Ellis Bird Farm

Ellis Bird Farm

Location	Lacombe, Alberta, Canada
Coordinates	52.390163°N 113.604298°W / 52.390163; -113.604298
Type	open-air, agriculture
Website	Ellis Bird Farm

History

Origin

The Ellis Bird Farm began with Charlie Ellis (1901-1990) and Winnie Ellis (1905-2004), who inherited the family farm from their parents, John and Agnes. The farm Charlie and Winnie inherited was situated on land which ultimately became the Ellis Bird Farm.

Shortly after their parents' passing, Charlie began building a nesting box for a Mountain Bluebird. This small hobby grew into Charlie and Winnie’s life work. The two siblings rimmed the fields of their farm with more than 300 nest boxes for native birds (e.g., Mountain Bluebirds, Tree Swallows, Chickadees, Purple Martins).

Charlie and Winnie’s conservation efforts saw the Mountain Bluebird population on their farm grow from just a signal pair in 1956 to over 60 pairs in the 1970s.

As both Charlie and Winnie aged, Charlie feared that he would be unable to tend to “his” bluebirds. Around this time, an energy company, Union Carbide, was seeking a site on which to build a new ethylene glycol plant. A parcel of Charlie and Winnie’s land met Union Carbide’s particular requirements, and the company wanted to purchase it.

Union Carbide was willing to be legally bound to make provisions for the care of Charlie’s bluebirds at that time and into the future. Ellis Bird Farm was formed, a non-profit charitable company, which is, to this day, supported by industry.

Notable Naturalists

Myrna Pearman

The most influential person associated with Ellis Bird Farm is Myrna Pearman, a nature photographer, conservationist, environmental educator, and author. Myrna was the Biologist and Site Services Manager at Ellis Bird Farm (1987 to 2020). Ellis Bird Farm became a world-class conservation, education, and research centre under her leadership.

Role

The role of Ellis Bird Farm is to spearhead bird conservation, winter bird feeding, scientific studies, and education. The facilities’ bird conservation efforts place particular focus on Mountain Bluebirds and Tree Swallows.

Scientific Studies

Ellis Bird Farm's Research Contributions

Authors	Year Published	Title	Journal
Myrna Pearman and Leo De Groot	2020	Earlier Spring Arrival Of The Mountain Bluebird In Central Alberta, Canada	Western Birds
Alisha Ritchie and Myrna Pearman	2019	Radio Tracking Mountain Bluebirds Visiting Neighbors’ Nests	Western Birds
Auriel Fournier, Amanda Shave, Jason Fischer, Joe Siegrist, James Ray, Edward Cheskey, Megan MacIntosh, Alisha Ritchie, Myrna Pearman, Kelly Applegate, and Kevin Fraser	2019	Precise Direct Tracking And Remote Sensing Reveal The Use Of Forest Islands As Roost Sites By Purple Martins During Migration	Journal of Field Ornithology
Kevin Fraser, Amanda Shave, Evelien De Greef, Joe Siegrist	2019	Individual Variability in Migration Timing Can Explain Long-Term, Population-Level Advances in a Songbird	Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution
Glen Hvenegaard & Robyn Perkins	2019	Motivations, Commitment, And Turnover Of Bluebird Trail Managers	Human Dimensions of Wildlife
Kevin Fraser, Amanda Shave, A. Savage, Alisha Ritchie, K. Bell, Joe Siegrist, James Ray, Kelly Applegate, Myrna Pearman	2017	Determining Fine-Scale Migratory Connectivity And Habitat Selection For A Migratory Songbird By Using New Gps Technology	Journal of Avian Biology
Bridget Stutchbury, Raafia Siddiqui, Kelly Applegate, Glen Hvenegaard, Paul Mammenga, Nanette Mickle, Myrna Pearman, James Ray, Anne Savage, Tim Shaheen, Kevin Fraser	2016	Ecological Causes And Consequences Of Intratropical Migration In Temperate-Breeding Migratory Birds	The American Naturalist

Facility

The Ellis Bird Farm facility offers amenities to visitors, including a guest centre, tea house, trail systems, demonstration wildlife gardens, a picnic area, play areas, as well as tours and activities. The facility also lays claim to the oldest standing "seed elevator" in Alberta (a grain elevator built in 1937) and the "World's Largest" collection of functional bluebird nestboxes.

Guest Center

Currently, the guest centre offers visitors a venue in which they can listen to talks, purchase gifts, interact with exhibits, and visit the Fred Schutz Memorial Library.

Fred Schutz Memorial Library

The Fred Schutz Memorial Library at Ellis Bird Farm honours local scholar, writer, historian and naturalist, Fred Schutz (October 14, 1920 – March 27, 2019). The project was led by Myrna Pearman and was completed after Fred's death.

Now the Fred Schutz Memorial Library offers resources to those interested in conservation and local history. Ellis Bird Farm pays tribute to Fred by showcasing his work on their website and selling his book (West Of The Blindman: Observations Of A Half Century).

Trail Systems

The Ellis Bird Farm offers visitors a collection of self-guided trails. The surfaces of trail paths are mulch or recycled tires, making them accessible to seniors (who may or may not have bad knees) and those with mobility challenges. The trail systems have play areas, seating, and butterfly gardens along its perimeter providing a family-friendly activity.

Picnic Areas

The picnic area at Ellis Bird Farm allows visitors to stay for longer durations; such spaces were designed to meet the need of visitors traveling from the surrounding area to visit Ellis Bird Farm. Many visitors pack their own picnics, but some purchase food from the Ellis Bird Farm Tea House (also called Ellis Cafe).

Play Areas

Ellis Bird Farm provides children (ages two to twelve) a popular play area. It is situated close to the guest centre and is well within eyesight. Myrna led the project and designed it to encourage exploration, imagination, and practical play, aligning closely with Waldorf education principles.

Tours and Activities

Ellis Bird Farm offers a range of tours and activities, provided through different programs, that cater to participants of different ages.

See Also

• List of museums in Alberta

External links

• Ellis Bird Farm