Ellis Bird Farm, Open-air museum in Lacombe, Canada
Ellis Bird Farm is an open-air museum set across 480 acres with gardens, wetlands, and nature trails. The site includes a visitor center focused on bird research and sustainable farming practices.
The property began as a family farm in 1906 and gradually transformed into a research facility over several decades. This shift reflected the growing focus on bird conservation and sustainable agricultural methods.
The center maintains over 400 nest boxes along a bluebird trail, collecting data about Mountain Bluebirds, Tree Swallows, and Purple Martins through weekly monitoring.
The site is open from May through September with free entry and a welcome mat for donations. Trails are easy to walk and accessible for visitors of different mobility levels.
Selected nest boxes feature solar-powered cameras that record the complete nesting cycle of Mountain Bluebirds. These real-time observations reveal rare glimpses into daily behavior and breeding patterns that rarely appear in field studies.
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