more on bird irruptions

Pamela at Thomasburg Walks asked in the comments of the chickadee invasion post whether she might see other, more usual, irruptive species this winter, such as redpolls or siskins.  As I mentioned, these winter irruptions are generally due to a failure of an important food source in the areas where these birds usually spend the winter.  Different birds species specialize in different types of cone or seed crops, so it depends on how well these various kinds of trees did in particular regions. 

The good folks at the Ontario Field Ornithologists examine the clues and put out a winter finch forecast each year. You can read the whole report, but it looks like the species apt to get the furthest south this year will be:

• Purple Finch (Carpodacus purpureus).  I agree with this, having seen quite a few here already.
• Pine Siskin (Carduelis pinus). I have yet to see any here, or heard any local reports, but they are supposedly on the way.  Their high-pitched ascending "zipppp!" call is one of my favorites.
• Evening Grosbeak (Coccothraustes vespertinus), shown above. The forecast was vague, but I have been seeing a handful reports of "grocery beaks" in southwest Ontario, upstate New York, and New England. Figuring these birds out can be tough. Cornell's Project FeederWatch looked at some long-term data to try to predict when grosbeaks would appear. As the forecast notes, however, Evening Grosbeaks appear to be in a population decline.  Christmas Bird Count data bear this out, as this interesting analysis shows.  Be on the lookout for these beautiful birds.

Winter finches less likely to move a good distance south are Common Redpoll, Pine Grosbeak, Red Crossbill, and White-winged Crossbill.  I am certainly seeing huge numbers of American Goldfinches on the move this year, indicative, according to the forecast, of poor tree seed crops in central Ontario.  And by the way, I've noted more chickadees in the area, both at work and home, the last couple of days, and banded another half-dozen new ones.

Comments

[Cindy M.]

had our first Pine Siskins yesterday- bring on the irruptives! :)

[Wisecrow]

On the Upper Texas Coast, we begin to wonder at this time of the year which tropical species will move north and show up here. And which western hummingbird species will decide to winter here. The movements of all these birds have not been adequately explained. It may be food sources in Mexico, but no one has proven it. Last year was a record in the Rio Grande Valley. Probably 20-30 Crimson-collared Grosbeaks as far north as Galveston, Elegent Trogon, North America's first documented Social Flycatcher, Blue Bunting, Streaked-backed Oriole, White-throated Robin, and Roadside Hawks, to name a few. We also had some northern finches, including a Purple Finch here in Lake Jackson (the farthest south recorded last year, if I'm not mistaken). Interesting stuff. Someone should study it.

[Pamela]

I clearly must spend some quality time exploring all that the OFO site has to offer. Thanks for the link to the forecast, very interesting (as were the other links)--not clear whether there's much chance of me seeing a crossbill without going north--but there are already reports of evening grosbeaks and pine siskins in the area. And the apples (everywhere around here there is a pioneer homestead gone back to bush there is at least one apple tree, if not an orchard) and other fruit crops have been so good this year, maybe they'll entice a pine grosbeak or two. It should be an interesting winter!

[Trix]

Located just on the cusp of a 'transitional' forest, before it gets truly boreal, we are more than accustomed to the chickadees, but this past year noticed a definite drop in the Evening Grosbeaks. Large flocks became two or three, sometimes a lonely one. And we have always lacked for redpolls but will keep an eye out! I wonder if and why the conifer seed crop was so crappy this year? Everything certainly seemed lush. Cylical? Too hot? Hmmm....