Eastern Bluebirds (Sialia sialis) Nesting in Photovoltaic Solar Energy Facilities in Eastern New York

Amanda L. Klehr^1,*, Alexis N. Laskowski¹, and David I. King²

¹Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts, 201 Holdsworth Hall, Amherst, MA 01003.²US Forest Service Northern Research Station, University of Massachusetts, 201 Holdsworth Hall, Amherst, MA 01003. *Corresponding author.

Northeastern Naturalist, Volume 31, Issue 4 (2024): N30–N34

First published early online: 4 December 2024

Abstract
Sialia sialis (Eastern Bluebird), a secondary cavity nester, often nests in anthropogenic structures, particularly nest boxes established throughout its range. We describe 3 observations of Eastern Bluebird nests at 2 photovoltaic (PV) solar facilities in eastern New York. At one facility, we observed an open-cup nest on the PV steel support structure, while at another, we observed 2 nests within structures mimicking cavities. At least 2 nests were likely successful. To our knowledge, these are the first documented occurrences of Eastern Bluebird nests within PV solar facilities in the northeastern US. Although further research is needed to determine if successful nesting in PV solar facilities is widespread, our observations suggest that Eastern Bluebirds can nest successfully within these facilities.

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