed closer than this. • Pairing reduces bluebird and increases swallow production/box When should you relocate the boxes? Change the nest box position if there has been no bluebird nesting attempt in a season OR Change by the end of the following April (75-90% of nest boxes have been occupied by bluebirds by then) • if no nesting has occurred by the end of April your 2nd nesting season, it is sign that your site is unappealing to bluebirds. • But moving the to better nest sites still gives you a 50:50 chance of occupancy for the season. What are the best Box Styles and Dimensions? Box Style/Dimensions: In “the wild”, bluebirds prefer to occupy old woodpecker holes that are not usually very large or deep • Shallow, narrow boxes work best: • 4-5” below the bottom of the hole as maximum depth • 4 x 4”, 4 x 5” nesting platform (inside dimensions) • No vents or keep vents closed until June 1 to prevent wind chill from killing eggs and/or chicks. The summer of 2012 showed that high temperatures can kill chicks in nest boxes. But cold weather has still proven to be more damaging than heat. Since it is likely that the changing climate assures high summer temperatures in the future, we recommend monitors consider making their boxes “convertible” by dropping side doors in the summer and replacing them at the end of the season. For Peterson Boxes: • Holes can be drilled at the top of one side and a piece of “lathe board” placed over them until June 1. • A single or pair of screws can be used to seal the openings during spring. The main thing to do here is to produce air circulation to prevent heat buildup as in an attic. • On the other hand, in the southwestern part of the state where black flies are a problem, screens should be placed over the openings to prevent ease of black fly entry. • Oval hole small enough to keep out starlings & cowbirds • Don’t use predator guards on box fronts ( • Too thick for bluebirds) or perches on boxes (used by predator birds such as sparrows & kestrels). Instead, use a predator guard on your mounting post or make the mounting post your predator guard (3/4” electrical conduit preferred. See detailed plans.(javascript:void(0)) In which direction should the boxes be? • Keep away from prevailing westerly winds (cools boxes) • Use the same direction for all boxes. • Cornell University has determined that directing the opening of a nest box to the north-east, east or southeast improves the fledging rate of Eastern Bluebirds in northern latitudes. • Apparently, boxes pointed in that direction, heat up more quickly in the mornings in cold weather but do not collect as much heat from a southern exposure in summer. What are the nest boxes recommended by BRAW? BRAW recommends using nest boxes that have proven to be highly attractive to bluebirds. These boxes are: • Shallow (4-5” from bottom of hole to nesting platform) • Narrow (4” x 4” nesting platforms), have oval openings (1 3/8” x 2 ¼”) • Are unvented (vents can be opened after June 1 in areas where black flies are not prevalent). Any box that meets these specifications is recommended by BRAW. Read more…(javascript:void(0))