Evening Grosbeak populations decline
One of the most common winter visitors to bird feeders across North America is becoming less common. The Evening Grosbeak is an irruptive migrant, occasionally moving out of its boreal and montane breeding ares to winter at lower latitudes and elevations. These yearly fluctuations have been documented by participants of Project FeederWatch, allowing researchers at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology to track changes in the abundance and distribution of the species. According to a recent study, reports of Evening Grosbeaks at FeederWatch sites declined by fifty percent between 1988 and 2006. At sites where Evening grosbeaks continue to be reported, average flock size had decreased by twenty-seven percent.
Evening Grosbeaks at a feeder in Manitouwadge, Ontario. Photo by Tammie Haché.
Unfortunately, the factors behind these declines are still not clear. While Evening Grosbeaks are gregarious during the winter, foraging together in large flocks, they are relatively solitary during the breeding season. There are currently significant gaps in basic life-history information for this species. Developing a plan to slow the decline of the Evening grosbeak will require better information on their breeding biology and reproductive success.
More information about the Evening Grosbeak can be found on All About Birds.
Source: Bonter D. N. and M. G. Harvey. 2008. Winter survey data reveal rangewide decline in Evening Grosbeak populations. Condor 110:376-381.
How I miss ‘my’ Evening Grosbeaks. I’ve seen less than a half dozen of them all this winter so far. I remember years where I had over 50 coming to the feeder daily …. it wasn’t that long ago, within the past 5 years. I hope they return in spring.
Tammie,
you need to plan a winter trip this year to the San Francisco Bay area. There are a whole lot of the Grosbeaks showing up there this winter.
Rick in Fargo
I have not seen any lately at all either!
Some, such as Ron Pittaway, argue that the numbers of EVGRs back in the 1970s and 1980s were unnaturally inflated by large outbreaks of spruce budworm (a food source) in Eastern Canada. It is possible (and likely) that factors besides a regression to the mean of the spruce budworm population are currently in play. It’s unfortunate that we don’t have more accurate records of EVGR populations in the early and mid 20th Century, as that would give us a more accurate and long-term baseline for comparison.
We’ve had ‘mobs’ of them, 20+, at our feeders this month. Until this week, they suddenly disappeared, except for a few now & then. Largest numbers were during a time when snow was on the ground, not a long term condition in the PNW. We’ve always had a pair that seems to stay around in the summer. Hope the decline is abated and a balance in the populations occurs.
Here in Central Wisconsin I’ve seen perhaps two Evening Grosbeaks at my feeders in the last 20 years. Be sure to put your location in your message so everyone knows your geographical location.
I have more evening grosbeaks this winter than I have ever had in the 18 years we have lived here! If there’s a decline somewhere else, they must have decided to come to my feeders!
I have heard this about my beloved EVGRs…but, lucky for me, they continue to thrive here in La Veta, CO (~7000′). This time of year I have as many as 75 at my feeders at a time, every day…though it is true those numbers drop later in the year. Still, they are always around.
Aaron Haiman, working on his PHD in CA, was here banding them (during the summer when we only had half a dozen!). It was fascinating to watch; he caught, measured, weighed, sampled for DNA and banded all he could…I hope he discovers some good stuff.
Remember to be nice to your scientists; they work hard for us!!!
They are rare here in southern California. Still I like to here how they are doing.
I had the wonderful pleasure of seeing these birds up close and personal when I lived in Searsport, ME. They were attracted to a tray feeder that I had hanging off of our deck. I will never forget the sightings. Two seasons passing through on their migration (2005-2006). I have not seen any since and don’t expect to where I live now – a small village but probably too urban for their liking – Clayton, NY. I feel privileged to have seen them “live.” They are so very striking. I love to hear that they are still thriving in some areas.
This is the first year evening grossbeaks have consistently stayed in mountains outside Albuquerque at 7600 ft. There’s a group of about 8 here since early Nov 2010, drawn by flowing water as well as food.
I started this FeederWatch season with 9 evening grosbeaks. It was wonderful to see them. By early December I had a count of 30, by early January that number was up to 62. My highest count appears to be 82. While it’s been nice having them here and learning their behaviour ( they arrive early in the day and are gone to roost by 2 p.m.), it has also been an expensive season. I’ve gone through a 40 lb. bag of black oil sunflower seeds every week this winter. The numbers are still good here though for how much longer I don’t know.
Now if someone could do something about the redpolls also eating me out of house and home. For my last two count sessions, I’ve had counts of 300 and 210.
We just had our first pair visit the feeder in the Adirondack Mountains. Beautiful and BIG!
This is the first year that we have had any EVGR’s at our feeders! In 18 years of watching our feeders we now have four pairs showing up. I’m in Arnold, Ca. which is in the central Sierras at 4,000 ft. It seems as if they are pushing their range a little further south.
We have had our first ever sighting of EVGRs at our feeders this Spring. About 30+ have been here daily for 4-6 weeks. We’re a few miles out of Kalispell, MT, elevation just over 3,000 ft. in the Flathead Valley not far from Glacier National Park. They (and our other visitors) have been going through over 10# of black oil sunflower seed a day. I cut them back about 2# the last two days and today hardly any EVGBs came. Coincidence? We’ve enjoyed them so much, but I was beginning to wonder how long they would stay with the feed costing about $30/50#. Incidentally, about 55 years ago a teacher introduced me to bird watching. The EVGR was one of the first birds I identified other than common, abundant ones (robins, sparrows). I never forgot that experience. I didn’t start my life list until more recent years and am very much an amateur. Project Feeder Watch has awakend my awareness of my own backyard and the drama that is played out by my feathered visitors.
My friend and I were just arguing about the topic you referred to in your blog post and apparently, I win the discussion! Thank you for clearing it out.
They used to arrive around the week of my Mother’s Birthday (Dec. 30) in Kinston, NC, back in the 70′s and maybe into the early 80′s. My Mom used to say that they were “Nature’s Birthday Present to her” since she loved seeing them. They never stayed long, though. I live in Cary, NC, and I haven’t seen any in several years.
i have lived in princeton b.c. for 5 years and have always had them at my feeders from fall till early summer. i have counted over 100 at the peak of winter but notice a decline last winter with 0 birds so far this fall.i believe that the aluminum from chem trails (watch your skys then google What in the world are they spraying.) is effecting our wild critters. I can,t believe that i have seen no chickadees as well.
I live in South Snohomish county in washingon state about an hours drive on hwy 2 west of Stevens pass. Our housing developement is located at 500 feet in elevation. I put out feeders for the first time this summer in June. Evening Grosebeaks showed up here in flocks of 6 or so since a week or so before Halloween. The temperatures in the cascades have dropped considerabley this past week bringing in much snow for skiers. I noted that Evening Grosebeaks then began to come to my feeders in larger flocks of 18-25. We had an inch of snow on the ground here this am and I counted 18 a few moments ago. I suspect that they will show up agian early this afternoon. They will sit and eat for quite sometime so you can really get a good look at their coloring and behavior. We will see if they stick around or migrate to lower elevations as winter progresses.
We live in northern Wisconsin where ten years ago we’d get evenings by the dozens. Now we havent even seen one!!!! Miss them!!!
We seldom see them at our feeders here in Central Saskatchewan but other FeederWatchers have told me they have sizeable flocks in their 11/12 winter observations.
Another observation: We have a cabin in Prince Albert National Park. Every year when we go up in late April (there’s still snow on the ground) to open up the cabin, we can hear the Evening Grosbeaks calling throughout the townsite. Then the Park officials (especially those involved with the Golf Course) spray the area for moths and biting insects and within days the EVGR are gone… By and large, Golf Courses use very questionable chemicals to make the links insect-proof for the golfers.
Had about 6 at my feeder this weekend here in Evergreen Colorado. I was very excited, I had not seen them here before. It was cooler with some snow which has been in short supply.
I’ve got somewhere around 100 at my feeders this spring. Six feeders, lots of sunflower seeds. I didn’t realize this was so unusual. This is the largest number I’ve had in years or maybe ever.
Right now I have more evening grosbeaks on my feeder than ever before. Sorry about the decline where you are. They only show up here in the Spring and are one of our favorite visitors to the feeders.
Northern Willamette Valley in Oregon, BTW.