Inaugural Christmas Bird Count a success

The inaugural Bella Vista Area Christmas Bird Count took place on Dec. 22 with more than 60 people participating. Participants counted the local birds from their cars, on foot, and in their backyards, tallying 85 species, 49 of which were seen from Bella Vista backyards.

“It went very smoothly, given that it was our first year,” said Butch Tetzlaff, the owner of the Bluebird Shed and count organizer. “I was very pleased with the response we had from Bella Vista residents. Everyone seemed to have fun with it and really enjoyed contributing to our knowledge base about local bird populations.”

This count was part of the National Audubon Christmas Bird Count, which has been taking place since 1900. The information collected will be entered into Audubon’s national data archive to be used by scientists to monitor long-term bird population trends.

The most common bird seen on the count was the European starling, however, there are big differences between what was seen in the Bentonville area and in Bella Vista. The most frequently seen species in Bella Vista were the Carolina chickadee, northern cardinal, tufted titmouse, downy woodpecker and eastern bluebird, with a full 66 percent of backyards recording bluebirds in them. Starlings were only the 17th most common species in Bella Vista backyards, with fewer than 20 percent of yard counters recording them.

“This is a testament to the amount of natural habitat we have in Bella Vista rather than an urban-type landscape found in other communities,” Tetzlaff noted. “Bella Vista is unique in a lot of ways, but we often do not talk openly about the plethora of wildlife that abounds here, including the diversity of bird species. It really is a bird-lovers haven and a wonderful example of what a community can be like if nature is allowed to thrive alongside our own.”

Tetzlaff noted that the success of this count went so well that he is considering organizing another count during the peak of migration in late April. If you are interested in participating, contact him at The Bluebird Shed via email at butch@thebluebirdshed.com.