For those that want to take this off on a tangent, go somewhere else with your childish comments.
I preface my post like this because it is that time of year!
For those that follow the trend or just have feeders in the yard, how many have noticed a significant drop in the bird population?
Some have become almost non existent.
Is this just one result of that severe freeze last spring?
I’ve got a 25 lb of bird seed, I’ll fill my feeders when I get settled tomorrow. I had a couple dozen cardinals in Sept/Oct when I was sitting outside, grilling and paying attention more.
Tons of finches and chickadees were wearing out the dried veg and buds on my giant crape myrtle 2 weeks ago
Warm and cold/off and on storms might be pushing numbers around and visual observation
Its dem [bleep] wind turbines.
We've noticed no drop in bird populations around here. I've got feeders and houses up for them everywhere.
I was waaay down on hummingbirds this summer compared to last year but come to find out, my uncle’s E-Harmony 74 year old 300 lb live-in battle ax had about 10 feeders out cockblocking me on birds. So that shortage was just localized perception
I was getting all the wussy hummers that their asses kicked off her gallon bogart feeders
I don't have a feeder, so I cannot say much other than what I see in passing. Most of the songbirds leave our area by the end of October. One thing I will note is that I have seen Robins the last few years in January and February which is almost unheard of.
We have had a very moderate fall temperature wise so as things cool off we expect to see more activity. We also changed feeders and actually found one the squirrels haven’t figured out how to rob.
Bird feederI have noticed fewer birds. I think it took a couple days for them to find it and the birds started feeding
There are so many things that can effect what you may or may not be seeing in your yard or local region that don't necessarily mean there is a over all drop of population of any particular species of bird.
Did a neighbor start or stop feeding, has a local farmer changed crops, has a nearby forest been disturbed?
The possible causes are endless for what you be observing.
We aren’t seeing as many, I just thought the neighbors had feeders out.
New research estimates there are between 50 billion and 430 billion birds on Earth.May 17, 2021
7.9 billion people as of November 2021
Not seeing near as many here at the Ranch as in previous years.
And don’t get me started on the local Mourning Dove populations. Pretty much no existent these days.
Much less bobwhite quail.
The failure of the Quail has much to do with flavor.
The failure of the Quail has much to do with flavor.
More to do with fence to fence farming and the introduction of fire ants from SA. Throw in the rampant feral hog population growth and the quail around here were done for.
Not seeing many in my yard, and less in the woods here. Wife and I hardly saw flocks of geese and ducks. Have a pile of ducks on the creek behind the house though.
Hummingbirds went from a swarm ( way too many to count ) last year to 4 this year.
The blue jays disappeared at the beginning of June and I didn't see any until early Oct. There still aren't near as many as before they disappeared.
I still have a lot of cardinals, chickadees, woodpeckers, tufted titmouse, nuthatch etc.. Yesterday I saw a small flock of cedar waxwings. I haven't seen them in many years.
west nile virus has hit birds pretty bad in parts of the US. Ive read hit the ruffed grouse and raptor populations pretty hard
I have 10 or 12 feeders out at all times, same location for the last 36 years. This last year was the greatest number of birds and number of species at my feeders ever. Lots of fun to see.
Wild ducks in my area however, the exact opposite. I've never seen so few.
If you want to help out the birds, shoot all the feral cats around your place. #1 killer of songbirds. You may get death threats if the cat lovers find out.
You might need a live trap and some tuna to see the cats, but they are there.
Jerry
^^^^
Indeed! Here in our lakeside neighborhood there are feral cats en masse. I fenced our yard and have a 94lb Airedale that keeps them out of here. He thinks the birds are his pals!
On the ranch, the hogs have decimated all ground dwellers and quail/turkey eggs. I freaking despise them.
Been seeing a songbird decline in the PNW especially among the insect consumers like blue birds and swallows. Sparrow hawks are becoming a rarity as well.
Two seasons back when we had 3 occupied tree swalllow boxes the broods in everyone perished when about 85% grown. There were no renesting efforts that season either.
I wish I had more relevant info than the links already posted but actually I don’t, not for Texas anyway.
I haven’t lived in a place where quail were previously common enough to note their decline, I have however noticed wild turkeys and ravens locally increasing in numbers.
Biggest thing I have noticed is when I go up to NY State in summer how much the thrushes have been knocked back from 50 years ago, hermit, veery and wood thrushes. Rusty blackbirds too.
Peregrine Falcon and Cooper’s Hawk numbers are now way up compared to back then.
As for most other things, population swing up and down most years, prob’ly resulting from movements of the species themselves.
No drop in bird population here. The usual winter birds are hitting the feeders relentlessly. I need to pick up more bird seed at the feed mill and suet from the butcher shop this week.
No change in local farming practices (KY31), no new feeders.
Numbers have been down all summer.
Was surprised to se a Blue Jay a while ago.
I will have to say there must have been 50-100 vultures in Franklin (hwy 96 at !-65) this morning.
Turkey numbers are down, but you could not tell it by looking at all of them lounging around the front yard.
Will read over all of the links in the posts.
Our feeders are not being emptied as quickly as is past years.