wood thrush question/Gorham

Lois and Tom Hasbrouck

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Jun 22, 2024, 1:23:21 PM (6 days ago) Jun 22

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We have noticed this year the absence of wood thrushes in our area and are wondering about this. I looked back over our observations (dating back to 2001 for our own yard/woods) and every year since 2006 we have noted seeing or hearing wood thrushes by May. This year we have neither seen nor heard them. I only started hearing a veery a week ago and have also not yet heard a hermit thrush. The wood thrushes have always been notably around and vocal so I am/we are curious about this.

I know there are changes over time with bird population and movement…we now have bluebirds year-round which were not here in former years, and another more recent neighor is the Carolina wren family…hard to miss with those LOUD vocalizations. :) Wood thrushes just seem to be an odd one to have moved away.

Thanks in advance for any insight anyone might have~

Lois Hasbrouck

chr...@myfairpoint.net

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Jun 22, 2024, 3:55:31 PM (6 days ago) Jun 22

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I have not noticed any change in the Wood Thrush population along my road (near Skowhegan). I have the impression that there are more of them this year than in the past (maybe I stole yours? Sorry! 😁 ). Hermit Thrushes have been about normal. I even discovered a nest in my woods, and the eggs hatched. I'm not sure if the young survived, or not, but they looked pretty chipper the last time I saw them before the nest was empty. Hopefully they escaped any predators.

I'd be happy to trade you a pair of Wood Thrushes for a Carolina Wren.

Wally S.

BAB

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Jun 22, 2024, 6:30:53 PM (6 days ago) Jun 22

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When we first moved our current location in Nobleboro, 40 years ago, I could usually hear three wood thrushes from our deck every summer. Then there were one or two, now none. There has been little or no change in the surrounding habitat as we own the land. It is my understanding this is a common problem throughout the bird's former range. Yes, there are problems with cowbirds, but the main reason for this decline has been the loss of wintering grounds in Central America. This was documented by Peter Vickery in a written article titled, "Requiem for the Wood Thrush." He also gave a lecture on his article at Maine Audubon, which I happened to attend. This is the same reason for the reduction in the populations of many Neotropical migrants. It made me see how interference of the USA (via the Monroe Doctrine) in Central and South America made this situation even worse. We protected American businesses in Latin America that were seriously damaging the environment.

Charles Duncan

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Jun 22, 2024, 6:52:43 PM (6 days ago) Jun 22

to BAB, Maine Birds

In Peter Vickery’s “Birds of Maine,” we documented that Breeding Bird Surveys in our state show that WOTH declined by 5.6% annually from 1966 to 2017. That is to say that for every 20 Wood Thrushes in 1966, there was but one in 2017 (95% overall decline).

BoME, 2000, Ch 4, pp 68-69.

Charles D. Duncan

76 Emery Street

Portland, Maine 04102, USA

charles....@gmail.com

207.871.9295

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tom A

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Jun 23, 2024, 10:36:02 AM (5 days ago) Jun 23

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I am glad to hear that there are Wood Thrush in Skowhegan. Outside of two singing migrants on 5/10, I have not detected a single Wood Thrush anywhere in my birding in the Unity area this year. We have watched the local population decline significantly here over the last ten years. Tons of Hermit Thrush and Veery in the appropriate habitats. I read recently Wood Thrush require a moist understory in deciduous or mixed woods with trees over 50' and a healthy mid-story present. May be that the overharvesting of the forests around me are contributing to their decline?