Nature Canada

Winter Bird Counts Low in the Ottawa Region

The final results for the 110th Christmas Bird Count are coming in, and they’ve been a bit surprising in our local area. Media are reporting that the counts in Algonquin Park and Dunrobin were significantly lower than usual.
Coordinators are attributing the low instances of sightings to a lack of natural conifer seeds (pine, spruce, cedar); typically one coniferous species would produce more seeds while another produces fewer, but this year all the species seem to have hit a low point in their cycle at the same time.
Nature Canada staff participated in a bird count in Ottawa in December and also reported fewer birds than they expected within the urban core.
Many of the birds have likely found alternate food sources for this winter, but for the ones who are still in the area, you might like to check out our tips to prepare your yard for birds.
Did you participate in a Christmas Bird Count? Tell us about your experience and sightings in the comments below!

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