Millions of insects, one hundred bird boxes, four organizations, zero pesticides.
This is the brainchild of Virginia Working Landscapes Research Fellow Allison Huysman, who is leading research into the role of cavity-nesting birds in natural pest control.
By identifying the species consumed by nest-box birds, quantifying pest populations with and without nest boxes, and examining how these interactions vary depending on landscape context and farm management practices, researchers aim to answer a vital question: Can the presence of birds significantly reduce pest populations on agricultural land?
First, though you need the birds – and their nests. If you build them, they will come.
In a collaborative effort between the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and the Wakefield Country Day School Wildlife Conservation Club (WCDS WCC), years of research and months of hard work are beginning to yield results. On a recent visit to Chancellor's Rock Farm – home of Kathryn and Tony Everett – the evidence was clear.
After building 100 nest boxes, the team of 12 Wakefield students led by teacher Suzanne Zylonis, met with Virginia Working Landscapes Director Dr. Amy Johnson and Allison Huysman to check on deployed boxes and collect data. At this working farm in Flint Hill, Allison demonstrated a simple bird-trapping method using a flap of cardboard held aloft by a piece of raw spaghetti. From a 20-meter distance, the group anxiously awaited the return of nesting pairs to feed their recently hatched chicks.
Success! The female birds, more likely to fully enter the box, triggered the trap. Males typically linger at the entrance. Once trapped, each bird was gently secured in a soft paper bag. Allison carefully removed the female to collect DNA samples and affixed a band to track her over time.
This method is just one part of a broader approach in use at Chancellor's Rock Farm, a 700-acre operation at the forefront of regenerative agriculture in Virginia. Since purchasing the land in 2018, the Everetts have worked to model sustainable farming and horticulture practices that support the native ecology of the Virginia Piedmont. With partners like SCBI and Virginia Working Landscapes, the results are promising. Their focus on enhancing habitat and adopting eco-friendly practices shows that agriculture and conservation don't have to be at odds – in fact, they can thrive together.
That's where the Wakefield WCC comes in. "Without the investment of the next generation, and dedicated students like those in the Wakefield Conservation Club, this effort could feel like a drop in the ocean," said Zylonis. "But knowing that these young people are not only aware but actively engaged in helping restore and protect these ecosystems, that gives us real hope – a hope for a future where agriculture, conservation, and community all work in concert to create a healthier, more resilient world."