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Are Birds Declining?

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Submitted by Rob Fergus. on 27-02-2008 15:30.

I just had someone ask me if the GBBC is showing a decline in birds this year, since last year we had over 11 million individual birds reported, and this year we're at less than 10 million.  I haven't done any real analysis of the bird sightings yet, but don't think we should be worrying too much.

Here's why.

Last year there was a huge flock of American Robins in west Florida, and over 2.5 million robins were counted there (the same flock counted a couple times).  This year we have just over 500,000 robins reported across the whole continent.  So the overall count last year was influenced by this huge flock of robins.  This year, there weren't any huge flocks of robins reported on the count.  That doesn't mean that robin numbers were down.  Maybe there weren't any huge flocks anywhere, and birds were scattered where they are harder to count.  Or maybe there was a big flock somewhere that nobody counted.  Its hard to know.

 

So the short of the story is, that the overall number of birds counted is not a good indicator of how many birds may or may not be out there.  Its more an indicator of how many people are counting.  Or in the case of the robins, an indicator that sometimes there are just spectacular things going on out there!

Great blog

Posted by Anonymous User at 01-03-2008 11:32

Hi, I like your blog. I volunteer for a conservation group and we do field studies as well.

Stephanie http://world-bird-sanctuary.blogspot.com/

Re: Rob Fergus's "Are Birds Declining?"

Posted by Anonymous User at 01-03-2008 15:48

Rob, I appreciate and enjoy sensible "big picture" comments like the ones you shared. This is something many of us wonder about, so thanks for addressing it. Keep up the good work!

Judy Phillips / Chatham, Il.

bird count

Posted by Anonymous User at 04-03-2008 15:20

In the week before the GBBC I & My sister were at McGinnis Park in Carrollton TX to check out birds. We were amazed to see a flock of robins in a tree & on the ground below it. We thought there wer maybe 100 birds there-- & robins are usually scarce in our area. We thought they were migrating, went back the next day & they were still around, a week later we saw none. At that same time we saw a good size flock of waxwings in the same area- And they too disappeared. It was very excitng to me. Betty Franzen bmfranzen @ verizon.neti

robin numbers 2007

Posted by Anonymous User at 12-03-2008 10:35

In Northern Kentucky, we fledged 2-3 young in April. Then a summer drought where fewer and fewer birds were seen. Even berries in woods were scarce due to freak late freeze. Now birds seem to be coming back. Lets hope for better weather!

bj

Posted by Anonymous User at 21-05-2008 17:01

asfas

Posted by Anonymous User at 26-06-2008 10:30

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cattle egrets

Posted by Anonymous User at 05-08-2008 16:17

you should come to Royse City, Texas 75189, there are so many of these birds in the area seen from I-30 especially in the area of Royse City and Caddo Mills ( next town ) we are very glad that they have decided to visit and stay!! Thank you Ramon

The decline of the human family

Posted by Anonymous User at 10-09-2008 19:51

www.demographicwinter.com