Dawn Fonfara-Pierrynowski, Bert Miller Nature Club, FEO April 14, 2022, VOL. 3 ISSUE 17
Holes in nature are important. As woodlots, forests and chimneys disappear they become critical to the survival of many birds and other species of animals that require a hole or cavity. Woodpeckers are primary excavators of holes. Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, Downy, Red-headed, Pileated and Hairy Woodpeckers all drum out a hole for nesting and once a hole has become empty other birds and animals called secondary cavity nesters move in. The new tenants may include: Eastern Bluebirds, flycatchers, swallows, Prothonotary Warblers, owls, nuthatches, sparrows, Carolina Wrens, Tufted Titmice, Chimney Swifts and Wood Ducks. Purple Martins are dependent on humans to supply cavities for their survival. Birds aren’t the only animals that use holes to survive. Wasps, bumblebees, deer mice, Southern Flying Squirrels, opossums, and weasels are a few to watch for. What biodiversity! Who knew all these living things depend on holes and much more?
Dr, Alexandra Moore, Senior Education Associate at the Paleontological Research Institution in Ithaca, N.Y. was observing bluebirds in her backyard in March and wondered what insects they were eating at that time of the year. She thought that bluebirds were solely insect eaters but she discovered that in fact they were omnivores.
She had been thinking about clearing out her overgrown sumacs and fortunately for the bluebirds never got around to it. Insects had pollinated the sumac flowers which produced large, bright-red sumac fruit clusters. These bluebirds depended on the fruit from sumacs from the previous summer for their late winter, early spring survival. She watched as the sumac fruit clusters grew raggedy and small and by April, caterpillars, spiders and other bugs supplied the bluebirds with most of the food they needed.
There is a large circle of organisms in a food web that Bluebirds and other species depend on for survival. They need food, other plant species for cover from predators, materials for nesting and, yes, cavities (holes) to raise their young. Many plants are dependent on pollinators, microorganisms and fungi in the soil. Bluebirds need insects for food for themselves and their young. Insects need plants to host their eggs and feed their larvae and themselves. Living things depend on one another. This includes humans who are also dependent on this web of biodiversity to support their needs of good food, clean water, shelter and a place to raise children.
People can help wildlife by keeping some dead trees, creating wildlife corridors and by leaving remaining woodlots and forests intact. Citizens can build, monitor and maintain nest boxes for cavity dwellers. More biodiversity means a healthier environment for all.
“The Bert Miller Nature Club and the Greater Fort Erie Secondary School (GFESS) are doing their part to help the Eastern Bluebird population. Collaboration was started with Principal,Fred Louws, Technology Program Lead Gaston Letourneau, Construction Teacher Peter Clark and Cooperative Education Lead Bill Connor.”
Photo: Left to right.
Nafasat Rehmani, Owen Gautreau, Lorelie Lavergne, Brayden Leaver, William Everett and Nolan McClellan.
Teachers: Bill Connor, Sandra Mackenzie. Bert Miller Nature Club: President, Deb Sherk; Board member, Dawn Pierrynowski
