Virginia Bluebird Society

The Virginia Bluebird Society (VBS) was founded in 1999 to promote bluebirds and other native cavity nesters. VBS is affiliated with The North American Bluebird Society (NABS) and is a Chapter of the Virginia Society of Ornithology (VSO).

Our Organizational Goals

Promote bluebird conservation projects among our members and other groups.

Establish and support a statewide network of bluebird trails.

Create a consistent protocol for monitoring and record keeping of nest box trails.

Be a resource for research and data collection of native cavity nesters in the State of Virginia.

Develop educational programs and materials to promote bluebird awareness.

Volunteers Needed

Do you enjoy nature and walking in the outdoors? The Virginia Bluebird Society is always looking for volunteers to monitor its bluebird box trails in locations all over the State of Virginia. No experience is needed, as we will train anyone who is interested in spending a couple of hours, one week a month, working as a member of a team on one of our VBS trails. You would be taking your turn counting and recording the eggs and chicks inside bluebird boxes especially designed for cavity nesting birds. It can be very enjoyable walking these trails in our beautiful state's public lands. If you have the time, and would be interested in seeing birds up close, Contact your VBS county coordinator [see our list on this web site] or Barbara Chambers the VBS State Coordinator at bj.chambers@cox.net.

About the Virginia Bluebird Society

We started in Northern Virginia in 1996 with 3 trails (41 boxes), and fledged 139 bluebirds as well as 22 other cavity nesters

Since 1996, VBS nest boxes have fledged over 70,000 Bluebirds, Chickadees, Tree Swallows, and House Wrens! See the detailed results on the Trail Statistics page.

With our encouragement all golf courses in the Northern Virginia Regional Park System are working to become certified under the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary System

In conjunction with the North American Bluebird Society, we have established links with the Transcontinental Bluebird Trail (TBT). Our VBS sponsored links in the TBT are at Meadowlark Gardens in Vienna, VA and the Frontier Culture Museum in Staunton, VA. These model bluebird trails will educate the public on bluebirds and highlight the work of VBS.

Transcontinental Bluebird Trail

The Virginia Bluebird Society's inaugural trail in the North American Bluebird Society's (NABS) Transcontinental Bluebird Trail (TBT) network, was established on June 17, 2000 in Meadowlark Gardens near Vienna, Virginia. Visitors to the park are welcome to tour this model TBT trail throughout the spring and summer bluebird breeding season using a self-guided bluebird trail brochure, available at the visitor center. This bluebird trail in Meadowlark Gardens is one of many across the United States and Canada which comprise the NABS TBT. The project’s goal is to foster interest in bluebird trails by designating educational model trails in each state as examples of how to establish and monitor bluebird trails. For more information on the NABS TBT program visit their website www.nabluebirdsociety.org and look under NABS Programs.

Contact Information

If you need to contact us you can use the email or snail mail addresses below
Virginia Bluebird Society 726 William Street, Fredericksburg, VA 22401

President: Anne Little   thegate@cox.net
Vice President:  Beth Elkins   beth_elkins@yahoo.com
Vice President:  Carmen Bishop   cjbish@aol.com
Secretary:  Janet H. Locklear   jlocklear@rstarmail.com
Treasurer:  David Mitchell   mitchelldf@donttaptheglass.com
Board:  Nan LaRue   nan.larue@cox.net
Board:  G. Earl Morris, Jr.   emorris@ntelos.net
Board:  Helen Ellis   Hedi143@aol.com
Board:  Stephen Living   stephen.living@dgif.virginia.gov
Board:  Brian Swanson   bcswanson@comcast.net
Past President:  Julie Kutruff   JKutruff@aol.com
Bird Box Editor:  Sarah McDade  sarahmcdade@aol.com
Data Manager:  Charlie Chambers   ce.chambers@cox.net
State-County Coordinator:  Barbara Chambers   bj.chambers@cox.net