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Cornell Lab of Ornithology on Warblers

Mass Audubon Focus on Feeders - 2012 Results

Mass Audubon has been using citizen generated data (known as "citizen science") to monitor populations of feeder birds in Massachusetts. This year's data has been turned in and analysed by Mass Audubon staff and the results are very interesting. Here is an excerpt of the report posted on their website.  

• Bird activity was markedly reduced at feeders this year. Overall numbers reported were down, with all but 3 species on our list (House Sparrow, Black-capped Chickadee, American Goldfinch) less likely to be reported than during Focus on Feeders 2011. This relative absence of feeder birds was most likely caused by the extremely warm temperatures and lack of snowfall we experienced over the winter. It will be interesting to follow this trend in subsequent winters, to see if changes due to climate warming affect activity at feeders in the long run.  Most climate models predict that we will experience substantial fluctuations in weather from year to year, and we’ll be watching closely to see how the birds react.


• Despite the notable absence of birds from Massachusetts feeders this winter, species rank order remained similar to past years (i.e., the same species were most commonly reported). One exception was the increase in rank-order for American robin. Again, warm winter temperatures likely allowed many individuals to remain in the Commonwealth for the winter, whereas they’d be inclined to migrate to warmer climes most years. Another exception was a sharp drop in rank-order for blue jay. Blue jays showed the most dramatic declines of all species in general, with approximately one-third fewer participants seeing them at their feeders this year. Massachusetts Christmas Bird Counts also indicate that blue jays are notably scarce this winter, due in part to last fall’s significant shortage of acorns.


• Other notable decreases were in sightings of red-breasted nuthatch, Carolina wren, American tree sparrow, and pine siskin. Note that pine siskin is one of our “irruptive” species, so would be expected to vary greatly from year to year.  However, Mass Audubon’s State of the Birds Report indicates that this species is also showing long-term declines in winter, along with American tree sparrow, blue jay, and several other species that we typically think of as "common".


• As noted last year, European starling, one of our non-native species, continues to show a long-term decline in feeder numbers. This species is also experiencing quite dramatic declines within its native range (particularly in the U.K. and Northern Europe), although reasons for these declines are currently unknown. We and other conservation organizations across North America will continue to monitor this species, to help determine what is causing this negative worldwide trend.

For the complete report please visit the Mass Audubon Focus on Feeders website.

Spring Bird Song Crash Course Day thirteen – Pine Warbler

The thrill of finding warblers returns to New England with this plane, conifer loving, aptly named bird. Similar to the Chipping sparrow the pine warbler gives a trill but most often in shorter, slower, less emphatic bursts than the chipping Sparrow. Listen too for a trailing away at the end of the Pine Warbler’s song. 

Spring Bird Song Crash Course Day twelve – Chipping sparrow

This inconspicuous sparrow gives a continued, mechanical, even, insect-like trill. It literally “chips” and “chips” and “chips”. The duration of the chipping sparrow’s song can be variable but is often quite long. Confusion occurs when this sparrow slows it’s song down to a slower, flat series of notes. 

Spring Bird Song Crash Course Day eleven – Scarlet tanager

If the Rose-breasted grosbeak took voice lessons Bill Walton asserts that the Tanager must have laryngitis. A harsher series of “cheers” and “cheerios” than the Robin the tanager does sound like a raspy Robin. 

To find tanagers forget the song entirely and learn the give away, tow-noted call that sounds like a harsh “chuck-burrr” or “chip-burrrr”. This is the secret to finding tanagers. 

Spring Bird Song Crash Course Day ten – Rose-breasted grosbeak

What Bill Walton calls the RB Grosbeak “a robin with voice lessons” the Rose-breasted grosbeak sings endlessly from a tree top promontory. With an identical structure to the American robin’s song distinguishing the grosbeak is a matter of sound quality and a lack of the robin’s distinctive “cheap-cheap-chup-chup-chup

Spring Bird Song Crash Course Day nine – Baltimore Oriole

Listen for the paired notes and rich, wet sound of the Baltimore oriole’s song. After the initially paired sounds the oriole will alternate with up-slurred phrases reminiscent of a 1950’s cat call to Marilyn Monroe. As a relative of the blackbird, oriole’s like to chatter and scold between songs.

Spring Bird Song Crash Course Day eight - American robin

Though visually identifiable to most every second grader in the country, the song of the American Robin is a slow, melancholy jazz riff that begins well before dawn and can continue late into the night. A mix of riffed on phrases like “churrily,cheer-up, cheer-o” interspersed with trills and a scolding “cheap-cheap-chup-chup-chup”.

Spring Bird Song Crash Course Day seven – Gray Catbird

Catbirds sing from deep within low thickets and sound like a madman’s endless murmuring. As a member of the Mimidae family catbirds throw a slow spun array of sounds including a baby’s gurgle, air sucked into the mouth through clenched teeth, and feline “meewww” into its repertoire.

Spring Bird Song Crash Course Day six – Song sparrow

A more complex song than the birds of week one the Song sparrow gives two to three clear slow notes followed by a short complexity of noise and finishing with a trill. “Drink,drink, drink your tea all up.” Heard most near pond, marsh, or river.

Spring Bird Song Crash Course Day five – Red-bellied woodpecker

Like the Carolina wren the Red-bellied Woodpecker gives a soft, yet mechanical “purrrrt” from the woods.