As part of a community-wide tourism campaign capitalizing on the area’s winged wetland creature heritage, numerous decorative fiberglass bird houses started to dot Great Bend sidewalks over the past couple of years. The goal – create an attraction and get shoppers to flock to the businesses.
Now, the project’s sponsor, the Great Bend Convention and Vistors’ Bureau wants to expand the bird house tour.
“Our goal is to increase the number of  birdhouses to 100 by June,” said CVB director Cris Collier. “It is a big number but we are confident that Great Bend has what it takes to make this project soar.”
The idea of the project is to drive foot traffic to local businesses, Collier said. The CVB oversaw the development of the marketing plan that included the new downtown decorations.
Although not functional as bird habitats, area artists will turn each one into a colorful, ornate and unique sculpture.
The bird houses, made from molds developed and donated by McDonald Tank Service, come in three-, four- and five-foot heights. They are portable, but can be weighted down from the bottom to keep them from moving.  Participating businesses will pay for the houses, which range from $225 for the three-foot model to $250 for the bigger ones, and negotiate a fee with the artist or their choice.
A list of referenced artists has been compiled by the Convention & Visitors Bureau and is available upon request.
“We have found that the birdhouse tour is so popular because it is a great multi-generational activity,” says Jenna Miller, project coordinator for the CVB.  A birdhouse tour of about 75 birdhouses has been developed and a brochure guide can be found at CVB office.
The goal is to increase the number this spring in time for a new scavenger hunt for the June Jaunt, Miller said. “Just about any design is acceptable, as long as it fits the general migration theme.”
More houses will be ordered as needed. Interested business and sponsors can contact Miller at 620-792-2750 or by email at tours@visitgreatbend.com.
Launched in 2011, the bird house project has its origins in a grant-funded master Wetlands and Wildlife Scenic Byway marketing plan developed in 2009 with the help of a team of national experts. Under this plan, communities along the byway each took a sub-theme.
Claflin took geology, Ellinwood the movement of man, Hoisington weather and Stafford County wetlands. Great Bend’s theme was birds and wildlife.
Great Bend hired one of the national team members who specialized in tourism to develop a plan just for city. This is how the bird house idea hatched.