MDC receives donation of 250 birdhouses from family of Chaffee native

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) has received 250 birdhouses from the family of avid hunter, angler, and Scout leader Robert “Bob” Seyer Sr., who died Feb. 5 from cancer at the age of 89. The donation will be used to extend MDC nature outreach programs statewide.

“He taught all of us to love the outdoors,” said Seyer’s daughter Geni Metzger. “As kids, we spent many weekends canoeing on Missouri rivers.”

For 15 years of his retirement, Metzger said, Seyer strived to stay active building birdhouses from plans provided by MDC. Seyer constructed them for the purpose of donating to Scout troops and The World Bird Sanctuary, among many other organizations, she said.

Seyer was born April 27, 1931, in Scott City. Metzger said Seyer’s parents owned a farm in Chaffee, and “that’s where he learned to appreciate the outdoors.” Seyer joined the U.S. Army and was stationed in Austria during the Korean War on ski patrol. Metzger said after returning home, Seyer carried himself through trade school, got married, and had eight children – four boys and four girls.

“Thanks for making my dad’s legacy and his time spent making these houses meaningful for my entire family,” said Metzger.

Salvador Mondragon, MDC Fisheries Management Biologist, said nearly all the birdhouses collected have already been spoken for by local organizations.

For more on birdfeeding, birdhouses, and frequently asked questions about birds, visit https://nature.mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/activities/bird-feeding