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Welcome to your Public Forum! Please use it to tell all of us what birds you are seeing in your yard, your neighborhood, on your balcony or fire escape, or in your favorite park. Tell us about any wildlife refuges you are visiting. And the birds you are seeing – what are they doing? Are they singing, nest-building, flying, foraging, sitting still and resting? Are they interacting with those of their own species or with others? Are they by themselves? In a flock? Ask questions and learn more about topics that are important to you. And remember, no question is too basic or simple – we all have to start somewhere.

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Public ForumYour sightings: What did you see or hear?Juncos are here

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Juncos are here

#1 · 11/07/2024, 12:20 PM

Spied some Juno’s or snow-birds as they are sometimes called while out on my morning walk. I have not seen any in my own yard but must have been about a half dozen flitting around in some leaves. Southeast side of Decatur.

#2 · 11/11/2024, 4:49 PM

Quote from Bearmail on 11/11/2024, 4:49 PM
Hello all - yes, I started seeing juncos about the 4th of this month - so we know fall is officially here - and winter is coming!

Barry in Clinton IL

Hooray, Barry! I am very glad to hear this. And I write this because the number of birds we have at our feeders this year is way down - and that includes Juncos. We only have about 75% of the species we normally have every fall and winter and I would estimate that the number of each species is down more than 50%. I am not sure what the cause is, or if this is just an off year and the birds will be back next year. We all know we can never make predictions from data based on one year - that is just not enough time.

Two years ago (2022), we had no Juncos but in 2021 and 2023, we had over two dozen - our normal amount. And now this year, so far, only 5. So was 2022 just an off year? Or was that the a beginning of a trend since we have so few this year - that we are going to start to see fewer and fewer Juncos right here in our neighborhood? Of course, it is still too soon to consider this to be a trend, but it is of concern. And I have to wonder - the birds that normally come here - and did not - where are they? Are they even alive? Songbirds, worldwide, are experiencing declines in their populations and that includes Juncos.

As I said, this year, we have counted 5 Juncos in our yard. Not nearly as many as the 25-30 we normally have. And Juncos travel in flocks so we would have a flock of Juncos at our feeder several times a day. This small flock of five comes once a day and that is all. This is also a change. I have talked to a few of my bird-feeding friends who live near-by and they also have fewer birds. My one good friend told me yesterday she has 0 birds and asked me if I know why? I do not. But this is troubling.

Those of you who live here in the Midwest and also all of you who live everywhere else - what are you seeing this fall at either your feeders or the feeders at your favorite park? Do the number of birds seem about the same as previous years? Less? How about the number of species? Is there anything that stands out that you could share with all of us? Linda

Hello all - yes, I started seeing juncos about the 4th of this month - so we know fall is officially here - and winter is coming!

Barry in Clinton IL

Hooray, Barry! I am very glad to hear this. And I write this because the number of birds we have at our feeders this year is way down - and that includes Juncos. We only have about 75% of the species we normally have every fall and winter and I would estimate that the number of each species is down more than 50%. I am not sure what the cause is, or if this is just an off year and the birds will be back next year. We all know we can never make predictions from data based on one year - that is just not enough time.

Two years ago (2022), we had no Juncos but in 2021 and 2023, we had over two dozen - our normal amount. And now this year, so far, only 5. So was 2022 just an off year? Or was that the a beginning of a trend since we have so few this year - that we are going to start to see fewer and fewer Juncos right here in our neighborhood? Of course, it is still too soon to consider this to be a trend, but it is of concern. And I have to wonder - the birds that normally come here - and did not - where are they? Are they even alive? Songbirds, worldwide, are experiencing declines in their populations and that includes Juncos.

As I said, this year, we have counted 5 Juncos in our yard. Not nearly as many as the 25-30 we normally have. And Juncos travel in flocks so we would have a flock of Juncos at our feeder several times a day. This small flock of five comes once a day and that is all. This is also a change. I have talked to a few of my bird-feeding friends who live near-by and they also have fewer birds. My one good friend told me yesterday she has 0 birds and asked me if I know why? I do not. But this is troubling.

Those of you who live here in the Midwest and also all of you who live everywhere else - what are you seeing this fall at either your feeders or the feeders at your favorite park? Do the number of birds seem about the same as previous years? Less? How about the number of species? Is there anything that stands out that you could share with all of us? Linda