If you’re an avid bird watcher, chances are high that at some point you’ll travel a good distance to see birds you’ve never seen before.
But sometimes you get lucky, and those birds come right to you.
That’s the case for many Michigan bird watchers right now, as the lower half of the state is currently experiencing a sudden influx of boreal birds that don’t usually make their winter homes there.
In ecological terms the phenomenon is known as an “irruption” -- a sudden increase in a species’ population density. In the birding world, that usually implies the movement of northern-wintering species to more southern locations in years of low food availability in the conifer forests of the north.
It started in late August with higher-than-usual numbers of the red-breasted nuthatch, a tiny and arguably adorable bird whose unmistakable high-pitched horn-like calls could suddenly be heard ringing through pine forests in Michigan’s southern regions.
A red-breasted nuthatch, photographed in Hell, Michigan. | Photo by Brian Barnabo
Next came the cheerful, raspberry-colored purple finches, and the pine siskins, a streaky-breasted songbird with a preference for thistle seed.
But the real treat for birdwatchers in this irruption year so far has been the appearance of the evening grosbeak, a hefty, boisterous finch with splashy yellow-and-black plumage. In Michigan these birds can usually only be found up north, and yet this year has brought them flocking to the southern Lower Peninsula, where, to the delight of local birding groups, they’re being spotted feasting on black-oil sunflower seeds at backyard feeders.
“In certain areas it’s the biggest irruption in something like 20 years,” said Ben Winger, curator of birds at the University of Michigan’s Museum of Zoology. “It’s really fun because at first they trickle in, and a couple lucky people get them at their feeders, and then all of a sudden they’re all around.”
The irruption year may very well bring other uncommon birds to new spots in Michigan, too, Winger said. Just this week, a handful of red crossbills, so named for their unusual crisscrossed beaks, were reported outside of Ann Arbor -- a rare sighting that far south in the state. Some birdwatchers are speculating that two additional northern species, redpolls and pine grosbeaks, may be next.
Irruptions themselves aren’t all that rare, being that they’re largely based on the boom-bust cycles of these birds' northern food sources, such pine cones and birch seeds. But an irruption’s size and scope can vary. Sometimes just a few species creep south; sometimes, like this year, there might be half a dozen. And the birds’ time here is unpredictable -- they may stick around all winter or only for a couple days -- which makes glimpsing them extra special for local birders.
Emily Tornga knows that feeling. Just last winter, the Michigan bird photographer (Instagram handle: The Peck Deck) drove from her home near Grand Haven all the way to northern Minnesota for the chance to see several particular bird species for the first time, including evening grosbeaks.
But this year the grosbeaks came to her.
“It’s really nice when they visit you in your hometown," she said. “Plus there’s a certain pride with having such a diverse number of birds come and see you in your home patch.”
And this irruption just so happens to coincide with a surge of interest in birding. Many Americans, feeling cooped up during pandemic restrictions, have taken up the hobby as a safe and socially distant outdoor activity. Sales of binoculars and bird feeders spiked this spring, as did downloads of popular bird identification apps.
In a tough year, with the winter’s dark and cold just around the corner, this sudden appearance of so many fresh new feathered faces has been a cause for celebration in Michigan bird watching.
“It is an exciting year to be a birder,” Tornga said. “Winter is a time when all the migrants leave, so you miss seeing warblers and the summer birds, but there are actually a lot of birds that come here, and they’re really beautiful and exciting to see.”
RELATED:
Michigan DNR offers tips for spotting bald eagles, golden eagles this winter
DNR’s ‘Winged Wednesday’ text alerts aim to encourage beginner birdwatchers in Michigan
"bird" - Google News
November 05, 2020 at 07:30PM
https://ift.tt/2I6SPWV
Why unusual birds are showing up around Michigan right now - mlive.com
"bird" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2s1zYEq
https://ift.tt/3dbExxU
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Why unusual birds are showing up around Michigan right now - mlive.com"
Post a Comment