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Of Magpies, Pigeons and House Sparrows: Why it Matters Where You Live (and Go Birding)
I have been fortunate to have lived in many different areas of the United States and to experience very diverse bird populations in the areas near my different homes. Although you can study the distribution maps for the various bird species and easily see the huge differences, nothing drives it home better than to live in a new place. This diversity has been astoundingly evident since I moved from Rapid City to Anchorage in September. Both of these locales, being north and west might be expected to have some similarity or at least overlap in their bird species; however, that is not generally the case.
My first Alaska bird for 2015, which was on a house across the street from us dimly visible through the falling snow, was a Common Raven, a species that I was unable to find in all of South Dakota when I did a state big year there in 2012. The raven was followed by a Black-billed Magpie and Bohemian Waxwings in our Anchorage yard, which seem to be two of the most prevalent species in Anchorage this winter. Both of these species, while present in South Dakota are very localized, and unpredictable and sporadic, respectively, and I never had either of them in my Rapid City yard. Of course, when I lived in Fort Worth and did Texas big years, I also did not see either a Black-billed Magpie or a Bohemian Waxwing anywhere, and I do not believe that either species is possible in Raleigh, North Carolina where I lived before moving to Fort Worth.
Pigeons, not native anywhere in the US of course, have adapted differently to the different locations. The difference is particularly noticeable when comparing Rapid City and Anchorage. In Rapid City, my most common yard bird was the Rock Pigeon. Typically I had anywhere from 30-50 pigeons spread out over the ground in the back yard and on our roof top and the roof tops of our neighbors (who were probably glad to have me and my bird feeders move away). No matter where you went in town, you would see pigeons. In Anchorage, it took me 5 days before I saw my first pigeon for 2015, and that required going all the way across town from where I live to look for them in an area where there are a few good-sized flocks.
The most amazing example of what I am talking about is the House Sparrow. There are NONE in Anchorage. That alone is reason enough to move here. Instead of having swarms of House Sparrows on my feeders, I have Pine Grosbeaks and Common Redpolls!
There are overlapping bird species between the two areas of course. Although my Rapid City prairie yard did not have them, Black-capped Chickadees, Red-breasted Nuthatches and Dark-eyed Juncos are common both in the wooded hilly areas of Rapid City and in Anchorage (including in our Anchorage yard).
Because Anchorage is so much farther north than any other place that I have lived, it does lack some of the more special species seen in the south. There are no Northern Cardinals, no Whooping Cranes, no meadowlarks, no orioles, no….and on and on.
Of course, there are many more geographic differences that I could discuss, and I may do so in another post, maybe after I experience a spring migration and summer breeding season in Alaska. Instead, right now, I want to whet your appetite for the blog post that will appear two weeks from now. I have invited Aaron Bowman, an active excellent Anchorage birder to tell us the fascinating story about his 2014 Anchorage big year, the highlights of which he shared with us at the January meeting of the Anchorage Audubon Society. I think it will give you even a better idea of what it’s like to bird in Anchorage.
Join the American Birding Association at www.aba.org!
Source: http://blog.aba.org/2015/01/of-magpies-pigeons-and-house-sparrows-why-it-matters-where-you-live-and-go-birding.html
