The eastern bluebird (Sialia sialis) sports a vivid shade of blue on its head and wings, with a red throat and breast, and bright-white belly-and thigh feathers. By the 1970s, this native bird was almost extinct in much of North America due to loss of habitat. Aggressive invasive species like house sparrows and European starlings outcompeted eastern bluebirds for vacant cavities in which to lay and protect their eggs. As part of the Susan Moran Memorial Bluebird Trail, Glenstone welcomes bluebirds to nest in more than 30 starling-proof boxes handcrafted by the Grounds team, expanding upon ongoing, successful local efforts to stabilize the beloved bird population. Besides charming the eye in meadows and open forests, bluebirds help manage pest populations, feeding almost exclusively on insects and arachnids.

–Jean Bascom, from the Glenstone Field Guide