Victoria bird species dive to lowest tally since 2007

The number of bird species in Victoria appears to be dropping, with declines in relatively common species, according to the 2019 Christmas Bird Count.

Ann Nightingale, an organizer of the Dec. 14 count, said only 135 species were spotted, the lowest number since 2007. The total number of individual birds counted, 78,000, is average for recent years.

“That was quite a surprise for us, because the weather was good and we had lots of people out,” said Nightingale, a member of the Victoria Natural History Society. “Some of the birds we usually get we just didn’t get.”

Some of the birds not spotted include red crossbills, a small bird found in forests that is identifiable by its crossed-over bill.

Another surprise was a lack of Canada geese, which are typically spotted just about everywhere on the count, but were absent this time in a few areas.

Some rarities were seen, however, including a red-throated pipit, a species normally spotted only in western Alaska, where it nests, and never before reported in a Victoria Christmas Bird Count.

Organizers had hoped to have more than 300 people in the field, but said that goal was likely not realized, although numbers have not been fully tallied.

The Christmas Bird Count dates back to 1959 in Victoria, but began prior to 1900 in North America, according to the Audubon Society. The goal was to identify and count birds rather than to hunt them.

In 2004, the 60th anniversary of the Victoria Natural History Society, Victoria counted 154 species, a Canadian record that still stands.

Nightingale said the drop in bird species spotted in Victoria is a depressing sign of recent times. The Cornell

Laboratory of Ornithology published a study in 2019 showing North America has lost more than three billion birds since 1970.

“There just hasn’t been very much good news in terms of birds in quite a while. Our diversity seems to be declining.”

She said the decline is the result of a number of factors, including climate change, overuse of pesticides and loss of insects for birds to eat.

There is reason for optimism, however: Nightingale said people in the past saved bald eagles and other birds of prey by ending the use of the pesticide DDT after the 1960s.

“When people put their minds to it they can turn things around,” said Nightingale, noting people can help by keeping their cats indoors and making windows visible to flying birds.