A new addition to the Albion River Trail extension south of town to Ménwabek Meadow park is the installation of bluebird houses in the old meadow.
“Although Eastern bluebirds have never been extinct in Michigan, bird lovers have been concerned about this popular member of the thrush family for more than 100 years. The winter of 1894-95 with its record cold and deep snow caused heavy mortality among certain semi-hardy species including the eastern bluebird and American robin”
Some of the reasons for the concern about bluebird population decline in addition to bad winters include habitat changes and foreign bird competition, such as from the English or house sparrow and the European starling.
Source – Michigan DNR page that includes information on how to create and place bluebird housing. https://www2.dnr.state.mi.us/publications/pdfs/huntingwildlifehabitat/landowners_guide/Resource_Dir/Acrobat/Bluebirds.PDF
Note: Some wildlife north of Albion was displaced by recent solar farm developments, so the competition for wildlife spaces in town and south of town increased.