The Project FeederWatch - Cornell Lab of Ornithology
The Project FeederWatch - Cornell Lab of Ornithology
The Project FeederWatch - Cornell Lab of Ornithology
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<strong>The</strong> <strong>Project</strong> <strong>FeederWatch</strong>Top 20 feeder birds in New EnglandBased on the reports <strong>of</strong>citizen scientists fromacross the region.White-breasted Nuthatchby Steve Dell<strong>of</strong>fDo you like to watch the birds that visit your backyard bird feeder? Perhapsyou even keep a list <strong>of</strong> these birds. Although keeping track <strong>of</strong> the birds atyour feeders may seem like nothing more than a relaxing hobby, you areactually collecting important information. By sending your counts <strong>of</strong> feederbirds to the <strong>Cornell</strong> <strong>Lab</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Ornithology</strong>’s <strong>Project</strong> <strong>FeederWatch</strong>, you can helpscientists learn more about the distribution and abundance <strong>of</strong> birds.<strong>Project</strong> <strong>FeederWatch</strong> is a survey <strong>of</strong> North American bird populations thatvisit backyard bird feeders in winter. Since 1987, thousands <strong>of</strong> bird watchersacross the United States and Canada have participated in <strong>Project</strong><strong>FeederWatch</strong>.<strong>The</strong> following show is a countdown <strong>of</strong> the 20 species that were themost frequent visitors to the backyards <strong>of</strong> <strong>Project</strong> <strong>FeederWatch</strong>participants in New England.1
PROJECT FEEDERWATCH REGIONS<strong>Project</strong> <strong>FeederWatch</strong> counts are divided into regions. What is a<strong>FeederWatch</strong> region?If you travel across the continent from west to east, you will encounterdifferent types <strong>of</strong> birds at different locations along your way. For example,you might see Western Scrub-Jays in California, Gray Jays in the CanadianRockies, and Blue Jays in Virginia. <strong>The</strong>refore, to interpret <strong>FeederWatch</strong> datain a meaningful way, the continent is divided into fifteen <strong>FeederWatch</strong>Regions. Each region includes a group <strong>of</strong> states and provinces that sharesimilar bird communities.<strong>FeederWatch</strong> groups the states <strong>of</strong> Vermont, New Hampshire,Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut into the New England region.2
Regional Rank #20• Seen at 46% <strong>of</strong> feeders• Average flock size = 2.6Continental Rank #12American RobinMilneFood Preferences• Fresh and dried fruitIn the countdown that follows, all species will be featured in a slide similar tothis one.<strong>The</strong> slides provide a map, based on <strong>FeederWatch</strong> reports, <strong>of</strong> where thespecies can be seen in the winter.<strong>The</strong> slides also highlight a few key statistics telling us how common the birdsare in the region. For instance…3
Regional Rank #20• Seen at 47% <strong>of</strong> feeders• Average flock size = 2.6This species wasthe 20 th mostcommonly reportedbird in your regionContinental Rank #13This same specieswas the 13 th mostcommonly reportedbird in North America<strong>The</strong> Regional Rank refers to how common the species is at feeders in yourregion.<strong>The</strong> Continental Rank refers to how common this species is at feeders whenconsidering all <strong>of</strong> the United States and Canada.4
Regional Rank #20• Seen at 46% <strong>of</strong> feeders• Average flock size = 2.6Continental Rank #12American RobinMilneFood Preferences• Fresh and dried fruitPreferred feeders:•Ground•PlatformWinter Behavior:•Although the appearance <strong>of</strong> a robin is considered a harbinger <strong>of</strong> spring, theAmerican Robin actually spends the winter in much <strong>of</strong> its breeding range.However, because they spend less time in yards and congregate in largeflocks during winter, you're much less likely to see them.Cool Fact:•Earthworms are the food <strong>of</strong> choice for robins on suburban lawns.Experiments have shown that robins rely on vision to find their prey. <strong>The</strong>bird’s familiar head-cocking allows it to see straight ahead even though itseyes are on either side <strong>of</strong> its head.6
American Tree SparrowRegional Rank #19• Seen at 47% <strong>of</strong> feeders• Average flock size = 2.7Continental Rank #23C. JohnsonFood Preferences• Mixed seedPreferred feeder:•Ground•PlatformWinter behavior:•<strong>The</strong> American Tree Sparrow is a common winter visitor in backyards allacross southern Canada and the northern United States. Despite itscommon name, it forages on the ground, nests on the ground, and breedsprimarily north <strong>of</strong> the tree line in Canada.Cool fact:•During the summer, the American Tree Sparrow eats mostly insects. In thewinter it eats almost no insects, turning to a diet <strong>of</strong> seeds and other plantfoods.7
Regional Rank #18• Seen at 50% <strong>of</strong> feeders• Average flock size = 1.5Continental Rank #17Song SparrowL. ElliottFood Preferences• Mixed seedPreferred feeder:•Ground•PlatformWinter Behavior:•Northern-nesting populations <strong>of</strong> Song Sparrows are partially migratory, withfemales moving farther south than males.Cool Fact:•Thirty-one Song Sparrow subspecies have been recognized, more than forany other North American bird.8
Red-bellied WoodpeckerRegional Rank #17• Seen at 51% <strong>of</strong> feeders• Average flock size = 1.2Continental Rank #15L. BarkerFood Preferences• SuetPreferred feeder:•SuetWinter Behavior:•Red-bellied Woodpeckers from northern parts <strong>of</strong> the breeding rangeroutinely migrate south for the winter, and some southern birds may moveshort distances, as well. However, there has been a noticeable decrease inmigratory behavior over the last 100 years, and the Red-belliedWoodpecker’s range has expanded to the North and West. Bird feedingmay have played a role in this expansion.Cool Facts:•Unlike Downy and Hairy woodpeckers, Red-bellied Woodpeckers do littlehammering and probing <strong>of</strong> tree bark with their bills. Instead, they captureinsects hiding in bark crevices with their long, maneuverable tongues.•<strong>The</strong> Red-bellied Woodpecker competes vigorously for nest holes with otherwoodpeckers but it is <strong>of</strong>ten evicted from nest holes by the European Starling.In some areas, half <strong>of</strong> all Red-bellied Woodpecker nesting cavities are takenover by starlings.9
Regional Rank #15• Seen at 54% <strong>of</strong> feeders• Average flock size = 5.8Continental Rank #11House SparrowL. ElliottFood Preferences• Mixed seedPreferred feeder:•PlatformWinter Behavior:•House Sparrows are year-round residents, and their distribution is closelyassociated with human habitation. <strong>The</strong>y are found in agricultural, suburban,and urban areas, although they tend to avoid woodlands, forests,grasslands, and deserts.•In winter, the size <strong>of</strong> foraging flocks <strong>of</strong> House Sparrows is correlated withboth the amount <strong>of</strong> food available and time <strong>of</strong> day (with feeding activityincreasing in the late afternoon). Foraging in flocks is highly beneficial due tothe protection against predation that is afforded by larger, more vigilant,flocks. Each bird within the flock can spend less time looking up for dangerand therefore forages more efficiently.Cool Fact:•<strong>The</strong> House Sparrow was introduced into Brooklyn, New York, in 1851,partly as a means to control insect pests. By 1900 it had spread to the RockyMountains. Its spread throughout the West was aided by additionalintroductions in San Francisco, California, and Salt Lake City, Utah.11
White-throated SparrowRegional Rank #14• Seen at 56% <strong>of</strong> feeders• Average flock size = 3.1Continental Rank #19M. McCallFood Preferences• Mixed seedPreferred feeders:•Platform•HopperWinter Behavior:•White-throated Sparrows establish wintering territories and return to thesame site year after year. <strong>The</strong>se territories <strong>of</strong>ten overlap, and individualsfrequently join into loose flocks when foraging.Cool Fact:•White-throated Sparrows come in two color morphs: those with white stripesover the crown and those with tan stripes. In most birds such a plumagedifference would signify different ages or sexes, but in White-throatedSparrows it is a genetic trait. Youngsters <strong>of</strong> both color morphs can be raisedin the same nest and the color pattern is retained for life. Behavior seems todiffer between the color morphs as well. For example, the white-striped birdstend to be more aggressive and sing more <strong>of</strong>ten, and the males prefer tomate with tan-striped females.12
Regional Rank #13• Seen at 59% <strong>of</strong> feeders• Average flock size = 4.6Continental Rank #9European StarlingJ. Smith / CLOFood Preferences• SuetPreferred feeder:•SuetWinter Behavior:•Young starlings <strong>of</strong>ten migrate several hundred miles, as do a proportion <strong>of</strong>the adults, especially those adults breeding farther north.•In the winter, starlings can gather into roosts <strong>of</strong> several thousand birds.Dominant males occupy the center <strong>of</strong> roosting flocks, where they are mostprotected from the weather and predators.Cool Fact:•European Starlings were introduced into North America in 1890 and arenow among our most abundant birds from coast to coast. Like the HouseSparrow, starlings compete with our native cavity-nesting species for nestingsites.13
Regional Rank #12• Seen at 68% <strong>of</strong> feeders• Average flock size = 1.3Continental Rank #16Hairy WoodpeckerMilneFood Preferences• SuetPreferred feeder:•SuetHairy Woodpeckers can be distinguished from the more common DownyWoodpeckers by their larger size. If you do not have both species forcomparison, check the length <strong>of</strong> the bill relative to the size <strong>of</strong> the head. <strong>The</strong>Hairy Woodpecker’s beak is as long as the distance from the base <strong>of</strong> thebeak to the back <strong>of</strong> the head, whereas Downy Woodpecker bills are shorterthan the length <strong>of</strong> the head.Winter Behavior:•<strong>The</strong> male Hairy Woodpecker uses his hefty beak to dig deeply into treetrunks in a quest for beetle larvae, while the female spends more timescaling <strong>of</strong>f bark and probing for insects near the surface. Sometimes thebeak is whacked against a tree in a series <strong>of</strong> side-to-side blows, a behaviorhypothesized to produce echoes that indicate the degree <strong>of</strong> insectinfestation.Cool Facts:•Woodpeckers have two toes pointing backward (instead <strong>of</strong> one, as in mostsmall birds), allowing the birds to cling tightly to vertical tree trunks.•Air bubbles incorporated into the skull act as shock absorbers to protect thebrain from the effects <strong>of</strong> hammering on trees in search <strong>of</strong> food.14
Regional Rank #11• Seen at 69% <strong>of</strong> feeders• Average flock size = 3.6House FinchContinental Rank #7T. FaucegliaMale (above)Female (right)L. ElliotFood Preferences• Black-oil sunflower seed• Hulled sunflower seedPreferred feeder:•Platform•Hopper•TubeWinter Behavior:•Eastern House Finches have become partially migratory (some individualsmigrate and others do not), whereas the ancestral stock, which is fromWestern North America, is resident.Cool Facts:•House Finches were introduced to eastern North America in the 1940s bypet dealers. Threatened with prosecution for illegally selling House Finches,the merchants freed their captive finches on Long Island. From this foundingpopulation, House Finches rapidly spread throughout the East.•Coloration in male House Finches can range from yellow to bright crimson.<strong>The</strong> color comes from carotenoid pigments found in some natural foods. Abird’s color can change if different pigments are consumed prior to thegrowth <strong>of</strong> new feathers.15
Regional Rank #10• Seen at 70% <strong>of</strong> feeders• Average flock size = 2.7Continental Rank #13American CrowFood Preferences• Meat scrapsPreferred feeder:•Ground•PlatformWinter Behavior:•American Crows congregate in large numbers in winter to sleep incommunal roosts. <strong>The</strong>se roosts can include several thousand crows. Someroosts have gathered in the same general area for well over 100 years.Cool Facts:•<strong>The</strong> American Crow is highly susceptible to West Nile virus, a diseaserecently introduced to North America. Crows tested in the laboratorygenerally die within one week <strong>of</strong> infection, and few seem able to surviveexposure. Recent declines in crow populations in many areas are likely dueto mortality from West Nile virus.•Most crows nesting in the United States are permanent residents. Eachfamily maintains a large territory, shared by the adult pair and several <strong>of</strong> their<strong>of</strong>fspring from previous years. Young crows may remain with their parents tohelp raise their younger siblings.16
Northern CardinalRegional Rank #9• Seen at 87% <strong>of</strong> feeders• Average flock size = 2.3Continental Rank #8MaleFemaleA. ToppingL. BarkerFood Preferences• Striped sunflower seed• Black-oil sunflower seed• Safflower seedPreferred feeder:•Platform•HopperWinter Behavior:•Northern Cardinals can appear to be timid birds despite their bold colors.Cardinals <strong>of</strong>ten only visit feeders in the semi-darkness <strong>of</strong> dawn or dusk.However, flocking evidently generates a more relaxed atmosphere. In theSouth, where populations are most dense, flocks <strong>of</strong> 50 or more cardinalsmay visit feeders at any time <strong>of</strong> the day.Cool Facts:•<strong>The</strong> brilliantly colored Northern Cardinal is the state bird in seven states—more than any other species.•<strong>The</strong> number <strong>of</strong> cardinals has increased over the last 200 years, and thespecies’ range has expanded as well. <strong>The</strong>se changes have probablyresulted from habitat changes. <strong>The</strong> cardinal adapts well to park-like urbanhabitats and has benefited from bird feeding.17
American GoldfinchRegional Rank #8• Seen at 90% <strong>of</strong> feeders• Average flock size = 5.0Continental Rank #5Winter plumageSummer maleL. WorthingtonC. RayFood Preferences• Nyjer seed• Black-oil sunflower seedPreferred feeders:•Tube•Hopper•PlatformWinter Behavior:•Goldfinches rely on storing food in their crops each evening to provideenergy during the night.•Goldfinches will hang upside down to eat, but experiments with speciallydesigned feeders have shown that they prefer to dine upright if possible.Cool Fact:•<strong>The</strong> bright yellow plumage <strong>of</strong> summertime is replaced by a dull-green winterplumage—<strong>of</strong>ten confusing new bird watchers. This winter coat features adense layer <strong>of</strong> s<strong>of</strong>t feathers to provide extra insulation against coldtemperatures.18
White-breasted NuthatchRegional Rank #7• Seen at 92% <strong>of</strong> feeders• Average flock size = 1.5Continental Rank #10H. KeyFood Preferences• Suet• Sunflower seed• PeanutsPreferred feeder:•Suet•HopperWinter Behavior:•Nuthatch pairs defend quite large territories year-round. Territory size canbe 25 to 30 acres in woodland and up to twice that in more fragmentedhabitat. As a result, each feeder site is normally visited by only one or twoindividuals, although a feeder near a territorial border may sometimes attractthree or four.Cool Fact:•White-breasted Nuthatches spend quite a bit <strong>of</strong> their time caching food,carrying seeds a short distance and carefully concealing them in crevices inbark. <strong>The</strong> male nuthatch, being dominant, may <strong>of</strong>ten displace his mate atfood sources or steal food she has just cached. As a result, the female islikely to go on caching trips in the opposite direction from the male and hideher food farther away from the food source than he does.19
Regional Rank #6• Seen at 93% <strong>of</strong> feeders• Average flock size = 2.3Continental Rank #14Tufted TitmouseL. BarkerFood Preferences• Striped sunflower seed• Black-oil sunflower seedPreferred feeders:•Hopper•Platform•TubeWinter Behavior:•Tufted Titmice are permanent residents and defend territories year-round,although they are <strong>of</strong>ten joined in winter by young birds. This territorialbehavior explains why only a few titmice visit feeders at any one time.Cool Fact:•<strong>The</strong> range <strong>of</strong> the Tufted Titmouse continues to expand northward. Birdfeeding may play a role in the range expansion.20
Regional Rank #5• Seen at 94% <strong>of</strong> feeders• Average flock size = 1.7Continental Rank #3Downy WoodpeckerA. ToppingFood Preferences• SuetPreferred feeder:•SuetWinter Behavior:•Male and female Downy Woodpeckers may stay in the same areas inwinter, but they divide up where they look for food. <strong>The</strong> male feeds more onsmall branches and weed stems, and the female feeds more on largebranches and the trunks <strong>of</strong> trees. Males appear to keep the females fromforaging in the more productive spots. When the male is removed from awoodlot, the female shifts her foraging efforts to the smaller branches.Cool Fact:•Downy Woodpeckers defend territories against neighboring pairs, but theyare very tolerant <strong>of</strong> other species. <strong>The</strong>se woodpeckers learn and respond tothe alarm calls <strong>of</strong> other birds.21
Regional Rank #4• Seen at 95% <strong>of</strong> feeders• Average flock size = 5.4Continental Rank #4Mourning DoveC. JohnsonFood Preferences• Mixed seed• Cracked cornPreferred feeder:•Ground•PlatformWinter Behavior:•Mourning Doves form winter flocks in November and December. <strong>The</strong> flocksaverage about 50 birds but range from a few birds to several hundred.•Winter flocks spend their days in fields eating grain or small seeds. Onepatient scientist counted 17,200 grass seeds in a single Mourning Dove’sstomach.Cool Facts:•A Mourning Dove pair rarely leaves its eggs unattended. <strong>The</strong> male usuallyincubates from mid-morning until late afternoon, and the female sits the rest<strong>of</strong> the day and night. A dove may have up to five or six clutches in a singleyear.•A majority <strong>of</strong> the Mourning Doves spending the winter in Ontario, Canada,were found to have lost one or more toes to frostbite.22
Regional Rank #3• Seen at 96% <strong>of</strong> feeders• Average flock size = 3.4Continental Rank #6Blue JayL. BarkerFood Preferences• Striped sunflower seed• Peanuts in shellPreferred feeder:•Ground•PlatformWinter Behavior:•For the most part, Blue Jay migration remains a mystery. Some jays arepresent throughout the winter in all parts <strong>of</strong> the range. Which jays move andwhich stay put? Although young jays may be more likely to migrate thanadults, many adults do migrate. Some individual jays may migrate south inone year, stay north the next winter, and then migrate south again the nextyear.Cool Facts:•<strong>The</strong> Blue Jay frequently mimics the calls <strong>of</strong> hawks, especially the RedshoulderedHawk.•Although Blue Jays may appear to be gluttons at feeders, this behavior iskey to their survival in winter. <strong>The</strong>y <strong>of</strong>ten transport and store food in cachesfor later use. One researcher found that the jays he was studying cachedover two thousand beechnuts in a single month.23
Regional Rank #2• Seen at 97% <strong>of</strong> feeders• Average flock size = 6.3Continental Rank #1Dark-eyed JuncoH. KeyFood Preferences• Mixed seedPreferred feeder:•Ground•PlatformWinter Behavior:•“Snowbirds,” as juncos are also known, have earned their informal name ontwo counts. Not only are they more likely to visit feeders during snowyperiods, but their return from far-northern breeding areas is a signal thatcolder weather is close behind. In fact, juncos are sighted at more feedersacross North America than any other species, visiting over 80% <strong>of</strong><strong>FeederWatch</strong> sites.Cool Fact:•<strong>The</strong> sociable junco spends its winter in a flock <strong>of</strong> up to 30 birds who remaintogether throughout the season. Each flock is organized following adominance hierarchy—dominant birds get to feed in the center <strong>of</strong> a foodpatch and spend less time looking around for predators. At the top <strong>of</strong> thedominance hierarchy are adult males, followed by young males, adultfemales, and young females.24
Black-capped ChickadeeRegional Rank #1• Seen at 98% <strong>of</strong> feeders• Average flock size = 3.0Continental Rank #2(Combined with Carolina Chickadee)M. WoodruffFood Preferences• Sunflower seed• Safflower Seed• Suet• PeanutsPreferred feeder:•Platform•HopperWinter Behavior:•Chickadees spend the winter in flocks that average six to ten individuals.Each flock is composed <strong>of</strong> a resident pair and a number <strong>of</strong> unrelatedjuveniles.Cool Facts:•Much <strong>of</strong> the food gathered by chickadees is stored for later use. <strong>Lab</strong>oratorystudies have shown that 24 hours after caching food, chickadees not onlyremember where they hid items but also which sites hold the highest qualityfoods. <strong>The</strong>se high quality items are recovered first.•Most stored food items are recovered within a day or two, but food may bestored for as long as 28 days.25
Signing up for <strong>Project</strong><strong>FeederWatch</strong> is easy…• Online at:www.birds.cornell.edu/pfw• By phone:1-800-843-BIRD• By mail:Send a check for $15 for<strong>Project</strong> <strong>FeederWatch</strong> to:PFW<strong>Cornell</strong> <strong>Lab</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Ornithology</strong>PO Box 11Ithaca, NY 14850A joint research and education project <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Cornell</strong> <strong>Lab</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Ornithology</strong>,Bird Studies Canada, Audubon, and Nature Canada.Are the Top 20 species at your feeders similar to those reported by<strong>FeederWatch</strong>ers from across New England? You can contribute to futureTop 20 lists and help scientists learn more about the distribution andabundance <strong>of</strong> feeder birds by participating in <strong>Project</strong> <strong>FeederWatch</strong>.You don’t need to be an expert birder to participate. When you sign up youwill receive an identification poster <strong>of</strong> common feeder birds, a calendar, aninstruction booklet, and the <strong>FeederWatch</strong>er’s Handbook with tips on birdfeeding.Find more information online at www.birds.cornell.edu/pfw26