[CT Birds] Bird numbers ups and downs.

[Carrier Graphics]

Patrick - 

I agree with your assessments on why certain bird species go up and down in populations as you pointed out. But some others have no clear answers to give. Such as the Red-Shouldered Hawk.

Back in the early 70's, this hawk was not seen with any regularity here in CT as a migrant as well as a breeder. It was a red letter day seeing just one a year, or even the remote chance of finding a pair breeding. The Red-shouldered hawk in times before the turn of the century was listed as more common then Red-tailed Hawks! Some past thoughts on the RS's decline were: Loss of wetlands, competition with Red-tails from their growing population caused from the re forestation of CT after the 1900's, and other speculations of which all seemed credible. 

But why are we seeing such an increase in Red-shoulders in our State, so quickly and by so much? 

The wetlands have not increased - which Red-shoulders love and need, and we have been fragmenting and destroying forest lands since 1900 here in CT, and for that mater, most of the northeast at an alarming rate, yet the Red -shouldered Hawk is still increasing. 

Some birds fit a notable pattern of increase and decline, others do not. The Red-shouldered Hawk is one that seems to not.

Paul Carrier