Evening Grosbeak - A "Common Bird in Decline"

Last week, I saw seven Evening Grosbeaks at my feeders, which is the largest group I've seen at my upstate NY feeders in 16 years of feeding.  In all those years, if I saw 3-4 birds, it was significant. Two more visited our feeders today.

Wanda, a Wild Birds Unlimited customer, recently sent us this photograph of Evening Grosbeaks at her feeding station.  She counted 12 grosbeaks and has never seen this many of them at her feeder either.


Photo courtesy of Wanda Perkins

Late this summer, I saw a male evening feeding a young grosbeak - the first I'd witnessed of Evening Grosbeak breeding activities in the area.

 

And back in April, a male grosbeak visited the feeders, his huge bill a brilliant chartreuse indicative of breeding plumage.  Read our "Evening Grosbeaks Return" post of April 27 that includes an audio clip of the grosbeak call.

Customers tell us stories of years past when they would have huge flocks of Evening Grosbeaks  descend upon yards and feeders.  Just imagine seeing and hearing hundreds of these large, vocal birds - what a spectacle that must have been!

Unfortunately, few people have experienced that.  In the last few decades, Evening Grosbeaks are most often reported in groups numbering only in the single digits.

Yet there are predictions of a strong irruptive year of winter finches like the grosbeak.  Just within the past couple weeks, we're hearing of more frequent sightings of the Evening Grosbeak and sightings of "higher numbers" (it is all relative) at feeders. Why is this so important?  What is so significant about sightings of Evening Grosbeaks?

Earlier this year, Audubon issued a list of Common Birds In Decline based on years of citizen science projects such as the Christmas Bird Count and the Breeding Bird Survey.  Their study revealed an alarming decline in many of our most common birds and the Evening Grosbeak was number 2 on that list, second only to the Northern Bobwhite.

Since 1967, in just 40 years, the population of the Evening Grosbeak has declined 78%, from 17 million to 3.8 million.

All 20 birds on the national Common Birds in Decline list lost at least half their populations in just four decades.  Read more about all the birds on the Common Birds in Decline list.

The study warns, "The one distinction these common species share is the potential to become uncommon unless we all take action to protect them and their habitat."

Each of us can take individual action that can help make a difference.  Audubon suggests: 
- Conserve energy at home
- Fight global warming and urge your lawmakers to pass laws to fight global warming
- Monitor feeders keeping them clean and healthy for all birds including the Evening Grosbeak
- Become a citizen scientist in such projects as Project FeederWatch, The Great Backyard Bird Count, eBird, or Audubon's Christmas Bird Count.
- Protect Local Habitat
- Support Sustainable Forests.
- Learn more about the Boreal Forest in the Northern U.S. and Canada. (The boreal is essential breeding territory for many species of birds, including Evening Grosbeaks.)

The next time you see Evening Grosbeaks in your yard, close your eyes and imagine them GONE.  Not just flown away, but GONE and never to return.  At the current rate of decline, that is not beyond the realm of possibility.  Audubon's study is a call to action.  A call to each of us to do what we can in our daily lives to protect these "common" birds so they do not become uncommon, or worse yet, rare, endangered, or extinct.

 

ADDENDUM:  Since this post was written in the fall of 2007, we've heard from readers across the continent!  Please tell us about your Evening Grosbeak sighting, and be sure to let us know where you are located.

Comments

[The Zen Birdfeeder]

Great report NG. Thanks again!

[NG]

Well, I guess I spoke too soon in my earlier comments, I guess word got out and my feeders were swinging and twirling with about twenty or so Gross Beaks this afternoon, pretty much an even amount of males and females. They shared the feeders with the smaller birds, but when a singular tri-coloured blackbird showed up for some seed, they left for about a half hour before returning. It was a real joy to see and hear the Gross Beaks again. Hope, British Columbia

[The Zen Birdfeeder]

NG - welcome back and thanks for the updated report from British Columbia. Populations in the west seem to be pretty strong so keep your feeders filled! Thanks again for your return visit to our blog!

[NG]

Hello everyone, I saw two grossbeaks at our feeders yesterday, a male and a female. Im hoping more will return like we had a few years ago. Keeping the feeders full just in case. This is in Hope, British Columbia.

[The Zen Birdfeeder]

Enzo, thanks for the Evening Grosbeak report. There are many folks that would LOVE to see 20 of these gorgeous birds, even this year when they are being seen more widely than they have in many years. Thanks for stopping by!

[Enzo Londero]

Greetings from Canada. I live in a forest about an hour from the capital and the number of grosbeaks here is spectacular. Since they have discovered my feeders I get them at least 20 at a time. Very bright in color and quite large ones as well.

[The Zen Birdfeeder]

Rachel, I've had many reports from western Canada so it's nice to hear from eastern Canada. Thanks for posting your news and keep us posted okay?

[Rachel]

I stumbled upon your blog today when I was trying to ID what I now know to be 3 evening grosbeaks earlier today! I live in Nova Scotia, and had never seen them before. I operate a bird cam (http://novabirds.blogspot.ca) and was so happy to not only see them for myself, but to be able to broadcast them to the world! I do hope they return again for us to see!

[The Zen Birdfeeder]

Kathiesbirds - thanks for the Evening Grosbeak report in Utah. I think it's gonna be a good season for grosbeaks!

[Kathiesbirds]

Nancy, my friend in the Wasatch Mountains of Utah had a small flock show up at her feeders earleir this week. I think she had a bout 8 of them.

[The Zen Birdfeeder]

Mae, thanks for reporting on your Evening Grosbeak near Detroit. Even though you're not seeing them now, keep watching since their expected to be in the midwest and northeast this winter. Keep us posted, okay?

[Mae]

Hello. We've lived in this area(about 40 miles N. of Detroit,MI)for about 15 years and only on 1 or 2 occasions have we've seen Evening Grosbeaks. Today noticed a flock of 10 or so at our feeder, unfortunately they were only here for a short while. Such a beautiful variety of birds this year, unlike anything we've seen in the past(Orioles, Titmouse, Nuthatches...).

[Nancy Castillo]

Cheryl, in the east at least, the huge populations of the past were when spruce budworm were widely and available and numerous. They have been controlled, and since, the number of Evening Grosbeaks at least in the east have greatly declined. I'm sure there are other contributing factors but this is one big reason.

[Cheryl Harner]

Nancy- Do we know WHY this birds are in such decline. Audubon's recommendations at great- but pretty general.

What is causing the population to plummet? I haven't seen them in Mohican for several years.

Cheryl Harner

[The Zen Birdfeeder]

NG - thanks for the update on Evening Grosbeaks. We've had some sightings in eastern NY lately so I'm hoping I get to see some too this winter. It's good to hear from you again!

[NG]

We put up a new bird feeder on Saturday, and filled it with feed and within an hour we had a Male and Female Grosbeak. Hope they tell the rest of the flock.

[NG]

Well, now that the berries are out, the bears have left the bird feeders alone for a few weeks now, and we saw a couple of Grosbeaks feeding yesterday. Good to see them back, even if there were only two of them. Do they always travel in a flock?

[The Zen Birdfeeder]

MichaelE - good thing you put those feeders out to attract those grosbeaks! Thanks for reporting in from Whitefish MT! Keep us posted.

[MichaelE]

I put out bird seed in a feeder at my place at Big Mountain Ski and Summer Resort in Whitefish MT in early July. There were no birds around. When I returned in mid-August the feeder was active with Evening Grossbeaks. I hadn't seen them at the Big Mountain in the past.

[The Zen Birdfeeder]

NG - I'm so glad you're keeping us updated on your Evening Grosbeaks in BC. I mentioned the grosbeaks to David Bonter of the Cornell Lab citizen science projects and that the northwest states and BC in Canada seem to have a decent number of reports, even if the flocks are not in the hundreds as they have been at times in the past.
Please continue to post your updates - they help give us all hope for this beautiful bird!

[NG]

Update, Its becoming a fierce battle between the Grosbeaks and the bears for the birdseed in the feeders up in the trees. Anyhow, when the birds do get a chance to eat the seed, there are about 10-12 grosbeaks that hang around all day.They are not even scared of us anymore, they eat when we are sitting outside near the feeders, and they drink from the birdbath just a few feet away from the table. Now, the BEAR !!!, thats another whole story. Time to grab a coffee and go outside and see what carnage he did last night.

[The Zen Birdfeeder]

Tom - thanks for the nice report from Poulsbo, WA. I'm glad to hear that your wife is getting you excited about this great little hobby. Keep us posted on "your" Evening Grosbeaks!

[Tom Etchey]

I am a novice bird watcher that is the beneficiary of a wife who diligently feeds and cares for her aviary friends. She especially loves the hummingbirds and has several feeders that they fight over. Today, for the first time, I caught sight of a male and female Evening Grosbeak at one of her seed feeders. They were very striking and a joy to watch. Hopefully they return as my wife didn't get a chance to see them. We are in Poulsbo, WA.

[The Zen Birdfeeder]

Doreen - more grosbeaks in Washington state! Thanks for reporting in. They'll love that black oil seed!

[Doreen M. Smith]

We live in Wenatchee, WA and I just discovered the Grosbeak at my neighbors place across the street yesterday AND today I spotted one at our pond in the back yard. HOW BEAUTIFUL they are. My friend is going to give me some black oil sun flower seeds and I am off to Lowes to get a feeder and look forward to many more visiting our yard, Hugs to ALL who love birds.