SPRING BIRD COUNT - 2015

The 44th Illinois Spring Count was conducted under cloudy skies and with a rather cool temperature. As a consequence, bird numbers were average to low and were harder to find. However that did not deter the 48 observers that made up the 22 teams which spent over 160 hours tracking down the 163 species. They walked over 100 miles and drove over 300 miles in their quest from 4:35 AM to 8:50 PM on May 9th.

The following are a few observations about the day:

  • Ducks, herons and rails were all well below average this year. The exception being Green Heron with 8 found for a high number.

  • The Bald Eagles apparently are going to be permanent Kane County residents as 3 of the 7 seen were chicks in nests! However, the other raptors were present in low numbers. Brendon found a Swainson’s Hawk, so Kane will again be the lone county with that species.

  • Shorebirds were few and far between with only 62 Spotted Sandpipers, 14 Lesser Yellowlegs and 11 Least Sandpipers. However, Woodcocks were found for new high count of 19 birds surpassing the old number of 9.

  • 10 Ruby-throated Hummingbirds were present for a new high along with the high of 23 Hairy Woodpeckers.

  • Among the migrating species, the following made new highs: Gray-cheeked Thrush – 18; Swainson’s Thrush – 72; and Tennessee Warbler – 104. The other migrants were well below their average for the Kane count.

  • On the other hand, 3 species that make Kane County their summer home came in with great numbers: 4 Bell’s Vireo; 18 Henslow’s Sparrows, and 123 Indigo Buntings were counted. Baltimore Orioles almost reached a new high but came 15 short at 318.

A huge thanks to all who participated and an open invitation to anyone that would like to participate May 7, 2016.

-Jon Duerr
 
 


 

  SPECIES  2015
COUNT		  AVG
COUNT		 HIGH
COUNT		 44 YR
TOTAL		  YRS
RPTD
1 SNOW GOOSE   0 2 9 7
2 ROSS'S GOOSE   0 1 1 1
3 CANADA GOOSE 973 630 1668 27718 44
4 MUTE SWAN   1 8 46 17
5 WOOD DUCK 157 104 266 4595 44
6 GADWALL   1 13 23 7
7 AMERICAN WIGEON   0 3 8 4
8 AMERICAN BLACK DUCK   0 1 5 5
9 MALLARD 497 467 887 20547 44
10 BLUE-WINGED TEAL 21 51 143 2253 44
11 NORTHERN SHOVELER   5 31 235 33
12 NORTHERN PINTAIL   0 4 4 1
13 GREEN-WINGED TEAL   1 13 51 18
14 CANVASBACK   0 1 1 2
15 REDHEAD 2 1 6 23 9
16 RING-NECKED DUCK 2 1 8 62 18
17 LESSER SCAUP   2 15 89 21
18 BUFFLEHEAD   0 5 14 7
19 COMMON GOLDENEYE   0 2 4 3
20 HOODED MERGANSER 1 1 7 41 16
21 COMMON MERGANSER 1 0 2 4 3
22 RED-BREASTED MERGANSER   0 1 1 1
23 RUDDY DUCK 15 3 19 127 23
24 NORTHERN BOBWHITE   0 2 6 4
25 GRAY PARTRIDGE   1 7 39 13

 

  SPECIES  2015
COUNT		  AVG
COUNT		 HIGH
COUNT		 44 YR
TOTAL		  YRS
RPTD
26 RING-NECKED PHEASANT 21 39 117 1701 44
27 WILD TURKEY   1 7 36 12
28 COMMON LOON   0 2 8 7
29 PIED-BILLED GREBE 17 10 28 427 43
30 HORNED GREBE   0 2 2 1
31 EARED GREBE   0 2 4 2
32 DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT 94 33 198 1435 28
33 AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN   0 6 8 3
34 AMERICAN BITTERN 1 1 4 30 20
35 LEAST BITTERN 1 0 1 3 3
36 GREAT BLUE HERON 114 68 205 2993 42
37 GREAT EGRET 34 20 81 865 32
38 LITTLE BLUE HERON   0 6 10 6
39 CATTLE EGRET   0 4 11 7
40 GREEN HERON 8 18 54 783 44
41 BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON   2 7 89 29
42 TURKEY VULTURE 59 19 69 835 35
43 OSPREY   1 3 23 15
44 BALD EAGLE 7 1 10 37 9
45 NORTHERN HARRIER   1 5 55 28
46 SHARP-SHINNED HAWK 1 2 8 83 30
47 COOPER'S HAWK 15 8 28 349 33
48 RED-SHOULDERED HAWK   0 2 3 2
49 BROAD-WINGED HAWK   4 28 168 38
50 SWAINSON'S HAWK 1 1 6 37 20

 

  SPECIES  2015
COUNT		  AVG
COUNT		 HIGH
COUNT		 44 YR
TOTAL		  YRS
RPTD
51 RED-TAILED HAWK 53 38 73 1684 44
52 ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK     2 5 4
53 KING RAIL     1 1 1
54 VIRGINIA RAIL 1 3 11 113 26
55 SORA 26 27 113 1209 44
56 COMMON GALLINULE   1 7 35 16
57 AMERICAN COOT 205 73 321 3192 43
58 SANDHILL CRANE 22 10 41 421 31
59 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER   1 25 39 3
60 AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER     2 2 1
61 LESSER GOLDEN PLOVER   11 305 466 5
62 SEMIPALMATED PLOVER   2 15 94 23
63 KILLDEER 75 71 161 3114 44
64 SPOTTED SANDPIPER 62 26 70 1134 44
65 SOLITARY SANDPIPER 30 24 104 1048 44
66 GREATER YELLOWLEGS 2 9 46 413 40
67 LESSER YELLOWLEGS 14 29 127 1264 40
68 UPLAND SANDPIPER   1 8 27 9
69 RUDDY TURNSTONE     1 1 1
70 SEMIPLAMATED SANDPIPER 1 8 100 339 23
71 WESTERN SANDPIPER     5 8 2
72 LEAST SANDPIPER 11 22 150 957 33
73 WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER     5 8 4
74 BAIRD'S SANDPIPER     4 4 1
75 PECTORAL SANDPIPER 4 21 202 907 37

 

  SPECIES  2015
COUNT		  AVG
COUNT		 HIGH
COUNT		 44 YR
TOTAL		  YRS
RPTD
76 DUNLIN   2 13 66 16
77 RUFF     1 1 1
78 SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER   1 10 37 9
79 LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER     3 4 2
80 WILSON'S SNIPE 1 3 8 130 37
81 AMERICAN WOODCOCK 19 2 19 98 25
82 WILSON'S PHALAROPE   1 5 24 11
83 BONAPARTE'S GULL     2 2 1
84 LAUGHING GULL     1 1 1
85 FRANKLIN'S GULL     9 9 1
86 RING-BILLED GULL 24 35 221 1538 30
87 HERRING GULL 2 5 30 208 28
88 CASPIAN TERN     6 15 5
89 BLACK TERN   2 19 76 15
90 COMMON TERN     4 16 7
91 FORSTER'S TERN     3 14 6
92 ROCK DOVE 90 167 386 7356 44
93 EURASIAN COLLARED DOVE 4   4 5 2
94 MOURNING DOVE 193 206 394 9068 44
95 YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO 1   4 15 9
96 BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO 7 1 7 27 11
97 EASTERN SCREECH-OWL   1 5 47 26
98 GREAT HORNED OWL 13 7 24 297 41
99 BARRED OWL 5 1 5 52 20
100 COMMON NIGHTHAWK 13 3 19 142 29

 

  SPECIES  2015
COUNT		  AVG
COUNT		 HIGH
COUNT		 44 YR
TOTAL		  YRS
RPTD
101 EASTERN WHIP-POOR-WILL     4 14 8
102 CHIMNEY SWIFT 437 180 649 7910 44
103 RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD 20 3 20 151 33
104 BELTED KINGFISHER 13 12 27 516 44
105 RED-HEADED WOODPECKER 9 27 121 1207 44
106 RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER 139 62 183 2727 44
107 YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER   1 11 45 17
108 DOWNY WOODPECKER 98 74 151 3267 44
109 HAIRY WOODPECKER 23 10 23 438 44
110 NORTHERN FLICKER 80 104 162 4572 44
111 AMERICAN KESTREL 5 6 28 283 42
112 MERLIN     1 2 2
113 PEREGRINE FALCON 2   2 4 3
114 OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER     3 13 9
115 EASTERN WOOD-PEWEE 23 6 23 271 43
116 YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER     1 1 1
117 ACADIAN FLYCATCHER     2 8 7
118 ALDER FLYCATCHER     1 1 1
119 WILLOW FLYCATCHER 3 1 4 39 21
120 LEAST FLYCATCHER 5 7 37 328 34
121 EASTERN PHOEBE 61 18 64 796 37
122 GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER 49 19 69 853 42
123 EASTERN KINGBIRD 89 30 143 1330 43
124 LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE     2 4 3
125 WHITE-EYED VIREO 8 1 11 58 25

 

  SPECIES  2015
COUNT		  AVG
COUNT		 HIGH
COUNT		 44 YR
TOTAL		  YRS
RPTD
126 BELL'S VIREO 4   4 18 9
127 YELLOW-THROATED VIREO 20 6 27 243 36
128 BLUE-HEADED VIREO 7 4 18 196 38
129 WARBLING VIREO 93 31 118 1342 42
130 PHILADELPHIA VIREO   1 10 47 22
131 RED-EYED VIREO 50 14 51 612 40
132 BLUE JAY 285 312 486 13719 44
133 AMERICAN CROW 79 245 436 10760 44
134 HORNED LARK 17 25 82 1099 44
135 PURPLE MARTIN 19 108 283 4737 44
136 TREE SWALLOW 467 272 945 11978 44
137 NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW 254 151 986 6642 44
138 BANK SWALLOW 45 39 461 1735 44
139 CLIFF SWALLOW 76 53 354 2324 38
140 BARN SWALLOW 267 246 1006 10815 43
141 BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE 178 170 414 7461 44
142 TUFTED TITMOUSE 3 7 20 293 44
143 RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH   2 10 79 25
144 WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH 57 39 92 1711 44
145 BROWN CREEPER   2 9 73 26
146 HOUSE WREN 171 125 271 5496 44
147 WINTER WREN     1 2 2
148 SEDGE WREN 10 4 32 182 26
149 MARSH WREN 15 7 41 302 32
150 CAROLINA WREN 1 1 8 57 20

 

  SPECIES  2015
COUNT		  AVG
COUNT		 HIGH
COUNT		 44 YR
TOTAL		  YRS
RPTD
151 BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER 179 62 280 2749 41
152 GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET   1 21 31 5
153 RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET 4 36 122 1596 43
154 EASTERN BLUEBIRD 29 21 57 941 39
155 VEERY 16 7 30 313 42
156 GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSH 18 4 18 192 36
157 SWAINSON'S THRUSH 72 14 72 634 42
158 HERMIT THRUSH 4 4 13 163 39
159 WOOD THRUSH 41 24 115 1049 44
160 AMERICAN ROBIN 1223 861 2020 37880 44
161 GRAY CATBIRD 260 143 459 6291 44
162 NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD     2 11 9
163 BROWN THRASHER 35 55 111 2410 44
164 EUROPEAN STARLING 397 683 1288 30050 44
165 AMERICAN PIPIT   4 42 179 15
166 CEDAR WAXWING 25 60 247 2654 42
167 LAPLAND LONGSPUR   10 150 444 7
168 OVENBIRD 31 15 79 666 41
169 WORM-EATING WARBLER     1 2 2
170 LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH 1 1 14 45 22
171 NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH 56 24 83 1048 43
172 GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER 12 5 33 229 31
173 BREWSTER'S WARBLER     1 2 2
174 LAWRENCE'S WARBLER     1 1 1
175 BLUE-WINGED WARBLER 8 5 30 221 35

 

  SPECIES  2015
COUNT		  AVG
COUNT		 HIGH
COUNT		 44 YR
TOTAL		  YRS
RPTD
176 BLACK & WHITE WARBLER 33 25 147 1098 43
177 PROTHONOTARY WARBLER 5 1 7 50 19
178 TENNESSEE WARBLER 104 29 104 1263 43
179 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER 9 3 16 131 32
180 NASHVILLE WARBLER 55 37 177 1612 43
181 CONNECTICUT WARBLER 2   3 11 6
182 MOURNING WARBLER   1 21 27 5
183 KENTUCKY WARBLER     1 9 9
184 COMMON YELLOWTHROAT 270 97 381 4273 44
185 HOODED WARBLER     5 20 11
186 AMERICAN REDSTART 46 21 115 926 39
187 CAPE MAY WARBLER 13 4 17 194 35
188 CERULEAN WARBLER 1   5 17 10
189 NORTHERN PARULA 22 7 35 293 31
190 MAGNOLIA WARBLER 33 11 55 489 37
191 BAY-BREASTED WARBLER 16 4 21 176 29
192 BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER 17 6 21 279 39
193 YELLOW WARBLER 186 97 271 4258 44
194 CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER 37 16 86 646 37
195 BLACKPOLL WARBLER 14 5 52 334 32
196 BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER 1 1 11 32 14
197 PALM WARBLER 189 213 805 9387 43
198 PINE WARBLER 1 1 10 46 19
199 YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER 248 424 2058 18640 44
200 YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER     3 11 8

 

  SPECIES  2015
COUNT		  AVG
COUNT		 HIGH
COUNT		 44 YR
TOTAL		  YRS
RPTD
201 SUTTON'S WARBLER     1 1 1
202 PRAIRIE WARBLER   1 20 23 4
203 BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER 28 31 123 1357 44
204 CANADA WARBLER 3   3 19 12
205 WILSON'S WARBLER 5 2 29 92 21
206 YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT 2   3 20 15
207 SPOTTED TOWHEE     1 1 1
208 EASTERN TOWHEE 49 29 85 1292 44
209 AMERICAN TREE SPARROW   1 10 31 9
210 CHIPPING SPARROW 74 72 183 3184 44
211 CLAY-COLORED SPARROW 1 1 5 22 11
212 FIELD SPARROW 65 58 124 2542 44
213 VESPER SPARROW 6 8 25 356 43
214 LARK SPARROW 1   2 8 7
215 SAVANNAH SPARROW 127 49 282 2142 44
216 GRASSHOPPER SPARROW 9 4 27 186 27
217 HENSLOW'S SPARROW 18 2 18 72 11
218 FOX SPARROW     3 6 4
219 SONG SPARROW 390 286 831 12576 44
220 LINCOLN'S SPARROW 15 5 16 218 37
221 SWAMP SPARROW 45 57 161 2522 44
222 WHITE-THROATED SPARROW 119 165 527 7248 44
223 WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW 85 69 404 3034 44
224 DARK-EYED JUNCO   1 20 55 16
225 SUMMER TANAGER 2   2 15 11

 

  SPECIES  2015
COUNT		  AVG
COUNT		 HIGH
COUNT		 44 YR
TOTAL		  YRS
RPTD
226 SCARLET TANAGER 62 19 161 832 37
227 NORTHERN CARDINAL 365 271 483 11952 44
228 ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK 162 70 205 3083 44
229 INDIGO BUNTING 123 36 123 1571 43
230 DICKCISSEL 3   3 19 13
231 BOBOLINK 60 41 109 1812 44
232 RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD 1965 1757 3352 77297 44
233 EASTERN MEADOWLARK 66 64 133 2800 44
234 WESTERN MEADOWLARK 6 5 25 202 38
235 YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD 4 3 19 142 24
236 RUSTY BLACKBIRD 1 1 15 27 8
237 BREWER'S BLACKBIRD     2 3 2
238 COMMON GRACKLE 375 975 3481 42920 44
239 BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD 313 292 639 12835 44
240 ORCHARD ORIOLE 15 5 21 218 29
241 BALTIMORE ORIOLE 318 113 333 4978 43
242 PURPLE FINCH 1 3 20 133 25
243 HOUSE FINCH 66 44 188 1957 28
244 RED CROSSBILL     2 2 1
245 PINE SISKIN 13 4 41 194 21
246 AMERICAN GOLDFINCH 385 329 951 14475 44
247 EVENING GROSBEAK     2 2 1
248 HOUSE SPARROW 201 287 618 12617 44

 

This page last updated Wednesday November 18, 2015.

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