If spring generally represents a kind of looking ahead and new things coming into being, autumn in central BC feels more the time to wind down and settle in before winter returns – or, for some ‘snowbirds’ and others, to move on entirely. Our feathered friends have all this figured out, just as we do. After breeding, nesting, and raising their young through the spring and summer months, the birds in our area must now prepare for the long, cold winter period ahead. Their strategies for this vary, and some birds are ‘residents’ which stay hereabouts all year, while others migrate to more favourable places for the winter.
A change in style and communication
The change in the season brings with it changes in bird behaviour and appearance. The long, beautiful, and sometimes elaborate mating songs of springtime have been replaced by quick, simple calls, or often the birds make almost no sound at all. Changes in plumage can be quite dramatic too. Whereas the breeding season can bring out a dazzling array of feathered rainbow hues, now only fleeting, furtive splashes of muted feather tones appear in forests and roadside thickets, as many birds have replaced their breeding plumage with more subtle garb.
There’s always something to see
But although fewer birds may be as easily seen or heard, there can still be plenty of birds around. Many are busy feeding and storing as much energy as possible to prepare themselves for migration, or for the much colder local temperatures coming in central BC. Now is a good time to have a slow, quiet meander on one of the local trails, or alongside the rivers and other water bodies, to find many of those birds still present.
Some birds are still easy to spot. American Crows or European Starlings might be seen forming chorus lines on hydro power wires. Look for large flocks of Canada Geese, and maybe even Sandhill Cranes, feeding in agricultural fields around the city. There are often woodpeckers about (the Downy, Hairy and Pileated Woodpeckers and Northern Flickers are the most often seen), and various waterfowl are usually present in our rivers, lakes and wetlands. But other birds are more secretive or harder to spot – like many of the warblers, flycatchers, finches and sparrows – but your patient observations will often be rewarded.
Some of the birds that have been paired with a mate and raising their young now begin to congregate before taking flight to the south. For example, there are the numerous flocks of geese squawking along in their V formations as they to move along to a warmer, more congenial climate.
The wonders of migration
Bird migration is filled with interesting wonders. A host of bird species may be seen leaving or passing through Prince George as they migrate. To cite just a few examples of impressive migration feats, Mallard ducks have been recorded migrating at an altitude of up to 6,400 m (21,000 ft). Various sandpiper species migrate nocturnally (as do thrushes and starlings and most of the warblers) in large flocks numbering at times in the hundreds of thousands or more. Bohemian Waxwings travel far and wide – as much as 450 km (280 miles) in less than two weeks. Blue-winged Teal ducks can travel 11,200 km (7,000 miles) one-way in their migration. Long-billed Curlews banded just north of Prince George have wintered in southwestern US states like California and Nevada. The majestic Sandhill Cranes breeding in and around Prince George will likely spend their winter in Texas or northern Mexico. The little Western Wood-Pewee will spend its winter in South America, as far south as Peru or Bolivia, and the Blackpoll Warbler will be found in southern Brazil when PG is yet frozen. The Swainson’s Hawk, while a rare visitor to Prince George, will migrate in large flocks from North American grasslands to the pampas of Argentina. The Calliope Hummingbird, North America’s tiniest hummingbird (at 7.5 cm/3 inches from beak to tail) and one of the three hummingbird species that may be found in Prince George, will spend its winter in central Mexico. Smart – and very determined – birds!
Plan to be involved
We can all participate as ‘citizen scientists’ to help better understand and protect our feathered friends and neighbors. Early fall is a good time to start thinking about participating in Birds Canada‘s Project FeederWatch, which creates the opportunity for anyone interested in birds (and kids are great candidates) to collect observations in their own yard or chosen location and forward the resulting data to scientists who analyze it and produce conservation recommendations. You might also consider participating in the local Christmas bird count later in December, and now is a good time to contact your local organizers in the Prince George Naturalists Club about that event. Happy birding!
Photos and text by Dave Leman, Prince George, BC