Red-breasted Merganser tops Observatory's list of the most abundant migrants over Lake Michigan
Port Washington, WI, July 11, 2017 - No fewer than 175 bird species were spotted flying over the cold near-shore waters of Lake Michigan and along the nearby shoreline this spring.
The birds were tallied between March 1 and May 20 by an expert counter from the Western Great Lakes Bird and Bat Observatory, in Ozaukee County, Wisconsin. The organization conducts a waterbird watch every spring and fall to determine how many birds migrate along the western shore of Lake Michigan and when they do so.
Working in a blind just south of the rocky point in Harrington Beach State Park, Observatory technician Calvin Brennan recorded a total of 176,136 individual birds, including 30,854 Bonaparte's Gulls, 12,403 Common Terns, 11,705 Greater Scaup, and 3,605 Long-tailed Ducks.
The accompanying chart lists the 10 most abundant species recorded during the watch. The most abundant species was Red-breasted Merganser, a boldly marked diving duck with a long, thin bill. Brennan recorded it 41,274 times.
Red-breasted Mergansers typically start moving north along the Lake Michigan shore in mid-February, says William Mueller, director of the Western Great Lakes Bird and Bat Observatory. Their numbers build gradually into early March and peak in late April. The birds eat primarily fish, and nest across Canada.
The Western Great Lakes Bird and Bat Observatory (wglbbo.org) is a research, education, and conservation advocacy organization. The Observatory studies bird and bat populations in the Western Great Lakes Region, with the goal of supporting actions that sustain their long-term conservation.
Observatory experts are available to answer questions about the spring Waterbird Watch. To arrange an interview, contact Observatory Director William Mueller at wpmueller1947@gmail.com or (262) 285-3374.
Contact:
William Mueller, Director, Western Great Lakes Bird and Bat Observatory
Email: wpmueller1947@gmail.com
Phone: (262) 285-3374
Web: https://wglbbo.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wglbbo
Ten Most Abundant Waterbird Watch Species, Spring 2017
1. Red-breasted Merganser 41,274
2. Bonaparte's Gull 30,854
3. Herring Gull 17,914
4. Ring-billed Gull 14,386
5. Common Tern 12,403
6. Greater Scaup 11,705
7. Double-crested Cormorant 11,183
8. Lesser Scaup 6,059
9. Caspian Tern 5,591
10. Long-tailed Duck 3,605
TOTAL (all species) 176,136
