Dear Action Line: Every spring we set out food for the local bird population. In past years, the redwings, doves, hummers, siskins, finches, magpies, et al. have mobbed the deck. The many redwings made nests in willows and cattails in the greenway. Last year we noted a steep decline in numbers. This year it’s close to a total bust. Is there an explanation? – Gone Missing
Dear Gone: A few years ago, a Cornell University study showed that about 3 billion birds had vanished in the United States and Canada over the past half-century. For those who believe that Cornell isn’t just an Ivy League school looking for headlines and feeding us a bunch of hooey, this is alarming.
Maybe the birds were simply vacationing in Mexico or Central America during the study?
Maybe those overworked Cornell grad students tallying birds just got bored and stopped counting after reaching 7 billion? Who can blame them?
Both good theories, and you can certainly create your own. But seriously, folks, the mass of humanity is making changes to the Earth. We’re just not totally certain sometimes how much irreparable damage we’ve done to the other species with which we coexist on this blue ball.
Anecdotally, the magpie population in our neighborhood seems to be going strong, judging by the number jawing back and forth with my dog on morning walks. And the meadowlarks are at least surviving, because their complicated and enchanting warbles are commonplace out in the fields.
So, to get an answer from someone who knows much more than Action Line (it’s hard every week finding such a person, but somehow we do it), this question was passed to Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
The news isn’t all bad, said John Livingston, Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s public information officer for the state’s Southwest region.
“Let’s mix in a little fun and some factoids for this response today,” he began. “We aren’t exactly sure what’s happening with the birds in Gone Missing’s neighborhood. Maybe his neighbors are putting out seed that just smells better?”
Action Line gets it. To put this in terms we can all understand: Grape-Nuts is good a few days in a row, but if a neighbor is luring you with Frosted Flakes, it’s really hard to resist.
Livingston said that the Durango Bird Club held its spring count on May 11. The club’s 35 participants observed 144 species, a high for the local spring count dating back to 2007.
The club also counted 6,135 individual birds all in the Durango area that day. Members tallied 733 red-winged blackbirds, 198 pine siskins, 52 American goldfinches, 85 house finches, 62 broad-tailed hummingbirds, 18 black-chinned hummingbirds, 95 black-billed magpies and 11 pipers piping.
Livingston said that so far this year in La Plata County, 231 different species have been recorded.
“It’s possible there was a disturbance in Gone Missing’s area, or maybe the birds just wanted a different view this year,” he said.
But the long-term trend in the Southwest approximates the U.S. trend. Despite solid numbers this year, Livingston reported, overall bird abundance in the Southwest has declined by over 40% since 1970.
“This is driven primarily by habitat loss and climate change,” he said. “Climate change impacts different wildlife in different ways. Some birds will be able to adapt to the warming climate better than others.”
Oh, and a word from CPW about bird feeders:
“Our advice is to take them down,” Livingston said. “Bird feeders unintentionally feed a variety of wildlife, including bears. Bird feeders are a huge source of human-bear conflict. No matter where you try to hang them, a bear can probably get to them.
“Take them down during months when bears are active. Put in a bird bath or plant flowers that birds like if you want to see birds in your yards, but take down those feeders to help keep bears wild and to keep them out of residential areas.”
Every now and then Action Line does something so dumb that it doesn’t even seem possible.
Yes, the U.S. highway between Durango and Pagosa Springs is 160. Therefore, the animal overpass near Lake Capote goes over U.S. 160. Action Line, repeating an error in the original question, said last week that this crossing went over U.S. 550.
Dumb.
Action Line will never make this mistake again. Unfortunately, there are a quadrillion other mistakes to be made, and there’s a slight chance that Action Line will make one of these someday.
Thanks readers for pointing out the “big goofup!”
Email questions and suggestions to actionline@durangoherald.com or mail them to Action Line, The Durango Herald, 1275 Main Ave., Durango, CO 81301. Yes, Action Line added the piping pipers; too tempting.
