Survey chance to add to knowledge of birds

PEOPLE in Otago and Southland are being encouraged to take part in the latest annual nationwide Garden Bird Survey, which starts today and ends on July 8.

Readers are asked to watch and note birds in their garden during one hour on one day during the survey period.

Dunedin and other Otago people are already the most enthusiastic participants in this national Landcare Research-led survey, now in its 12th year, and have contributed the highest per capita number of survey returns nationally.

❛ If people are concerned about birds and the environment, it would be very helpful for them to participate in the survey, so we can find out what’s happening to our birds survey organiser Dr Eric Spurr

Otago people have sent in 4316 (13.6%) of the survey returns nationally since the surveys began — well ahead, in response pecking order, of the region’s 5% share of New Zealand’s overall population, survey organisers say.

That means Dunedin ‘‘can be regarded as the ‘birding’ capital of New Zealand’’, survey organiser Dr Eric Spurr says.

Many of the Otago responses were by Otago Daily Times readers, who sent off the newspaper form or responded online.

‘‘If people are concerned about birds and the environment, it would be very helpful for them to participate in the survey so we can find out what’s happening to our birds,’’ Dr Spurr said.

The survey aims to use bird lovers as ‘‘citizen scientists’’ to provide more information about changes in bird distribution patterns, which could highlight conservation issues.

The survey had already shown its value as ‘‘an early warning system.’’

Some of the survey’s findings had raised ‘‘concern about the messages we’re getting’’, including some big falls in reported bird numbers nationally over the 11 years, particularly silvereye, also called wax-eye (down 43%), and starling (down 31%), song thrush (27%) and goldfinch (26%).

Nevertheless, nationally reported sightings of tui and kereru were up (22% and 12%, respectively).

The reported fall in bird numbers could reflect changes in bird behaviour, including in bird distribution, but did not necessarily mean overall bird numbers had dropped.

Otago’s reported silvereye numbers were down 54%, and Otago falls were also observed in song thrush (down 41%), goldfinch and starling (both down 24%), since surveying began.

The five most commonly reported birds in Otago last year were silvereye (average 13 sightings), house sparrow (10), black bird (2.2), starling (2.1), and tui (2).

The changes in Dunedin silvereye counts reflected ‘‘their changing behaviour’’, responding to weather and climate change.

‘‘Silvereyes come into gardens more in cold winters when there’s snow on the hills than they do in warm winters, such as 2016.’’

Dr Spurr predicts higher silvereye counts this year because cold weather should drive the birds ‘‘into our gardens’’.