With a fondness for birds and a keen interest in behavioral ecology, Smithsonian Scientist Eugene Morton set up the first string of nest boxes at SCBI back in the late 1970’s. He was initially drawn to study the mating behavior of Eastern bluebirds (Sialia sialis), but later became enamored with another cavity nester, the purple martin (Progne subis), and added gourd-style housing for them in the […]
Native grasses and wildflowers have persisted in Virginia for generations. Over the course of geologic time, these plants have evolved in response to the unique pressures exerted by the climate, soils, and community of species characteristic of the areas where they occur. As a result, they are typically more robust to local environmental conditions, and will outperform non-native species in […]