Silent Winter - An Absence of Songbirds

Observation by Mike Brubaker:

It is late January and I have not seen a single songbird at my feeder in months. I posted my initial observation in December (attached). Checking in with neighbors and with my mom across town, they are also reporting similar absence. What happened? Could it be food shortages? Conditions have swung from extreme snow last winter to total absence of snow this winter and lots of wind. Could it be infectious disease? Bird flu is still around, but there has not been much reported to my knowledge. I did note that during the Christmas Bird Count the most numerous species was European starlings, an invasive species known to prey on songbirds. Could starlings be the culprit? I have noticed they are among the most frequently sighted birds now in Anchorage, other then mallards. Or perhaps there is something else happening to our songbirds populations. I dont think this is limited to my neighborhood, and any significant decline in songbirds should give us all pause, and signal the need to look more closely.

LEO Network Says:

We reached out to friends at the Audubon Society, US Geological Survey, and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game for their insights about songbirds this winter and about efforts to help protect songbirds from invasive species, such as the Starling control measures in Homer Alaska (link See Also). Member comments welcome on what you are seeing in your neighborhood.

Comment from Caroline Van Hemert, USGS:

I've heard now from a number of birdwatchers in southcentral Alaska that they've observed fewer songbirds at their local feeders than usual. I've noticed the same thing at my house and around town generally. It's been very strange winter in terms of weather, as you know, which likely affects bird distribution and activity. However, these observations could also be part of larger population trends that we're picking up on. Unfortunately there isn't much information available from this season (at least to my knowledge) so it's difficult to be sure what's going on.

Based on reports from the 2024 Audubon Christmas Bird Count in Anchorage (conducted December 14, 2024), the number of species recorded was within normal range, though the total number of individuals was down, largely because of the absence of irruptive species such as redpolls, crossbills, and waxwings. Notable were the high counts of invasive species: starlings and pigeons were the most numerous of all species, and both at all-time highs. By contrast, American Robins and Dark-eyed Juncos were at all-time lows, along with Bohemian Waxwings, Common Redpolls, and White-winged Crossbills. Chickadee numbers were also down: Black-capped and Boreal chickadees were at their 3rd and 5th lowest counts in the past 30 years. The details are included below (via Audubon posting).

Comment from Gemini:

The initial post by Mike Brubaker expresses concern about the absence of songbirds at his feeder during the winter of 2024-2025, referencing a previous post from December 2024 (titled "Where are the Songbirds?"). Caroline Van Hemert (USGS) provided context by sharing insights from the 2024 Audubon Anchorage Christmas Bird Count (CBC). The CBC data reveals that while the number of species observed was typical, the overall bird count was the lowest in 30 years, primarily due to the absence of irruptive species like redpolls, crossbills, and waxwings. However, concerningly high numbers of invasive European Starlings and Rock Pigeons were recorded the highest ever for both species. Juncos and robins were observed at all-time lows, and chickadee numbers were also significantly down.

This observation of low songbird numbers in winter 2024-2025 follows a year (2024) marked by unusual fluctuations in bird populations, with notably high redpoll numbers reported in early 2024 (see attached observation, "Huge Numbers of Redpolls"). There were also reports of redpoll mortality events in 2024, possibly linked to bacterial infection. The abundance of seeds in late 2023 (see "Abundance of seeds on snow") might have contributed to the high redpoll numbers initially, followed by a potential population crash.

While weather patterns likely influence bird distribution and behavior, the long-term trends highlighted by the CBC data regarding invasive species warrant attention. Several attached posts from 2005, 2016, 2018 highlight the increasing presence and concern surrounding European Starlings in Alaska and British Columbia. These posts detail the starlings' invasive nature, potential impact on native birds (as seen in Port Alberni, BC (European Starlings invaded our neighborhood), and programs implemented to control their populations e.g., culling in Okanagan, BC (More than 50,000 starlings euthanized), and Homer Alaska in 2016. The potential connection between increasing starling numbers and declining native songbird populations, as suggested by Brubaker, requires further investigation. Continued monitoring and research are crucial to understanding the complex interplay of factors affecting songbird populations in the region.