The traditional campaign “Birds Are Returning Home” was marked at the GSSC. Together with children from the Vilnius Žvėrynas community, the Center’s team installed nest boxes in the courtyard, welcoming birds returning to Lithuania and encouraging the community to contribute to caring for the environment.
More than 50 preschool children from nearby kindergartens “Boružėlė,” “Vaikystės takas,” and “Taškius” participated in the event. An educational session for the young participants was led by ornithologist Gediminas Petkus. The children learned about bird species living in Lithuania, how to recognize their songs, when and why nest boxes are installed, and also had the opportunity to observe birds through binoculars.
In the Center’s courtyard, where many trees grow, several nest boxes suitable for different bird species were installed: two for starlings, two for titmouse (the blue titmouse and the great titmouse), one for swifts, and one for bats. The latter was donated during the event by a bird expert who took part in the initiative. It is estimated that up to a dozen birds may settle in these nest boxes in the coming months.
The campaign “Birds Are Returning Home” has a tradition in Lithuania dating back nearly a century. It was first initiated in 1923 by Professor Tadas Ivanauskas. As the bird breeding season approaches—usually beginning in mid-March-installing nest boxes helps compensate for the shortage of natural tree hollows, especially in cities and younger forests.
GSSC hopes that this initiative will become a meaningful annual tradition, bringing together the Center’s community and residents of surrounding neighborhoods for a common goal: caring for the environment and creating a more vibrant urban space.
Moments from the event:
