Crossville Man Hoping Eastern Bluebird Gets Some Recognition

Crossville could soon have an official bird of the city.

Paul Shipley started a petition urging Crossville officials to name the Eastern Bluebird as the official bird of the city.

Shipley said he’s been raising Eastern Bluebirds for some 20-years.

“We got the birds around and they’re absolutely harmless,” Shipley said. “You can put them in your backyard and just sit out for hours watching them raise their young and sing. They’re just totally beautiful, so why not?”

Shipley said he’s met another man who has placed more than 100 bird boxes across the area for the purpose of raising Eastern Bluebirds. Many of the birds can be found at area gold courses.

“It sounds stupid, but you have to look at them see them, Shipley said. “You’ll hear this little tweet, tweet, tweet of a bluebird song, but if you open your ears, they are plentiful around the plateau and Fair Field Glade area,” Shipley said.

Shipley said the Eastern Bluebird seems to like the climate of the area because of the mild temperature.

“It’s not hot here and we get almost three broods a year here,” Shipley said. “Other places where it gets up in the 90’s in July and August, they only get one brood.

The birds only live three to four years, which is why it’s important to reproduce them so the population stays healthy and alive, Shipley said.

The Crossville City Council meets Monday night to discuss a measure that would name the Easter Blue Bird as the official bird of the city.

The Eastern Bluebird is the official state bird of Missouri and New York.

More than 150 people have signed Shipley’s petition.