In April of 2023, the Audubon Society at UW-Madison (ASUM) installed five Tree Swallow nest boxes throughout Picnic Point Marsh. Tree Swallows are native to WI, and their populations are declining due to habitat loss and climate change. They depend on cavities for nesting, often in standing dead trees. The number of natural cavities available is decreasing, creating more competition for nesting sites. Nest boxes can help lessen this competition, and in turn bring these populations back up to their usual numbers.
They need your help! The nest boxes are actively managed and monitored by ASUM members as part of an ongoing, student-led, environmental awareness and conservation project. You can contribute to the project by visiting this page with a link to a reporting form to report observations of tree swallows in, on, or around the nest boxes in Picnic Point Marsh.
Direct questions to Trenton Bauer at ttbauer@wisc.edu