The Manitoba Bluebird Fund (MBF) is an endowment fund managed by the Winnipeg Foundation for Nature Manitoba. It began in December 2011 with a generous donation by Guent and Elva Salzmann, augmented further in 2021 by their wonderful bequest. As per their wishes the principal of the Fund will remain intact and only income from the Fund will be spent.
The primary objective of the MBF is to stop the decline of songbirds in Manitoba. The annual spending allowance of the Fund is to be used to achieve this objective. Recommendations regarding the use of the MBF are developed by a committee of Nature Manitoba, and submitted for approval annually to the Nature Manitoba Board as part of the budget process.
Ongoing program administration is the responsibility of the MBF Committee. Any money not used within a given year may be carried over to the following year or returned to the Fund.
For several years the main program of the Committee has been the subsidy of purchase of selected varieties of fruit trees, a program dear to the hearts of the Salzmanns. This has been a very successful endeavour with several hundred trees planted that provide benefits to birds and their human hosts. One hundred subsidies of up to $100.00 each are offered each year with the co-operation of our partner Ron Paul Garden Centre.
This year the MBF Committee is pleased to announce an additional program that will subsidize the purchase by homeowners of window-strike prevention materials to address one of the well-known primary causes of significant songbird mortality every year. One hundred subsidies of up to $50.00 each will be offered through two Winnipeg shops that specialize in stocking all things to encourage wild birds. We are thrilled to partner with The Preferred Perch and Wild Birds Unlimited and look forward to an enthusiastic uptake of the window-strike prevention program with their assistance.
To receive the window-strike materials subsidy simply go to either of our partner vendors mentioned above, select the appropriate materials (store staff will indicate eligible choices) and proceed to the cash register. For purchases under $50.00 you will receive an instant credit for the full amount. For purchases over $50.00 you will receive an instant credit for $50.00 and will be responsible for paying the remainder. Participation is limited to one subsidy per household. You will be required to provide your name and address at time of purchase to ensure that there is no duplication so as many individual households as possible can participate.
If you are an owner of a commercial property or facility manager of a public building and are interested in retrofitting the windows of the building to prevent bird strikes we would like to work with you. Please contact us at: manitobabluebirdfund@naturemanitoba.ca
For further information on what individuals can do to help birds, including links to do-it-yourself ways to prevent birds from hitting your windows, start here:
https://www.birds.cornell.edu/home/seven-simple-actions-to-help-birds/