Declining Songsters

Updates 

Good morning, readers, before I go on to this week's feature about declining songsters, I wanted to  update you on the status of the blog. As of this week, I am still making changes to the format, layout, and features and playing around with what types of content I will display on the main page or on secondary pages. I felt that birdfeeding article I did last week was a little long for the main page and I might migrate that post to its own section. 

Some major changes included the addition of tabs on the top of the page. As of right now I only have an overview page about the blog, and is in the process of creating a basic bird gardening page. Stay tuned for updates and I hope to do part two of the birdfeeding guide in the near future. 

Declining Songsters  

Spring brings the sounds of nature to life and there is no shortage of beautiful voices in the avian world. As I wrote this post, I had my window open and heard Carolina Wrens, American Robins, gnatcatchers, and Brown Thrashers singing along with a resident rooster. We may take birds for granted, but in reality many of our favorite songbirds are declining rapidly. Two examples of once common sounds that are dwindling in numbers are the Wood Thrush and the Brown Thrasher. According to Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the Wood Thrush has declined nearly 2% per year which adds up to 62% from 1966 to 2014. The Brown Thrasher on the other hand has declined by 41% in the same period. Both birds are still relatively common in the Carolinas but could vanish from forests, parks, and gardens within our lifetimes if we do not reverse or slow their declines. 

Wood Thrush 

Starling sized, with rounded spots
Wood Thrush photo from Wikimedia Foundation, Public Domain

The Wood Thrush is a medium sized thrush that is about the same size as a Common Starling and is a rounded bird not unlike the more familiar American Robin. This bird is one of only three thrushes that nest in our region with the American Robin and Eastern Bluebird being the other two. This bird has a reddish brown back and head, and a white body with dark spots. They are present in the Carolinas from March or April until October and breed from April to July raising one or two broods per year. Their song is a flutelike whistle that transitions into a gurgling call and ends with a fading trill. Wood Thrush songs at Cornell All About Birds

Facts 

Season: Mar-Oct

Range: Eastern North America, in the Carolinas it is present in both but is more common inland 

Status: Locally common and declining, in the Cape Fear this bird is more numerous during autumn migration. Cornell Labs list its decline at 2% per year although this is 2014 data. 

Habitat: Eastern deciduous forest, mixed forest, parks, wooded residential areas, during migration around magnolias, dogwood, pokeweed or other fruits. 

Nest: Robinlike nest of grass, twigs, roots, and mud placed in a understory tree or a shade tree. Lays robin-blue eggs, and raises 3-4 birds per clutch 

Food: Earthworms, snails, insects, isopods, as well as fruits, berries. Rarely comes to bird tables but could take suet or mealworms. 

Threats: Forest fragmentation, cowbird parasitism, acid rain, pesticides, over abundance of nest predators, cats, and Accipiter hawks, window strikes

Places to Look: Any woodland or park in the region, they may nest in or visit gardens and yard near wooded areas. Listen for their song and look for birds on lawns, leaf litter or perched in trees.

Brown Thrasher 

Jay sized  with streaks, long tail
Photo Curtis Downy circa 2012

The Brown Thrasher is a large, thrush like bird with the profile and behavior of a roadrunner. This bird is not actually a thrush but is part of the Mimid family which includes the familiar Northern Mockingbird and the loud but furtive Grey Catbird. Brown Thrashers are around the size of a Cuckoo or Blue Jay (12 or 13" 30-33cm long) although most of its length is tail. The bird itself is actually around the same size as a Wood Thrush with a much longer bill and slimmer profile. Thrashers are roughly the same color as the thrush except that its body has streaks instead of round spots, and the wings have some barring. Brown Thrashers are year-round residents with most birds staying in one place although northern migrants mix with local birds. They nest from March to August and can raise up to three broods in a season, just like the mockingbird. Their song is a loud series of flutelike whistles, mixed with trills, chatter, warbles and other sounds and may include some mimicry. Thrashers always sing in pairs or triplets while mockingbirds repeat sounds up to six times, and catbirds say things only once. Compared to the Wood Thrush, the Thrasher has a more complex and variable song, but many of its phrases can sound like the Wood Thrush at first.  Brown Thrasher Songs at Cornell All About Birds

Facts 

Season: Jan-Dec, becomes more numerous in winter due to northern migrants 

Range: Eastern and Central North America, in the Carolinas it is present in all regions 

Status: Locally common to abundant in the Cape Fear but generally considered an uncommon species. It has declined by more than 42% according to Cornell Labs using 2016 data 

Habitat: Deciduous or mixed forests with dense understory, scrubland, old fields, countryside with copses, hedges, or brambles. May also thrive in wooded parks, gardens, or near foundation shrubs

Nest: Builds a large layered nest of twigs, vines, briers, and other materials low in brambles, briers, wild roses, or on the ground. They occasionally nest higher in trees or vine-covered trees. Lays 3-6 eggs and raises up to three broods per year. Caution: defends nest aggressively 

Food: Snails, worms, isopods, large insects, occasional vertebrates, thrashers also eat fruits, seeds, acorns, and other foods when available. They will visit bird tables for peanuts, sunflower seeds, corn, suet, mealworms, or table scraps, usually on or near the ground 

Threats: Forest fragmentation and loss of scrublands, pesticides, predators and feral cats/dogs, automobile collisions, window strikes, cowbird parasitism, acid rain 

Places to Look: Thrashers are still abundant in the Cape Fear and can be found in any woodland, hedgerow and park. They often visit gardens and could nest in dense hedges or brambles in overgrown areas. 

Future 

The Wood Thrush and Brown Thrashers are in my opinion among the greatest singers of the Eastern Forests. The thrush has a song that is iconic of the wilderness and is a mainstay of a summer hike in the woods or a walk in the park. The thrasher has the ability to sing more than 2000 different phrases and its distinctive pattern brings attention to otherwise overlooked songbird. However, the future of these birds and many others are uncertain. The Wood Thrush has already disappeared from many woodlands and gardens in North America. In the case of the Thrasher, it is still common in our area but many studies have shown declines in other regions and it is unclear if the more adaptable mockingbird will displace it from urban areas. This is yet another important reminder to take a minute to enjoy the sights and sounds around you and not take things for granted. The Passenger Pigeon and Carolina Parakeet were once abundant and widespread before they were wiped out, so no animal is immune to extinction.