Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas, Region 24 (Ottawa)

Region 24 (Ottawa) Report for 2001

by Christine Hanrahan

Breeding evidence has been found for 165 species this year, with confirmed breeding for 117. An additional 6 species were observed for which breeding evidence was lacking.

Highlights include a breeding Northern Hawk Owl in Tatlock (UR80), a Bald Eagle with young on nest in McCreary Mtn/Norcan Lake (UR50), the same square in which a Bald Eagle was found on the last atlas, and a pair of Gray Jays in the Shamrock square (UR52).

While it is much too early in the project to draw any conclusions from the data, results thus far at least confirm what birders already knew for certain species. To no one’s surprise, Northern Cardinal, and House Finch were recorded widely. House Finch on 31 squares compared to 4 last atlas, and Cardinal on 37 squares compared to 19 before. Merlins also made their presence felt! They were recorded on 10 squares with breeding confirmed on two, VR42 and VR43. Ottawa Centre (VR42) had at least three nests with young, and there were many more observations of single birds or pairs in various parts of the square. The remaining 8 squares had possible or probable breeding categories. On the last atlas, we recorded Merlin on only one square, UR57 (Westmeath). Introduction of Wild Turkey to Eastern Ontario has resulted in establishment of a breeding population, and this is reflected in the number of squares reporting this species: 7, compared to one last time.

On the negative side, Loggerhead Shrike was found on only one square, VQ29 (Dwyer Hill) and recorded as a possible breeder (H). Last time we had breeding evidence from 20 squares. Red-headed Woodpecker is another scarce species with only two squares reporting , UR92 and VR02. We hope to find more evidence of this species over the next four years, but may not record it on as many squares as last time (17). Common Nighthawks, recorded on 38 squares 20 years ago, were reported from 5 this year. Given how uncommon this species now appears to be, it will be interesting to see final results for nighthawks in 2005.

Over the past few years I’ve heard birders comment on the dearth of some sparrow species. While Song and Savannah Sparrows are common enough, Field, Vesper and Grasshopper seem more elusive than usual. What this means, if anything, remains to be seen. However, I can say that none of these species were widely recorded this year on the atlas. This may be indicative of a general decline in the species or it may be a reflection of atlasser’s lack of familiarity with their songs, as well as less time spent in suitable habitat. We’ll take a look at what data reveals in year five both in our region and for the atlas as a whole, but for now I can tell you that Field Sparrow was recorded on 20 squares (61 last time); Vesper Sparrow on 15 (68 last time), and Grasshopper Sparrow on 4 (27 last time). Remember, this is just an observation, not an indication of population decline (yet!).

Breeding Evidence Codes

Observed: X- Species observed in its breeding season (no evidence of breeding)Possible: H – Species observed in season in suitable nesting habitat S – Singing male present or breeding calls heard in breeding season in suitable nesting habitat.Probable: P – Pair observed in their breeding season in suitable nesting habitat T – Permanent territory presumed through registration of territorial song on at least 2 days, one week or more apart at the same place D – Courtship or display between a male and a female or 2 males including courtship feeding or copulation

V – Visiting probable nest site A – Agitated behaviour or anxiety calls of adult B – Brood patch on adult female or cloacal protuberance on adult male N – Nest building or excavation of nest holeConfirmed: DD – Distraction display or injury feigning NU – Used nest or egg shell found (occupied/laid during atlas period) FY – Recently fledged young or downy young AE – Adults leaving or entering nest site in circumstances indicating occupied site FS – Adult carrying faecal sac CF – Adult carrying food for young NE – Nest containing eggs NY- Nest with young seen or heard  – photos; click camera icon to view

Species	Observed	Possible	Probable	Confirmed
Common Loon				NY
Pied-billed Grebe				NY
Double-crested Cormorant	X
American Bittern				FY
Great Blue Heron				NY
Green Heron				FY
Black-crowned Night-heron	X
Turkey Vulture				NY
Canada Goose				FY
Wood Duck				FY
Gadwall			P
American Wigeon				FY
Amer. Black Duck				FY
Mallard				FY
Blue-winged Teal				FY
Northern Shoveler				FY
Northern Pintail			P
Amer. Green-winged Teal			P
Redhead	X		P
Ring-necked Duck		H
Lesser Scaup	X
Hooded Merganser				FY
Common Merganser				FY
Ruddy Duck				FY
Osprey				CF
Bald Eagle				NY
Northern Harrier				NE
Sharp-shinned Hawk				CF
Cooper’s Hawk				NY
Northern Goshawk				FY
Red-shouldered Hawk				NY
Broad-winged Hawk				CF
Red-tailed Hawk				NY
American Kestrel				FY
Merlin				NY
Peregrine Falcon				NY
Gray Partridge				FY
Ring-necked Pheasant		S
Ruffed Grouse				NE
Wild Turkey			T
Virginia Rail				FY
Sora			T
Common Moorhen		H
American Coot		H
Sandhill Crane		H
Killdeer				NE
Spotted Sandpiper				NY
Upland Sandpiper			T
Common Snipe				CF
American Woodcock			D
Wilson’s Phalarope				FY
Ring-billed Gull				NE
Herring Gull		H
Common Tern			D
Black Tern	X
Rock Dove				NY
Mourning Dove				NY
Black-billed Cuckoo				CF
Yellow-billed Cuckoo		S
Eastern Screech-Owl		S
Gt. Horned Owl				NY
N. Hawk-Owl				CF
Barred Owl			T
Long-eared Owl		S
Short-eared Owl				FY
Northern Saw-whet Owl			T
Common Nighthawk			P
Whip-poor-will			T
Chimney Swift			V
Ruby-throated Hummingbird				AE
Belted Kingfisher				CF
Red-headed Woodpecker				FS
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker				NY
Downy Woodpecker				NY
Hairy Woodpecker				NY
Black-backed Woodpecker	X
Northern Flicker				CF
Pileated Woodpecker				NY
Olive-sided Flycatcher			T
E. Wood-Pewee				FY
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher			T
Alder Flycatcher				CF
Willow Flycatcher				CF
Least Flycatcher				FY
Eastern Phoebe				NY
Gt. Crested Flycatcher				CF
Eastern Kingbird				NY
Loggerhead Shrike		H
Yellow-throated Vireo			T
Blue-headed Vireo			T
Warbling Vireo				CF
Red-eyed Vireo				CF
Gray Jay			P
Blue Jay				CF
American Crow				NY
Common Raven				NY
Horned lark				CF
Purple Martin				NY
Tree Swallow				NY
N. Rough-winged Swallow				NY
Bank Swallow				NY
Cliff Swallow				NY
Barn Swallow				NY
Black-capped Chickadee				NY
Red-breasted Nuthatch				FY
White-breasted Nuthatch				CF
Brown Creeper				NY
House Wren				NY
Winter Wren			T
Sedge Wren		S
Marsh Wren			N
Golden-crowned Kinglet				CF
Ruby-crowned Kinglet		S
Eastern Bluebird				NY
Veery				CF
Swainson’s Thrush		H
Hermit Thrush				NE
Wood Thrush			T
American Robin				NY
Gray Catbird				CF
Northern Mockingbird				FY
Brown Thrasher				NY
European Starling				NY
Cedar Waxwing				FY
Golden-winged Warbler		S
Nashville Warbler			A
Yellow Warbler				NE
Chestnut-sided Warbler				CF
Magnolia Warbler				CF
Cape May Warbler		S
Black-throated Blue Warbler				CF
Yellow-rumped Warbler				CF
Black-throated Green Warbler				CF
Blackburnian Warbler			T
Pine Warbler			T
Bay-breasted Warbler		S
Black-and-white Warbler				CF
American Redstart				CF
Ovenbird				NY
Northern Waterthrush				CF
Mourning Warbler			T
Common Yellowthroat				NY
Canada Warbler			P
Scarlet Tanager				FY
Eastern Towhee		S
Chipping Sparrow Nest				NY
Clay-coloured Sparrow			T
Field Sparrow				CF
Vesper Sparrow				CF
Savannah Sparrow				NY
Grasshopper Sparrow				FY
Song Sparrow Nestlings				NE
Swamp Sparrow				CF
White-throated Sparrow				FY
Dark-eyed Junco		S
Northern Cardinal				FY
Rose-breasted Grosbeak				CF
Indigo Bunting				CF
Bobolink				CF
Red-winged Blackbird				NY
Eastern Meadowlark				FY
Common Grackle				NY
Brown-headed Cowbird				NE
Baltimore Oriole				CF
Purple Finch				FY
House Finch				CF
Red Crossbill				FY
W-w Crossbill			A
Pine Siskin			B
American Goldfinch				FY
Evening Grosbeak				FY
House Sparrow				NY

Atlasser Effort Per Square
Number of Species Found and Confirmed, Number of Hours Spent Atlassing

The results that follow show the number of species found per square, the number of confirmed species per square, and the number of hours spent atlassing in each square.

Casual Observations:
Where casual observations are included this is noted. In most cases casual observers do not record time spent birding so the hours shown generally reflect only those of the square’s ‘owner’. There are exceptions. Some casual observers put in a lot of time and effort and recorded their hours on their data cards. Where this is so, the hours per square reflect both those of the casual observer and the square’s ‘owner and is indicated. Where data in a square that was assigned to an atlasser comes only from casual observations this is noted and the square is marked N/A – data not available (see Legend for explanation) – but the number of casual observations is given. I have prepared the information this way so that if you are checking your square for data, and find it differs from your records, this is why!

Because this project is collecting data on breeding birds the pertinent information concerns the number of species found with breeding evidence. Species recorded as X (observed only, no breeding evidence) are important but do not constitute data for breeding evidence . Thus for each square I have first counted only the number of species for which some level of breeding evidence was recorded. This is the first number given in the ‘Number of Species’ column. Species recorded as an X are added to the total in brackets ( ). So if a square recorded 75 species with some level of breeding evidence, the first number would be 75. If there are a further 3 species recorded as X, they are added to the total and shown in brackets as (78).

As noted earlier, this is a draft report and the numbers in some squares below are subject to change as more information is submitted.

Legend
NOT ATLASSED – the atlasser contacted me and said they were unable to atlas this year.
NOT ASSIGNED – the square not yet assigned to anyone
N/A – the square assigned but atlas data not available either because the square was not atlassed (but I wasn’t told) or the atlasser has not yet returned the data. N/A followed by number of species (e.g., N/A 71) indicates casual observations submitted by other than the assigned atlasser.

List of Volunteers