Is there something ecologically weird going on this year?

Usually this time of year, we have lots of birds from little finches to bluejays and woodpeckers and many types in between. They hang out in the trees in the backyard and drink from the bird baths in the yard.

This year, nothing. Not a sign. Not one bird of any type. I don't even see them flying around the neighbors.

We have a couple of hummingbirds that seem to hang around all year. I still see them once in awhile but not recently.

Big earthquake coming this way or what?

Tons of birds in southern illinois. Probably the most blackbirds I’ve ever seen.

This is a screen grab of a video I did about a month ago. They flew by our house this thick for over half an hour.

Speaking of birds I took this picture and I’ve never seen this duck before. Does anyone know what it is.

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Absence of birds

Is there something ecologically weird going on this year?

Nothing weird around here. Birds are numerous.

Your location says "gilded cage", where is that?

Seems to be pretty typical numbers here, maybe just slightly down. Bird flue is killing off a lot in some areas because it spreads so easily, especially through feeders.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: ridewv,

hmm, okay. maybe just around here locally (norcal) or maybe i'm just imagining it. maybe they're still migrating....

They are all in my back yard. Geese, ducks, cardinals. Everything you mentioned and also tree rats, bunnies, even an occasional red tailed hawk. I don’t want to know how much the wife spends on bird seed and peanuts. But there is no shortage in northern Illinois.

They have been dwindling in numbers for four years now.

When I asked a guy from Cornell University about it.

He said that the tall glass buildings are very detrimental to the birds all along the migration routes.

For us, it's from Houston up to Chicago and the twin cities.

Yes wind turbines are not helping , but the buildings are far more lethal.

"Speaking of birds I took this picture and I’ve never seen this duck before. Does anyone know what it is."

Black-Bellied Whistling Duck.

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They have been dwindling in numbers for four years now.

When I asked a guy from Cornell University about it.

He said that the tall glass buildings are very detrimental to the birds all along the migration routes.

Four years dwindling in numbers, and he blamed it on the tall glass buildings? Did you remind him those tall glass buildings have been around forever?

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Originally posted by 1s1k:

Speaking of birds I took this picture and I’ve never seen this duck before. Does anyone know what it is.

That’s a black bellied whistling duck.
Very common here in the Houston area.

quote:

Originally posted by 1s1k:
Speaking of birds I took this picture and I’ve never seen this duck before. Does anyone know what it is.

Black-bellied Whistling-duck. Also known as white-winged Whistling-duck or Black Bellied Tree Duck.

I am seeing my normal amount of birds. Mostly Mockingbirds, Cardinals, and Bluejays.

I believe numbers are down, certain songbirds. I’m kinda thinking pesticides more than any habitat loss.

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aaw1313

" Did you remind him those tall glass buildings have been around forever?"


Many of the older high rise buildings lacked the super reflective giant windows, that offer some effiency.

The older windows were much smaller and had curtains ,shades or blinds behind them.
No where near the reflectivity.

And it took them five years to notice the smaller populations and another seven years to figure out the causes.

Night time migration is the huge killer,
Day time flying offers the birds a lot of perspective to make adjustments.

And the pesticides don't help.

Since the city started doing mosquito spraying, we no longer see Bluejays, Cardinals, or other colorful birds. There are still sparrows, though.

quote:

Originally posted by bendable:
They have been dwindling in numbers for four years now.

When I asked a guy from Cornell University about it.

He said that the tall glass buildings are very detrimental to the birds all along the migration routes....

From a master naturalist bird specialist I learned that what kill the most birds in the US are glass windows and outdoor cats. Both have been increasing dramatically. Another contributor is fewer insects.

Here’s just one area of subtle reasons, pet tick & flea medications.

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aaw1313

I have my own very anecdotal story from years ago. I was splitting firewood in the yard & one chunk had a bunch of ants inside. For whatever reason I decided to spray them, dead. A few days later I saw 2 maybe 3 dead robins not far away, early spring. I can only surmise they ate a belly full of the dead ants & succumbed. I normally would just let the ants dissipate.

Then there has been West Nile virus making its rounds.

We saw this last year in a kinda suburban St. Louis area. Through the Spring and well into Summer very few birds if any at all. It was spooky. The birds showed up finally late Summer, no idea where they'd been. FWIW no mosquito spraying around here.

**edit** This Spring tons of birds. With woods and brush on all sides, that's a bunch of birds.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Ripley,

Hmmm, okay. I hope they show up someday. I love watching them drink water and take their baths. And all the chirping and singing. I like when they're around.

It's really weird just having the trees and not a bird in sight.

Ha!

Ducks can't whistle.

They don't got lips.

quote:

Originally posted by sourdough44:
I believe numbers are down, certain songbirds. I’m kinda thinking pesticides more than any habitat loss.

Maybe they’re all hanging out here. No need for an alarm clock, they start chirping once the sky starts to brighten.