[CT Birds] Birds Then and Now

[COMINS, Patrick]

Hi Paul and all:
        Yes, there certainly have been a lot of changes in bird populations over time.  A couple of good sites to explore the changes are the Breeding Bird Survey results and analysis page and the Christmas Bird Count historical results page:
http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/bbs/
http://www.audubon.org/bird/cbc/

        If I were to summarize a pattern, I would say that generalists and those species that are adapted to humans in some way make up the bulk of increasing species in our area, e.g. gulls (but look for declines as a nesting bird), feeder birds (Evening Grosbeak and Purple Finch excepted), those adapted to a suburban landscape.  The birds that appear to be declining are generally habitat specialists, especially shrubland birds, with the declines in wetland and grassland birds taking place before the advent of BBS for the most part.  I expect to see accelerating declines in forest birds as we look towards the coming decades, as the loss of forest interior habitat has been pretty steep in the last 20 years and is likely to accelerate.

Some of you may recall a few months back that Audubon did a report on declining common bird species.  For a national summary you can go here:
http://stateofthebirds.audubon.org/cbid/

There are CT specific materials if anyone is interested, but the species we highlighted were (all declines calculated from BBS data and are since 1967):
*       Eastern Meadowlark: Populations down by 99%.
*       Brown Thrasher: Populations down by 99%.
*       Ruffed Grouse:  Populations down by 98%.
*       Prairie Warbler:  Populations down by 93%.
*       Baltimore Oriole:  Populations down by 78%.


Some species that I would say have made notable comebacks in my lifetime are:
Common Raven (not really a comeback, but new)
Wild Turkey
Peregrine Falcon
American Oystercatcher
Cooper's Hawk
Willet

The ones I am most worried about over next 50 years
Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow
Seaside Sparrow
Clapper Rail
Cerulean Warbler
Wood Thrush
Migrant shorebirds, inc Red Knot, but also Sanderling.
Least Tern.
Common Nighthawk
Whip-Poor-Will.

The grassland and shrubland birds will require a big commitment of funds to stem losses, but I think we have a chance to turn things around with them if we are vigilant and resources are committed to the fight...that is a big if though.

Patrick Comins, Meriden, CT