By Ryan Brady
DNR Natural Heritage Conservation Program Biologist
WISCONSIN – The season’s big story has quickly become the common redpoll, a small finch of the arctic that has inundated feeders statewide over the past month.
Redpolls visit the state most years but vary in numbers annually and often prevail in the Northwoods, where preferred foods like birch, alder and tamarack dominate. This year, they have found fewer natural foods and moved farther south in large numbers, bringing hundreds to some feeders, including first-time sightings for many backyard birders. If they haven’t visited your feeders yet, they probably will over the next one to two months, especially if you offer black oil sunflower or nyjer (thistle) seeds.
There are plenty of American goldfinches joining the feeding frenzy, as well as scattered flocks of pine siskins and a few purple and house finches. Less frequent feeder visitors include hoary redpoll, northern flicker, red-headed woodpecker, white-throated and fox sparrows, pine grosbeaks in the north and tufted titmice in the south. All the action is attracting the attention of bird-eating raptors too, primarily sharp-shinned and Cooper’s hawks. Keep an eye out for white-winged crossbills as well, which continue to show up at spruce trees with cones but could stop by feeding stations as well.
Despite all the feeder activity, increasing daylight has us optimistic about spring migration. Alas, it’s not here quite yet. But a few trumpeter swans are pushing the boundaries of open water in the far north, and watch for horned larks showing up in new locations in the south. Depending on the weather, migration often gets underway in earnest across the southeast by early March as the first geese, cranes and blackbirds begin to return, proceeding north and west in the weeks after.
Longer daylight also means the breeding season is slowly kicking into gear. Some great horned owls are on eggs now, while bald eagles are tidying up nests or even beginning to lay eggs. Red-tailed hawks and American kestrels are more commonly seen in pairs now across the south, and ditto for ravens up north. Observers have also reported nests of pigeons and doves with eggs. Cardinals, chickadees and house finches will begin to sing more frequently as February ends.
Birders have a lot to be excited about in the month ahead. Share your excitement, track your life list and help us monitor the migration by reporting your sightings to eBird at www.ebird.org/wi/home.