WARRENTON, N.C. — A wildlife expert from Warren County and a team of elderly volunteers are working hard to provide bluebirds with a new place to call home.

The project is designed to save the birds, which have seen their habitat threatened by development.

"I think [it's] very worthwhile. I spent 30 years teaching ecology. Now, I'm spending a couple doing ecology," retired Duke professor Boyd Strain said.

"Each one of these houses that are put up have the potential of bringing life to 12 bluebirds a year," wildlife specialist Frank Newell said.

The project has produced 47,000 bluebird houses and their goal of 50,000 by early summer is within sight. Plus, the State Employees Credit Union has ordered 10,000 more.

"We furnish the bluebird houses at cost. In fact, we lose a little bit on each one," Newell said. "They have to pay sales tax. They add that on to their costs. Nobody profits anything. We just get the bluebird houses out."

"We need all the bluebirds we can get. These are nice birds. They're really pretty," Dieckman said.

You can get the bird houses from any branch of the State Employees Credit Union. They cost $8.