Bluebird Man

A touching documentary on the effective application of citizen science, Bluebird Man tells the story of Alfred Larson (now in his mid-90s) and his late wife Hilda, who took their senior passion for a dwindling species of native birds in the remote mountains in the borderlands of Idaho and Oregon and helped stage a remarkable comeback. The bluebirds, indigenous to the area, were fighting a losing battle at the beaks and claws of other birds such as sparrows and starlings that were introduced to the continent during the colonization of the Americas. With passion, kindness, and simple hard work, Larson has built small birdhouses (to serve as the “voids” that are found naturally in some trees), which he has distributed across the region, and tended for more than 35 years. This has entailed tagging to keep tabs on the birds' breeding process and lifecycles (ensuring that there are actual hatching chicks and healthy adult birds). Larson, who is believed to have banded more than 27,000 bluebirds, is a remarkable figure who illustrates the power of one individual to change the world for the good. Extras include additional scenes, and segments from the TV series Outdoor Idaho. Highly recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (C. Block)