Have you prepped birds for the snowstorm?

A hopper feeder provides shelter

Bread, milk and eggs. Humans flock to grocery stores every time a snowstorm is forecast. But what do birds do when snowstorms strike? What can you do to make their lives a little easier?

For birds, living in deep snow is like living in a desert: no food, no water, extreme temperatures. At a time when a bird's need for calories is at its greatest, natural sources of food are the scarcest. Most berries, fruits and nuts have been consumed by now. Snow will cover most naturally occurring seed. Water is frozen and the nights may be windy and bitterly cold.

When snow begins falling, birds hunker down in any safe place: a thick hedge, a dense evergreen tree or even beneath a carport or a porch roof. Birds that nest in cavities—chickadees, wrens, bluebirds and woodpeckers, for instance—can retreat to their usual homes in trees. For other species, spruces and junipers are a favorite shelter. The thick foliage keeps the ground snow free. Birds may even find a few windblown seeds beneath the shrub.

Birds tend to congregate when it snows or becomes cold. They huddle together for warmth. This practice also helps them keep an eye out for predators.

Feeders galore!

Birds can eat snow to survive from dehydration, but it takes a great deal of energy to warm the snow and restore body temperature. You're familiar with that experience when you eat a frozen treat to cool off on a hot summer's day. Birds may have to fly long distances to find unfrozen water sources such as creeks, ponds or rivers. That of course consumes a lot of energy which is in short supply. 

Water is important not just for hydration. Birds use water to preen their feathers to maximize fluffy insulation and improve aerodynamic flight.

Here are a few things that you can do to help birds weather the storm.

Keep feeders filled. Before and after the storm hits, provide plenty of food using seed blends that accommodate the widest variety of species. Black oil sunflower seed—or mixes heavy in that seed—provide fat that is converted into energy. A mix that contains dried cherries or other fruit is helpful. Peanuts have fat too. Be sure to keep tube and hopper feeders full.

Platform-style feeders present a different challenge. Unless they have a protective cover, they quickly become buried by the snow. Make sure to brush off the snow as soon as the storm ends. Then fill the platform. If the platform feeder hangs high above the ground, rely on mixes containing black-oil sunflower, white millet and shelled peanuts. Cardinals, blue jays, Mourning Doves and even bluebirds will benefit. If the platform is at ground level, include a greater proportion of white millet. This seed is the favorite of ground-feeding birds such as juncos, doves and sparrows.

Tamp down snow to help ground-feeding birds

Also, make sure to shovel or tamp down snow around the feeders. Give a wide berth. Any seed that falls to the ground from overhead feeders will eagerly be eaten. If fact, you can scatter some white millet seed directly on the ground.

Two cautionary notes: Do not use seed mixes that contain red milo or red millet seed. You can identify these seeds by their round shape and reddish cast. Most songbirds do not eat these seeds. Many big-box stores use them as fillers in a seed mix. You're wasting you money buying these blends. Also, do not feed bread crumbs to birds. Bread has no nutritional value for birds. It may fill their stomachs but it lacks the fat and protein required to generate energy that will keep the birds alive during inclement weather.

Don't forget suet! Cakes of suet (or suet nuggets) have a high concentration of fat and other readily digestible ingredients that birds welcome. Most wintertime suet cakes are high in rendered beef fat. They also may be mixed with peanut butter, berries, nuts or dried insects. Inexpensive suet cages can be hung from an existing shepherd's hook or beneath even the smallest tree limb. 

If you have a heated bird bath, make sure it is plugged in and the cord connections are safely secured from the weather. Fill the bath fully. During the snowstorm, the heater in the bath will automatically melt the snow and keep the bowl free of ice.

Bird baths are popular

Another option is to buy a heating element that can be inserted into a regular bird bath. Just make sure the bath is not made of ceramic or pottery. In a pinch, a heating element can be created in any shallow freeze-proof bowl. If the bowl is deep, place a few pebbles in the bottom so birds can feel comfortable alighting and perching.

The Bird House has 50 percent off on heating elements and any remaining heated bird baths in stock.

You may have noticed the sight of numerous robins on lawns lately. Earthworms and larvae—the robins' favorite food during warm months—have yet to emerge from the depths of the frozen soil. Robins will eat seed or berries if the food is placed on the ground. Robins don't usually eat from tube feeders, hopper feeders or any feeder high above the ground.

It is fortunate for the birds—and for us humans too—that the storm probably will be the last one of the season. The snow may last on the ground for a little while longer however. Usually by this time of year, the average daily temperature reaches into the upper 40s in the day—enough to melt the snow. Temperatures fall into the upper 20s overnight. AccuWeather forecasters say we probably won't come close to those readings until next week. Be prepared to keep your feeders well stocked and your baths full in the meantime.

February is National Bird Feeding Month!

February can be a tough month. We may experience variable weather, cold temperatures, wind and a potential for (and a history of) big storms. Some days we wear hats, gloves and coats, other days maybe not as much. But what about the birds? Natural food is in short supply for them.

Consider that most birds weigh less than two nickels and we realize that winter can be very punishing for many of our backyard birds. This is why in 1994, John Porter a Congressman from Illinois proposed a resolution that February would become National Bird Feeding Month.

According to the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service survey results, bird watching is a hobby enjoyed by 47.8 million Americans! Bird feeding is an important hobby because it provides food, water and shelter for most birds that visit our yards.

Backyard feeding is an educational and entertaining pastime enjoyed by children and adults. It can provide a needed break from our hectic lives giving us some peacefulness afforded by watching birds in the tranquility of nature.

So whether you live in a rural, suburban or urban environment, there are always birds that can be attracted to your yard. Having the right combination of feeder and food is the key to a successful bird feeding experience. 

What to do when snow storms strike

Birds have an uncanny ability to copy with bad weather but you can help make their lives easier when snow storms and frigid weather is arrives.

Avian biologists say birds can detect on oncoming storm. Unlike humans, they don't need a meteorologist to send them to the grocery store for bread, milk and eggs. Birds sense changes in air pressure that signal the arrival of a storm, which usually gives them advance notice to prepare for adversity, according to Andrew Farnsworth, a scientist with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. How they manage this is unknown but the evidence is clear that this behavior exists, Farnsworth said.

(This doesn't mean that birds can conquer the weather. Storms sometimes blow migrating birds off course by hundreds of miles.)

Once non-migratory birds sense a storm is coming, their first strategy is to load up on calories and fat. The more fat the better. You may see many more birds at your feeders just in advance of a storm--and that the birds are staying longer and eating ravenously. They will need that nutrition to keep them alive once the snow covers the ground, preventing them from finding natural sources of food.



Black-capped Chickadee

As snow begins to fall, feeding stops. Birds then retreat to safe locations. They seek refuge in dense evergreens that offer the best protection from the elements. Junipers, arborvitae, spruce, hemlock, pine and rhododendron are among their favorites. Juniper shrubs are especially welcome for two reasons: The plants may still have edible berries and cones, and the dense, prickly foliage deters outdoor cats or feral cats.
By nature birds have several methods of coping with cold. Birds that normally are solitary during warmer seasons often congregate in roosts where they huddle to keep warm. They fluff up their feathers, creating a downy mass similar to the thick comforter that you may use for sleeping.

Birds also may seek out bird houses that have been cleaned of debris. (That's why it's so important to clean houses in the autumn.) If you have deciduous trees in your backyard, consider hanging a roosting pocket from a branch. Small birds such as chickadees or wrens may find that a welcome refuge.

You can make birds' lives easier during this time of extreme weather:

• Make sure your feeders are full. If there is snow on the ground, they may be the only dependable source of food. Keeping their dinner plate full minimizes the amount of time that they must spend pecking around shrubbery for food.
• Offer only fresh seed. There is nothing worse than offering birds spoiled or rancid seed that has been kept in a garage or shed since the summer. Birds could become sick from bad seed.
• Clean the snow off the feeders. You can use a soft brush such as a clean paint brush to remove the snow. The brush for cleaning your car's windshield also works. Ground-level feeders deserve special attention. They can become buried under a deep snow.

  

  Birds suddenly become the best dinner buddies when it snows

• Once the snow has fallen, shovel around the feeder or stomp the snow beneath the feeder. If seed falls from the feeder, it will land an open space where birds can find it. This is especially important for ground-feeding birds such as Dark-eyed Juncos (commonly known as "snow birds"), Northern Cardinals, Mourning Doves and White-throated Sparrows.
• Don't forget suet. This high-energy food contains nutritious fat. Suet that is blended with peanut butter, nuts, berries or insects provides much-needed sugars and protein. Woodpeckers will feast on special cakes that contain peanut and almond chips, sunflower seeds and cracked corn.
• If you run out of seed, never use bread crumbs as a substitute. Bread has very little nutritious value or fat content. Birds will fill up on the crumbs but the bread won't provide the high-energy food they need to maintain their metabolism during frigid weather. Likewise, don't feed birds table scraps. You're more likely to attract rodents.
• Instead go to your garage or storage shed to see if you have any grass seed left over from last year. As anyone who has tried to plant a lawn will attest, birds love grass seed. You can't plant the seed now anyway, so why not offer it to the birds? You'll be treated to Dark-eyed Juncos, Mourning Doves, House Finches, Song Sparrow and House Sparrows, among other species.
• Birds welcome fruit. Sliced oranges or apples work best. You can serve the slices in an empty suet cage.

Subspecies of Red Knot is designated as 'threatened' bird

Tagged 'Rufa' Red Knot; photo by Fish and Wildlife Service

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service yesterday designated the "rufa" subspecies of the Red Knot, which frequents the Delaware Bay during its 20,000-mile migration, as a "threatened" species.

Under the federal Endangered Species Act, the threatened status means the bird is likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future. Endangered means the species faces extinction.

The designation does not affect all Red Knots, only those in the rufa subspecies.

Since the 1980s, the population of the robin-sized shorebird has fallen by 75 percent in some key areas, largely due to declines in one of its primary food sources—horseshoe crab eggs in Delaware Bay, a crucial migratory stopover site.

Horseshoe crabs—considered "living fossils" because of their origin 450 million years ago—spawn on the New Jersey and Delaware beaches in May or early June, depending on the moon phase and tides. Each female will produce 80,000 eggs, which are located in dense masses near the front of her shell. She will lay four or five clutches of these eggs, timed to successive tides. The Delaware Bay is the primary spawning grounds of the crab.

Excessive harvesting of horseshoe crabs has meant less food for the rufa Red Knot. The crabs are caught and placed in bait pots to fish for conch and eels.

It is estimated that 90 percent of the entire population of the Red Knot subspecies can be present on the bay in a single day, according to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. The birds gorge themselves on high-protein crab eggs, and nearly double their weight to prepare for the final leg of their long journey to their Arctic breeding grounds.

Rufa Red Knots usually winter in South America—some as far south as Tierra del Fuego—and fly north to breed in the Canadian Arctic. One bird, banded by biologists in 1995, has become known as Moonbird because he has flown the equivalent of a trip to the moon and back in his 21 years of migrations.

Horseshoe Crab

During their lengthy journey, the rufa subspecies must arrive at the Delaware Bay at the exact the moment when horseshoe crabs have come ashore to lay their eggs. Climate-driven mismatches in migration timing and egg laying affect the birds’ food source.

Officials in New Jersey and Delaware are trying to manage the size of horseshoe crab harvest with the goal of stabilizing the Red Knot population. New Jersey already lists the bird as endangered and has designated the bay as a protected habitat. Law enforcement guards the birds from harassment. Delaware is awaiting guidance from the federal government, the Wilmington News Journal reported today.

Rufa Red Knots also feed on clams and mussels but these are more difficult to extract during the brief time the birds feed in the bay. Crab eggs are soft and more abundant. 

The bird has pencil-thin legs and a slender beak. They are only 9 inches long, about the size of a robin. Their wings extend to 20 inches in flight.

Each May or early June birders gather along the Delaware Bay to watch for the spectacular arrival and feeding of rufa Red Knots. In the Lehigh Valley, Red Knots in general are seen infrequently, sometimes absent for several years at a time, according to Birds of the Lehigh Valley and Vicinity, a publication of the Lehigh Valley Audubon Society.

How you can help birds and fight climate change

The Veery is a small perky forest bird that is 
common in the Lehigh Valley every summer.
By 2080 almost none will be seen here, Audubon says.

Nearly half of the bird species in the United States are at risk of extinction in just 75 years. Familiar or favorite species will leave for more suitable climates or take their place alongside Martha, the last Passenger Pigeon on earth.

You will see the changes coming gradually. As global temperatures rise, weather patterns will shift. Many bird species in the Lehigh Valley will move farther north, not to be seen again in this locale. 

Year by year, our climate gradually will become too hot, too wet and too variable. Many existing trees and plants will give way to new ones that may not suit today's bird species. The changes will seem imperceptible but over the long haul, they could gradually change bird life as we know it, according to a model designed by the National Audubon Society.

"It’s difficult to perceive the subtle shifting of rainfall patterns, of earlier flowerings that outpace the migration of hummingbirds, of the slow degradation of marine estuaries due to the inexorable rise of the oceans,” said David Yarnold, president and chief executive officer of the National Audubon Society.

Decades of bird observations, internationally recognized scenarios on climate change and several years of computer simulations went into the model on the future of bird behavior.

“Audubon is not in the business of using scary language or going beyond what science tells us,” Yarnold said.

So is there anything you can do to help stop this from happening?

First, Yarnold said, is to embrace the reality of climate change, a phenomenon that is invisible and gradual. He issued a call to action, urging Audubon members to become active in bringing their values to the conversation on climate change, just as they did a century ago to halt the killing of birds for feathers for the millinery trade.

The Audubon Society says there are five things that people can do to protect climate-endangered birds:

Join community organizations

Pledge to take part in climate-related volunteer efforts in your community and join bird observation projects, such as the Christmas Bird Count. This year's Christmas Bird Count is scheduled for:

• Saturday, December 20, in the Allentown area
• Sunday, December 21, in Wild Creek and Little Gap
• Saturday, December 27, in Bethlehem, Easton and Hellertown 

The Bird House will provide reminders as the events draw nearer.

Also you can sign up to receive from the Audubon Society the latest findings on avian science, explore climate-related volunteer opportunities in the Lehigh Valley or Pennsylvania, or enlist in a forthcoming citizen project to document how birds respond to a changing climate.

Locally, the Lehigh Valley chapter of the Citizens' Climate Lobby meets on the second Thursday of the month at the Unitarian-Universalist Church at 424 Center Street in Bethlehem. For information, call John Brown at 610-258-0528. You can follow the group on Facebook, too.

Make change happen in your backyard

Create a bird-friendly backyard. Refrain from pesticide use, let dead trees stand for housing opportunities (or add bird houses), install bird baths and convert lawns and gardens to native plants and wildflowers. Birdscape school grounds, parks, vacant lots and  common areas. Conserve water. Remove nonnative invasive plants. Join the conversation at the National Audubon Society on what others are doing. Keep in mind that a yard is not only a yard—it's a bird habitat. Be a caretaker for your part  of the earth. 

Preserve bird sanctuaries

Pitch in with Audubon's Important Bird Area program, which identifies specific locales vital to birds and biodiversity. The program must satisfy at least one of four criteria: globally threatened species, restricted-range species, large or significant habitats, and congregations of birds at flyways.

One example of an opportunity to participate locally is to help preserve Green Pond Marsh in Bethlehem Township from the proposed development of a housing tract. The marsh is an Important Bird Area that is home to 162 different bird species. Many of these are migratory birds that depend on the wetlands to refuel for their journeys. Eight of the bird species seen at Green Pond are listed as either "threatened" or "endangered" in Pennsylvania. Background on the issue is available on our blog here, here and here. For more information on how you can help save the marsh, visit savegreenpond.org. 

Alert others

Put birds on your community's agenda. Begin a conversation with neighbors, relatives, friends and local leaders on why it's important to protect birds in your community. Write a letter to your newspaper, arrange to visit local school classrooms to educate youngsters or speak at community events (or find a speaker). Many civic groups, such as the Lions, Rotary and homeowners associations, are desperate for speakers at their luncheon meetings.

Meet with decision-makers, such as township commissioners, city parks departments, wildlife agencies, extension services and legislators to educate them on how global warming imperils bird species and ask them how they are planning to address the issue. You'd be surprised how easy it is to get legislators to meet with constituents.

Learn and act

Push for policies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Encourage renewable energy portfolio standards, energy efficiency targets and other measures to slow the progression of global warming. Make sure these issues are on policymakers' agendas.

The Lehigh Valley chapter of the Citizens' Climate Lobby meets on the second Thursday of the month at the Unitarian-Universalist Church at 424 Center Street in Bethlehem. For information, call John Brown at 610-258-0528. You can follow the group on Facebook, too.

An important opportunity is coming up to join your voice worldwide. The People's Climate March is scheduled for September 21 in New York City. Billed as the largest march for climate action in history, a coalition of environmentalists, civic leaders, youth groups, religious leaders and labor leaders—about 750 organizations in all—will try to focus attention on the issue of climate change. The march will occur two days before President Obama and other world leaders gather at the United Nations for an emergency Climate Summit. March organizers want government leaders to commit to bold action at the summit.

These are only some of the things you can do to protect bird life in our community. There will be others. Be inventive! Find solutions.

Audubon presents dire forecast for many species

White-throated Sparrow

Would you miss the melody of the White-throated Sparrow? The tree-climbing antics of the White-breasted Nuthatch? How about the aquatic grace of the Mallard? 

These are among the birds that may become scarcer—or even disappear—from the Lehigh Valley because their breeding ranges are being reduced or altered due to climate change, according to a report issued yesterday by the National Audubon Society.

The Audubon Birds and Climate Report is the first of its kind to examine how climate change could affect North American birds. According to Audubon scientists, 314 bird species will be in dire straits by the end of the century; 126 species will be endangered before 2080.

"When you realize that only nine bird species have gone extinct in continental North America in modern times, then you see that we're looking at 314 North American bird species at risk by the end of the century—it take's your breath away," said Gary Langham, Audubon's chief scientist.

The report examined the possible futures of 588 bird species. The scientists took 30 years of observations from the Audubon Christmas Bird Count and the North American Breeding Bird Survey as a starting point. Then, using internationally recognized scenarios of greenhouse gas emissions and each bird's ideal climatic range, the scientists forecast how the bird's range would expand, contract or shift at three future time periods—2020, 2050 and 2080.

Some bird species will be able to adapt to the new climatic conditions, but certainly not all. And while many people assume that climate change will simply shift habitats farther north or to higher elevations, breeding ranges for 126 climate-endangered species will see their habitats shrink. Some species, such as the Cerulean Warbler, may have nowhere to go.

"The report is a roadmap, and it's telling us two big things: We have to preserve and protect the places where birds live, and we have to work together to reduce the severity of global warming," said Audubon President and CEO David Yarnold.

For Pennsylvanians, the touchstone is the state's Climate Impacts Assessment study. It finds that the weather will be much hotter—on average, 4.5 to 8 degrees Fahrenheit higher by 2080. As decades pass, we'll see wider swings in precipitation, from prolonged dry spells to rainfalls that are more frequent and more intense. Flooding will become common. Winter will bring more rain than snow. Forested land will decline, and tree species gradually will move northward to avoid the searing summer heat. Trees will become more susceptible to fire, insects and disease. Invasive plant species will thrive. 

Iconic birds are threatened

Ruffed Grouse

Pennsylvania's state bird, the Ruffed Grouse, will see a major upheaval. By the end of the century, you'll have to travel to Canada to see one of these birds because they won't exist anymore in the lower 48 states. The Pennsylvania climate of 2080 will be too hot and too wet for the habitat on which the grouse depends. 

While we're mentioning symbols, consider the fate of the Bald Eagle. It will have only 26 percent of its current breeding range remaining by 2080.  Audubon scientists say the eagle could escape the loss of habitat by relocating farther north. "Its success isn't guaranteed in the new areas—the majestic raptor will still have to find suitable food and nesting habitat," the scientists say. But will the national bird of the United States become primarily a Canadian bird?

Cool-weather species face problems. The White-throated Sparrow, a familiar songster in the Lehigh Valley during the winter, will move ever northward, deeper into Canada, to breed. They require dense ground vegetation—shrubs, grasses and ferns—for nesting. As a warmer climate pushes boreal forests farther north, the sparrows will have to count on Arctic tundra being replaced by brushy vegetation and coniferous trees.

The White-breasted Nuthatch will remain in the Lehigh Valley but at reduced numbers, according to the Audubon report. Again, the warmer climate will push many nuthatches northward, well into Canada, for breeding purposes. About one-sixth of the birds' current habitat will be lost. One of the problems in forecasting the future of the White-breasted Nuthatch in a given area is the discovery that the bird may actually be two, three or even four distinct species. Conservation biologists are studying the issue; they will have to monitor geographically distinct populations because some nuthatches may prove hardier than others.

Also on the Audubon Society's list is the Red-breasted Nuthatch. This species is content living in any kind of conifer. They'll even inhabit Christmas tree farms. The main question for the bird's future population is how extensive the conifer forests will be in Pennsylvania as the climate continues to changes. 

Ducks will be seriously affected

Male Mallard

The Mallard and many other ducks that visit our ponds and marshes are in serious trouble, according to the Audubon report. By 2080 the Mallard's range will shift northward during the summer breeding season, with only one-quarter of its current range remaining. By the end of the century, the bird will no longer be breeding in the lower 48 states. 

The Gadwall, a less showy but equally important duck, is in worse shape. More than 90 percent of its current habitat will be lost by 2080. "If there's any hope for the Gadwall, it's that this is a numerous and widespread species, with many thousands, if not millions, also living in the Old World," the Audubon report says. Ironically the duck has being seeing increases in population since the 1980s.

Likewise the Ring-necked Duck, with its faint iridescent maroon ring around its neck and bold white ring around its blue beak, will face major challenges. Its breeding range will decline by about 90 percent, forcing the bird northward, away from Pennsylvania.

Most backyard birds will remain

Some species seen in our backyards also will be affected. Cardinals, blue jays, goldfinches, robins, House Sparrows, starlings and others will remain. The Purple Finch is another story.

The Purple Finch has been losing ground to its recently introduced cousin, the House Finch, since the 1940s. A changing climate poses new difficulties. The Purple Finch will need to shift its summer and winter ranges northward. Our great-grandchildren may never see the bird in Pennsylvania. One bright spot: The Purple Finch, if it is lucky, could colonize Alaska.

The Hairy Woodpecker's fate is unclear. This nonmigratory bird could face loss of climate-suitable range during the breeding season. Most of its habitat—forest land—will be transformed by a warming climate.

Baltimore Oriole

The Baltimore Oriole, the namesake of a baseball team, could strike out, at least as far as our home stadium is concerned. The Audubon report says that by 2080, the Baltimore Oriole may no longer nest in the Mid-Atlantic region, instead shifting northward to follow the climate conditions it requires. 

The Lehigh Valley is treated to visits by Pine Siskins each winter. Those sightings will become less common as the century unrolls. Its current breeding range will decrease by about one-third by 2080 and the bird will have to move farther north to breed and winter.

The American Kestrel, a raptor seen in the Lehigh Valley, is in serious trouble. By the end of the century it will vanish from our region, according to the Audubon study. The amount of suitable breeding climate for this colorful falcon is shifting northward. The bird already is in decline throughout the Northeast and New England. Climate change will cause that pace to accelerate, the study says.

Other Pennsylvania birds face challenges

Double-crested Cormorant

The Double-crested Cormorant may be able to accommodate the changing climate—but there are several ifs. The species has increased substantially in some parts of North America, thanks to reduced use of pesticides, including DDT. Because the bird is migratory, it may gain an advantage as its summer breeding range expands. But scientists are not sure how the changing climate will affect the birds' winter range in Mexico, Cuba and the southern United States.

Already in decline, the American Black Duck faces both challenges and opportunities. This close relative of the Mallard will see new areas of potentially suitable climate in Canada during breeding season. However it probably will yield ground in the winter (the period when it most often is seen in the Lehigh Valley).

You may see Ring-billed Gulls dining in the parking lots outside fast food restaurants. Their future is fairly bright. They may lose one-third of their current summertime range by 2080, but will find new settings to replace it, according to the Audubon report. Scientists are counting on the gulls' resourcefulness and adaptability to get through the transition  In a surprising twist, the Herring Gull is expected to lose 20 percent of its summertime territory; prospects for the winter look promising. The Herring Gull also is adaptable. It, too, will rely on garbage landfills, shopping malls and coastlines for food sources.

Wood Thrush

Four woodland species face significant loss of breeding habitat in Pennsylvania. The Audubon report forecasts the Brown Creeper will lose one-third of its breeding grounds; the Hermit Thrush, about one-quarter. The Hermit Thrush had an advantage: It has a more extensive range. 

The Wood Thrush, having battled forest fragmentation, nest predation and the intrusion of cowbirds, now faces climate change. It will lose nearly one-third its breeding range by 2080. The Ovenbird seems destined to vacate the state. Currently found in eastern and western Pennsylvania, strutting like a tiny chicken, this forest bird will see its breeding range shift by two-thirds, forcing it well into Canada.

The Veery, a thrush species, prefers low-elevation broadleaf forests that are a bit wet. It finds central and western Pennsylvania a great place to live. But the changing climate means moving day for the Veery. It will have to withdraw to Canada—and expand westward to Alaska—to find enough forested land. It also will have to depend on broadleaf trees making inroads on existing Canadian conifers. 

The Tree Swallow is a hardy species. The problem it faces is not so much with summertime breeding but wintertime habitat. Right now Tree Swallows winter along the Gulf coast. In the future this area could become inhospitable, costing them 92 percent of their winter territory. They will have to adapt by moving farther north and farther inland. Likewise they will need to breed farther north. That will require more nesting sites than exist currently; the Audubon Society says the bird could be helped with human-supplied nesting boxes.

Male Scarlet Tanager

The brilliant red of the male Scarlet Tanager may become a thing of the past by 2080 in Pennsylvania. The study projects a 93 percent shift in the bird's breeding population, moving it well into eastern Canada. It currently is a common summer resident in the state. The Scarlet Tanager could find suitable climate-conducive space in Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan but the Western Tanager may put up stiff resistance. The betting is that the Western Tanager will win. Scarlet Tanagers winter in South America.

The Yellow-throated Vireo nests and breeds in hardwood forests in the eastern United States. It spends its winters in Cuba, the Bahamas and northern Mexico. With climate change, this vireo may spend its time exclusively in the United States because weather in the South in 2080 will mimic today's Caribbean. The outlook for breeding is less certain. The current territory may contract or the species may drift northward.

The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker has seen its range expand in Pennsylvania and New York as forests regenerated in recent decades. That trend will reverse as the climate changes, Audubon scientists forecast. The bird will lose nearly one-third of its climate-suitable breeding grounds. (In the Lehigh Valley, the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker is seen mostly during winter months.)

A common but hard-to-see Eastern wetland species, the Swamp Sparrow will need to shift its breeding range northward and westward by about two-thirds. Resident species along the New England coast will be harmed by a decrease in salt marshes due to rising sea levels.

The Northern Harrier, often seen coursing over low grasslands in search of prey, will lose about one-third of its summer breeding range. The harrier will have to undergo "a significant shift northward" to find climate-suitable breeding territory, the report says.

The Common Raven will lose one-third of its winter range and one-sixth of its summer range but the bird is extraordinarily adaptable, becoming increasingly at home in cities.

Saw-whet Owl

On the other hand, the Saw-whet Owl population could decline precipitously. Audubon scientists forecast the owl will lose nearly 95 percent of its suitable wintertime climate space by 2080. The scientists caution, however, that little is known about the winter behavior of the diminutive owl and the prognosis could be off by quite a bit. (The owl is seen at all seasons in the Lehigh Valley but only rarely.)

The Willow Flycatcher is widely distributed in Pennsylvania. But by the end of the century the eastern population will be Canadian. Audubon projects a modest expansion northward in the breeding territory but cautions that not all populations may adapt. 

Say goodbye to the Bobolink as a resident of Pennsylvania. Only one-fifth of the bird's current range will remain by 2080; if the Bobolink can find suitable grasslands in a swath from northern Labrador to Alberta, it will thrive.

Prospects are mixed for visiting migrants

The eerie sounds of the Common Loon on northern lakes will become less audible because there will be fewer of them. By 2080 they will have lost about half of their breeding territory. The birds, which currently pass through the Lehigh Valley in spring and fall, will have to move elsewhere to survive.

Common Loon

One of the two warblers on the Aubudon's list of climate-challenged birds, the Black-and-white Warbler, will have to find new forested breeding territory farther north. The Chestnut-sided Warbler is in better shape; its summer range is more stable.

The Golden-crowned Kinglet, one of the smaller North American birds, is a winter resident of Pennsylvania. To maintain its breeding range it will have to shift northward, penetrating even deeper into Canada. Its future depends on two factors: extensive conifer forests for breeding and plentiful tiny invertebrates in winter.

A migratory visitor to our area, the Horned Grebe "may be in grave danger," the Audubon report says. It is expected to lose more than 80 percent of its breeding territory by 2080.

Male Hooded Merganser

The Common Merganser, which is not all that common in the Lehigh Valley, will be seen even less frequently. It will move northward, away from a warming Pennsylvania, and head deeper into the Nunavut territory of Canada for breeding. In contrast, the Hooded Merganser is expected to nearly double its summer breeding range by 2080. Its winter range will decrease slightly. "By that measure, the Hooded Merganser looks like it could be one of the winners as the planet warms due to climate change," the Audubon report says.

The Goldeneye and the Bufflehead, closely related diving ducks, face the same obstacle: They nest exclusively in wood cavities in boreal forests, those with a mix of trees and wetlands. Everything depends on the ability of boreal forests to withstand a warmer climate.

The American Wigeon, a grazer along ponds fringed by grasses and lawns, will lose 26 percent of its breeding area. It will be one of several migratory waterfowl that will begin wintering farther north as the ice cap retreats toward the North Pole. (The wigeon is seen passing through the Lehigh Valley during its migration southward.)

Male Redhead

The Redhead, a diving duck, is seen infrequently in Pennsylvania. Its main breeding range, on the northern prairies, is expected to decline by 79 percent by 2080, with little expansion into new territories.

The Greater Scaup, which winters along the Atlantic coast but is rarely seen as far inland as the Lehigh Valley, will lose some breeding area by 2080 but has room to spare in the Canadian High Arctic. Audubon researchers are less certain about prospects for the Lesser Scaup. It has the advantage of being able to claim further breeding areas in the Canadian Arctic but the reliability of its wintering grounds is less clear.

Canada's moist, broad-leafed forests are the summer homes of the American Redstart; it may capitalize from climate change if suitable plants and insects reach deeper into the Arctic. (The bird is seen in Pennsylvania during its migration to Central America and the Caribbean.)

Common Redpoll

Another denizen of the Canadian north, the Common Redpoll, will lose a good deal of its breeding range. The report estimates that only 23 percent will be stable; things look better for its winter range, which currently includes parts of Pennsylvania.

The diminutive Least Flycatcher will lose 40 percent of its current breeding range, but its the changing climate may allow it to spread all the way to the Arctic Coastal Plain. (When the bird is seen at all in the Lehigh Valley, it is during its migration.)

(The Bird House wishes to thank the authors of "Birds of the Lehigh Valley and Vicinity" for their expert information on bird species found locally. The book, which is published by the Lehigh Valley Audubon Society, is an incredibly valuable resource for anyone who loves birds.)

The Rusty Blackbird is in serious trouble

Male Rusty Blackbird

Researchers are becoming increasingly concerned that the population of Rusty Blackbirds is plummeting and they're not certain why. They're asking birders to help count the migrating birds so they can obtain a clearer picture of what's wrong.

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology calls the Rusty Blackbird "one of North America's most rapidly declining species." Formerly abundant, the population has plunged by at least 85 percent over the past 40 years.



The Rusty Blackbird is a medium-sized blackbird with a slender bill and a medium-length tail. In winter, the male is distinguished by its rusty brown feather edges, pale yellow eye and buffy eyebrow. The female is gray-brown. It also has rusty feather edges, pale eyes and a bold eyebrow, contrasting with darker feathers right around the eye.

The bird is a bit larger and longer-tailed than the Red-winged Blackbird (with its brilliant red wing patch) and a shorter tail and slimmer bill than the Common Grackle. It shares the pale yellow eye of the grackle. If you listen closely to the sounds of a large blackbird flock, you may hear their song: a gurgling, creaky sound like a rusty-hinged gate being opened.

Female Rusty Blackbird

Rusty Blackbirds are ecologically distant from other blackbirds. You won't see them at a backyard feeder. In the summer breeding season in northern Canada, they are found in boreal wetlands. Winter will find them in wooded wetlands in eastern and southeastern United States.

The birds have been seen in the Lehigh Valley this autumn and winter. The Eastern PA Birdline, a project of the Lehigh Valley Audubon Society, reported sightings at 11 different locations this season, especially in Upper Mount Bethel Township, Northampton County. The first sightings came on September 25, 2013; the latest occurred during the week of February 28. Most leave the Lehigh Valley by late April.

Researchers have been investigating the causes of the population decline. They've found that Rusty Blackbirds in their breeding grounds have mercury concentrations three to four times than those found elsewhere. The feathers give one indication: Mercury levels return to normal in the winter but soar during breeding season in Canada. The mercury harms breeding, leaving fewer fledglings. Other possible explanations include changes in logging, agricultural practices, loss of habitat in wintering grounds and wetlands drying due to climate change.

Researchers this week began asking you to report birds in your woods and wetlands. Cornell ornithologists have partnered with other organizations to coordinate a Rusty Blackbird Migration Blitz—a continent-wide effort to track Rusty Blackbirds.

To learn more about this project and find out how you can contribute your sightings, go to the International Rusty Blackbird Working Group at www.rustyblackbird.org. Make sure you hurry, though. The Rusty Blackbird migration in the Lehigh Valley is drawing to a close.

Mockingbirds change their tune with changing climate

Why are some birds simple singers and others vocal virtuosos?

Two studies link superior singing skills to higher intelligence that enables birds to survive today's harsher and inconsistent climate.

Male Northern Mockingbird in song

Researchers at the National Evolutionary Synthesis Center at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in Ithaca, New York, and McGill University in Montreal focused their work on Northern Mockingbirds, a species known for its ability to express complex songs. Mockingbirds even mimic the songs of other birds, hence their name. 

Their study looked a large population of mockingbirds in diverse habitats. They found that species in more variable climates sing more complex tunes.

The researchers hypothesized that as today's environment becomes more unpredictable, song displays become more elaborate. They attribute this to the birds' survival and reproduction instincts. The birds don't know when food will be available or how long it will be around. The consequences of selecting a mediocre mate are magnified when the weather is inconsistent.

Male mockingbirds sing primarily to impress mates. Superior singing skills are a cue to the female that a male is a good catch. Males that sing more complex songs tend to carry fewer parasites and have offspring that are more likely to survive.

At the University of North Carolina, researchers suspect that song-learning ability may also be a display of learning ability in general. Complex songs may indicate which males have not only brawn but also brainpower.

In addition, singing skills may be a sign that males are clever enough to cope with unpredictable environments. Individual birds that are more intelligent tend to be better able to compensate for the difficulties of unpredictable situations, such as harsh weather.

"For example," the North Carolina researchers said, "if some individuals are able to invent new foraging techniques, then they are going to be better at surviving harsh winters than the poor guy who only knows one way to forage. The more intelligent you are, the more resourceful you are."

Does this pattern hold for other bird species? Ultimately additional research may shed light on that question.

Extend your holiday by treating songbirds

After you have enjoyed your Christmas tree, why not extend the enjoyment by putting it outside? 

Winter can be difficult for birds and animals because of scarce food and minimal shelter. Bushy bows from your evergreen tree provide shelter from snow and wind. Just lay the tree on the ground near other trees or bushes that have lost their leaves. 

You can also use cuttings of hawthorn, pyracantha or holly. The brightly colored berries look great, and birds will be happy to eat them as a welcome source of nutrition.

Also consider decorating the tree limbs with other food treats. For a great family project, dip pinecones in melted suet or smear them with peanut butter. If you'd like, you can roll the smeared cones in seed. Or try mixing peanut butter and oatmeal and smear the mixture on pine cones. Popcorn, cranberries, raisins or peanuts can be strung and draped over the branches.

Orange halves or dried fruit also attract songbirds.

Finally, be sure to place the Christmas tree nearby so you can see how the wildlife benefit from it.