Even the birds think Spring has arrived or so the results from this year's bird count would suggest. Snow Geese, Red-winged Blackbirds, and Sandhill Cranes were just some of the species already migrating in mid-February.
The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) saw a record number of 103,960 checklists submitted with 618 different species of birds identified and 17.3 million birds observed throughout the United States and Canada. The most frequently spotted bird for the eight year in a row was the Northern Cardinal. The Snow Goose won with the most numbers reported. The Tree Swallow, which had never appeared on the most numerous top ten list before, came in second largely due to a massive flock reported in Florida (check out this YouTube video of the huge cloud of birds).
The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) saw a record number of 103,960 checklists submitted with 618 different species of birds identified and 17.3 million birds observed throughout the United States and Canada. The most frequently spotted bird for the eight year in a row was the Northern Cardinal. The Snow Goose won with the most numbers reported. The Tree Swallow, which had never appeared on the most numerous top ten list before, came in second largely due to a massive flock reported in Florida (check out this YouTube video of the huge cloud of birds).
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| photo courtesy of the Herald Sun |
The Tarheel state placed fourth in the number of checklists submitted, missing out on the number three spot by just 300 lists. Three of North Carolina's cities garnered spots on the top ten list of most checklists submitted by locality: Charlotte was the number two city with Raleigh placing sixth and Durham coming in at number ten.
Statewide birders counted 19,578 Red-winged Blackbirds making it the most numerous bird counted but the Northern Cardinal appeared on the most checklists with 3,962.
In our area of Rougemont, NC, here's a breakdown of the results:
A total of 36 species were reported.
The Great Backyard Bird Count allows researchers to look at the distribution of birds across the continent over a single weekend - a feat that would be impossible without so many volunteers. We can learn a lot by knowing where birds are since bird populations are always in flux. Along with other citizen science projects like the Christmas Bird Count, Project Feeder Watch, NestWatch and eBird, researchers and scientists hope to gain new insight into bird migration patterns, population changes, and nesting behavior.
Join us for next year's Great Backyard Bird Count on February 15-18, 2013.
| Species | Number of Birds | Number of Checklists Reporting the Species |
|---|---|---|
| White-throated Sparrow | 64 | 3 |
| Northern Cardinal | 42 | 5 |
| Canada Goose | 27 | 2 |
| Carolina Chickadee | 22 | 5 |
| White-crowned Sparrow | 19 | 1 |
| Dark-eyed Junco | 14 | 4 |
| American Goldfinch | 13 | 4 |
| Tufted Titmouse | 12 | 5 |
| American Crow | 10 | 3 |
| Turkey Vulture | 10 | 3 |
| Yellow-rumped Warbler | 8 | 1 |
| Blue Jay | 7 | 2 |
| Carolina Wren | 6 | 3 |
| Eastern Bluebird | 6 | 3 |
| Northern Flicker | 6 | 3 |
| American Robin | 5 | 1 |
| Common Grackle | 4 | 1 |
| Mourning Dove | 4 | 1 |
| Brown-headed Nuthatch | 3 | 2 |
| Eastern Phoebe | 3 | 1 |
| Hairy Woodpecker | 3 | 2 |
| Red-bellied Woodpecker | 3 | 2 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 3 | 2 |
| Chipping Sparrow | 2 | 2 |
| Downy Woodpecker | 2 | 2 |
| Eastern Towhee | 2 | 2 |
| Field Sparrow | 2 | 1 |
| House Sparrow | 2 | 1 |
| Northern Mockingbird | 2 | 1 |
| Purple Finch | 2 | 1 |
| Song Sparrow | 2 | 1 |
| White-breasted Nuthatch | 2 | 1 |
| Belted Kingfisher | 1 | 1 |
| Cedar Waxwing | 1 | 1 |
| Great Blue Heron | 1 | 1 |
| Pine Warbler | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 316 |
A total of 36 species were reported.
The Great Backyard Bird Count allows researchers to look at the distribution of birds across the continent over a single weekend - a feat that would be impossible without so many volunteers. We can learn a lot by knowing where birds are since bird populations are always in flux. Along with other citizen science projects like the Christmas Bird Count, Project Feeder Watch, NestWatch and eBird, researchers and scientists hope to gain new insight into bird migration patterns, population changes, and nesting behavior.
Join us for next year's Great Backyard Bird Count on February 15-18, 2013.
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