Pittsburgh CBC 2010 Results
(See results from other years).
The complete results of the 2010 Pittsburgh CBC, listed by species and count area. The 2010 results are also available as an Excel spreadsheet. All results since 1959 are available in a single table as an Excel spreadsheet or a PDF.
What a day! Rain started at about 6:00 am and didn't stop until after lunch. Temperature ranged from 47 to 52F. Winds were 0-10 mph. There was no snow cover. Ponds were still mostly frozen, but rivers and small streams were all open. We had 101 observers, 80 in the field and 36 at feeders. Our totals included 68 species and 33,163 birds. The species count was three above our 10 year average, and the total count of birds was over 10,000 higher than the 10 year average, due to the high number of crows.
Noteworthy sightings include:
- A Redhead on the Ohio River was the first seen since 1995 (Jim Gray).
- Our second Red-breasted Merganser since 1989 was found on the Ohio River (Jim Gray and Oscar Miller).
- Five Red-shouldered Hawks, all in Fox Chapel.
- Only 60 Red-tailed Hawks, our lowest total since 1999.
- Two Merlins, one in Mount Royal Cemetery (Joyce Hoffmann) and one in RIDC (Steve and Suz Thomas) continues our record of seeing this species every year but one since 1997.
- Five Peregrine Falcons tied the record set last year.
- 743 Rock Pigeons were the lowest total since 1975.
- Four Barred Owls were found this year, a new record, with one in North Park, one in Fox Chapel, and the other two in Indiana Township.
- 110 Red-bellied Woodpeckers were the lowest total since 1998.
- 139 Downy Woodpeckers were the lowest total since 1964.
- 27 Hairy Woodpeckers were the lowest total since 1962.
- The American Crow count was the second highest ever at 15,120 birds.
- A lingering Brown Thrasher was found by Brian Shema in Fox Chapel.
- Two Common Ravens were found in Pittsburgh again, making it three out of the last four years for this species.
- 149 White-breasted Nuthatches were the lowest total since 1998.
- 96 Carolina Wrens were the lowest total since 1994.
- 63 Northern Mockingbirds were the second highest total ever.
- 8,371 European Starlings were the highest total since the 1980 record of 23,043.
- It was a good year for American Tree Sparrows, with 55 distributed among 10 of the 12 count areas. This was the most seen since 1991, but far from the record of 609 set in 1968 when much of the count area was still agricultural.
- A Fox Sparrow was found in North Park (Bob Van Newkirk), only the second in the last 10 years.
- Six Swamp Sparrows were a new record, with five found by Brian Shema behind Shadyside Academy.
- 116 White-throated Sparrows were the lowest total since 1994.
- Three species were seen during count week, including Bald Eagle, Turkey Vulture, and Common Grackle.
The low counts of certain species are probably due to the weather conditions rather than a real population decline.
Thanks to all of the compilers and participants for a making this another successful count year.
--Jim Valimont
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