The N.C. Bluebird Society’s annual meeting was held at the Senior Center Apr. 17 with nearly 70 members in attendance.

Dressed in bluebird shirts, hats and jewelry, the members listened to speakers like Dr. Lynn Siefferman, a professor at Appalachian State University, who studied the coloration of bluebirds and whether it has an effect on females’ choice of mates.

The main objective of the group is to encourage bluebirds and other small birds to move back into areas populated by people.

“This is a bird you can help,” Moore County Coordinator Helen Munro said.

By using birdhouses and sometimes feeders, bluebirders have greatly increased the bird population in the state.

Munro said the nearly 400 members of the society see anywhere from 4,000 to 6,000 bluebirds fledge each year.

That’s 96,000 to 144,000 fledglings in the 24 years since the society was started in Greensboro.

Munro said there are many other birds that could use help by people putting out birdhouses, like the Carolina Chickadee or the House Wren. Bluebirds are just the poster children to encourage North Carolinians to get involved.

Pamela Kirby was at the event selling copies of her national award-winning children’s book, “What Bluebirds Do.”

Nelson Horton, a Fuquay-Varina artist, was also on hand to talk about his paintings of all types of birds. He uses acrylic, watercolor and pencil to create his work. He is passionate about everything God creates, he said, but he really enjoys painting birds.

“They’re all unique,” Horton said. “I just love them all.”