ASWP Birding
Pittsburgh CBC 2005 Results
2005 Data Table (PDF, 45k)
The complete results of the 2005 Pittsburgh CBC, listed by species and count area.
Summary
Pittsburgh, PA, 40o 30' 48" N, 79o 58' 50" W, center near junction of Anderson and Hahn Roads, ca. 1.33 miles SW of Glenshaw, as described in 1966; elevation 710' to 1370'. December 31, 2005, 5:30 AM to 6:00 PM. Cloudy with light rain in the morning, some sun and rain in the afternoon. Temperature 36 to 44oF. Winds 0-17 mph. Snow cover - none. Ponds frozen, rivers and small streams open. 128 observers, 100 in 54 parties, 28 at feeders. Total party-hours: 198 (164 by foot, 34 by car), 91 at feeders, 9 owling. Total party-miles: 551 (126 on foot, 425 by car), 22 owling.
Total: 66 species, 23,693 individuals.
The day began cold and mostly clear and warmed considerably with increasing clouds toward the end of the day. The temperature climbed from 20 to 42 F. 23,693 birds were counted, over three thousand more than our ten-year average of 20,281. We found a total of 66 species, which is right at our average over the past ten years. Participation was slightly lower than last year.
Noteworthy sightings:
- Nine Pied-billed Grebes were found, close to the record of 10 set in 1970.
- Two Double-crested Cormorant remained on count day, marking the fourth year in a row that we've seen this once rare species for our count.
- Wood Ducks were found in Penn Hills, Pittsburgh, and Shaler Township.
- A Northern Pintail was found by Joyce Hoffmann among a flock of Mallards being fed along Pine Creek in Shaler Township.
- 31 Hooded Mergansers were our highest count of this species since 1985.
- Six Common Mergansers were a new count record, breaking the previous high of four seen in multiple years. Three were found in O'Hara Township and three in Pittsburgh.
- 19 Cooper's Hawks equaled the record high set last year.
- Four Red-shouldered Hawks equaled our record total set in several previous years.
- Our lone Merlin was found in Schenley Park just before dusk.
- Ring-necked Pheasant has not been found in the last five years. Ruffed Grouse has not been found in the last four. Both of these species were once found with regularity.
- Three Peregrine Falcons (two in Pittsburgh and one in Shaler Township) equaled our record high.
- 190 Wild Turkeys represented a new record. Nine out of our twelve leaders reported turkeys in their count area.
- 8,879 American Crows were not a new record, but demonstrated the size of the evening roost in the city's East End. The big congregation this year seemed to be in Homewood Cemetery.
- It was a nice year for Red-breasted Nuthatches, with 19 birds total. Ten were noted in North Park alone.
- 51 Eastern Bluebirds were our second best total ever, but well shy of last year's record 77.
- Five Winter Wrens were our best total since 1995.
- 14 Eastern Towhees were the best total since 1970 when we had a record 16.
- The only Fox Sparrow was found by Dan Yagusic in Pittsburgh.
- A Lincoln's Sparrow was found in Penn Hills by Rob Preuhs, only our second in the last 18 years.
- Fox Chapel is becoming our best area to locate Swamp Sparrows, providing our only sighting again this year.
- Two Common Grackles were found in Shaler Township.
- A Brown-headed Cowbird was located in Fox Chapel.
- Our only Pine Siskin was found in Indiana Township at Tingle Barnes' feeder.
- 366 House Finches were the lowest total since 1979 when this species was still spreading through our area. Clearly, this species is in decline, probably in some part due to conjunctivitis.
- 633 House Sparrows are the lowest total since 1959, when we had far fewer observers.
Our total of 66 species is right at our ten-year average. Some misses include American Coot (missed for the first time in 13 years), Yellow-rumped Warbler (missed for the second time in three years after finding them eight years in a row), and Purple Finch (missed for the third time in six years).
No other species were found during count week, but not on count day.
Thanks again to all of the participants and special thanks to the count leaders for another job well done! Special thanks to Mike Fialkovich and Jack Solomon who organized and compiled the City of Pittsburgh portion of the bird count, which by itself is larger than most other Christmas Bird Counts. --Jim Valimont