On Dec. 27, 51 birders went out into the sunny cold to count the birds and another 11 watched feeders at home all day.
The annual Smithers Christmas Bird Count yielded 49 identified species and 4,332 individual birds were counted. While some species were present in lower than normal numbers, chestnut-backed, boreal and mountain chickadees were all seen in record numbers.
The complete list is attached and those birds in bold type are rare or unusual for the smithers count.
In addition to the species seen on count day, a cooper’s hawk, a great-horned owl, several trumpeter swans and a few gray-crowned rosy finches were seen during count week. If anyone saw any other species not listed here, please call 250-847-9429 as soon as possible.
On behalf of the BV Naturalists we send thanks to all the wonderful bird counters for participating.
Smithers Bird Count Results 2017
Bird Species
Canada Goose 7 (H)
Mallard 54
Common Goldeneye 3
Common Merganser 2
Golden Eagle 1 (U)
Bald Eagle 17
Northern Goshawk 2
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Rough-legged Hawk 2
Merlin 1
Unknown raptor 1
Ruffed Grouse 8
Grouse sp. 1
Ring-necked Pheasant 1
Eurasian Collared Dove 28
Northern Pygmy Owl 4
Northern Saw-whet Owl 1 (U)
Northern Flicker 30
Hairy Woodpecker 44
Downy Woodpecker 45
Red-Breasted Sapsucker 1 (U)
Woodpecker sp. 2
Steller’s jay 44
Gray Jay 17
Clark’s Nutcracker 3
Black-billed Magpie 15
American Crow 184
Common Raven 170
Black-capped Chickadee 836
Mountain Chickadee 64(H)
Chestnut Backed Chickadee 17(H)
Boreal Chickadee 13(H)
Red-Breasted Nuthatch 33
Brown Creeper 5
Pacific Wren 1 (U)
Golden-crowned Kinglet 4
American Robin 5
Northern Shrike 1
Bohemian Waxwing 1185 (H)
European Starling 100
Song Sparrow 15(H)
Dark-eyed Junco 121(H)
Sparrow sp. 1
Brewer’s Blackbird 221
Blackbird sp. 3
House Sparrow 76
Pine Siskin 44
Pine Grosbeak 416
Red Crossbill 15
White-winged Crossbill 27
Common Redpoll 332
Purple Finch 5
Evening Grosbeak 97
Total Individual birds 4332
Count Week Species
Cooper’s Hawk
Great-horned Owl
Trumpeter Swan
Gray-crowned Rosy Finch
Bold = never before or rare on count; H = High number; U = unusual