Photos by Steve Bloom/The Olympian
Dave Wurzbach transports an American kestrel near its birdhouse in west Lewis County.

Wurzbach transports an American kestrel bird from its home to his truck for leg banding.

Baby American kestrels peer out from their birdhouse.

Working for the birds

Volunteer helps monitor the American kestrel population

TARYN GERHARDT, FOR THE OLYMPIAN

Originally published June 26, 2001

LEWIS COUNTY -- Dave Wurzbach spends his weekends monitoring birds in the prairies across Western Washington.

The Tacoma resident builds nest boxes for and bands American kestrels, a type of falcon formerly called a sparrow hawk.

The birder dedicates countless hours researching the life history and creating nesting opportunities for the raptors.

The farmland and prairies around Lewis County are excellent habitat for the birds, he said.

His work is part of a banding project he took up more than three years ago. He monitors the birds and compiles reports that are required by the banding permitting agencies -- the USGS Bird Banding Laboratory and the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife.

The information gathered helps the agencies formulate wildlife-management plans and helps track mortality rates and population trends.

Kestrels are one of the most common falcons and are widespread across North and South America.

However, Wurzbach has found that local populations have declined in the past couple of years.

"They have never been endangered, at least not yet," Wurzbach said.

He wants to keep it that way, and that desire, along with his feeling for the environment and a desire to raise awareness about the impact humans have on nature, drives Wurzbach to his volunteer bird work.

"It's hard to appreciate them if you don't know they exist," Wurzbach said.

Army of volunteers

Wurzbach is not a biologist, and he does the work on his own time using his own resources. He is one of 2,000 people nationally, besides federal and state biologists and university researchers, to hold permits to band and collect data on specified birds.

These robin-size falcons do not build nests of their own. They inhabit cavities, such as holes in trees or human-made structures throughout North and South America. They compete with European starlings for nests.

Wurzbach builds nest boxes that attract the birds, then bands the hatchlings so he can gather information about the life span and population dynamics. Some migrate south for the winter while others are year-round residents.

When a banded bird is found, the information is sent to a USGS laboratory in Maryland. In return, the lab contacts Wurzbach and gives him the data.

In more than three years, Wurzbach has banded more than 200 birds in 98 nest boxes around Puget Sound.

He sees it is as a mixed blessing when a band comes back because he knows the bird is either injured or dead, but the excitement of getting the information back inspires him.

"When you do get one back, it's like a jewel," Wurzbach said.

Spreading the word

To help raise awareness about the birds and foster an appreciation for nature, he works with area Boy Scout and Girls Scout troops, giving presentations and creating nest-box projects.

Ray Congdon, a parent who is active in the Boy Scouts, worked with Wurzbach to create nest-box projects with scouts in the Enumclaw area.

Wurzbach gave a slide and educational presentation and then worked with Congdon and the scouts to build nest boxes. The scouts monitor and visit the boxes throughout the year.

Congdon and his son, Josh, a 10-year-old Cub Scout, monitor the boxes weekly.

"Sometimes people build birdhouses and just leave them, and think they are doing something good, but they really aren't," Congdon said.

"Whatever we do to nature, we will eventually reap the outcome -- good or bad."

Wurzbach would like more people to have the opportunity to learn more about kestrels.

He has several nest boxes he would donate to private landowners that have large open areas or are adjacent to such areas.

Wurzbach got interested in kestrels after watching the birds in Southern California, where he grew up.

When he became interested in studying raptors as an adult, kestrels were a natural choice.

"It's not that they are any better or any worse than any type of bird," he said.

"I don't look at it as a hobby, but many people do."

Taryn Gerhardt is a free-lance writer specializing in outdoors and fitness.

Bird information

- Who: Dave Wurzbach.

- What: Builds nest boxes and bands American kestrels, a type of falcon.

- Information: Call 253-779-8062 or contact him via e-mail at Dwurzbach@email.msn.com for information about next boxes.

On the web:

- Bird banding: For more information, go to www.pwrc.usgs.gov/bbl/.

- American kestrel: Falco sparverious.

The Olympian Copyright 2001

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