Local Report - Ontario Winter Finch Forecast 2008-2009
Written by Ron Pittaway
Local Report - Winter finches feed almost entirely on seeds. Most finches readily go to bird feeders. The two best seeds for finches are black sunflower seed and nyger seed. Winter finches are noted for their wandering movements in search of tree seed crops. The most important trees to winter finches are spruce, white pine (Ontario's provincial tree), hemlock, birch and mountain-ash. This year in Ontario, spruce crops are fair to good both west and east of Lake Superior and in central Ontario such as Algonquin Park, but cone abundance diminishes rapidly northwards into the boreal forest. White pine has heavy cone crops in most areas, but the hemlock crop is poor. The white birch crop is fair to good west and east of Lake Superior to LakeOntario, but poor in the boreal forest. The mountain-ash (rowan berry) crop is excellent everywhere this year.
Individual Finch Forecasts
Pine Grosbeak: A mountain-ash berry specialist in winter, Pine Grosbeaks will stay north of most birders this winter because mountain-ash berries are abundant in northern Ontario. A few normally get south to AlgonquinPark, but they are unlikely farther south. At feeders, Pine Grosbeaks prefer sunflower seeds.
Purple Finch: This finch stays in the north only when most tree species have heavy seed crops. This fall most Purple Finches will migrate south out of the province because overall tree seed crops are too low. A very few may winter at feeders in southern Ontario where they eat both sunflower seeds and nyger seed.
Red Crossbill: This crossbill prefers pines. Since white pine has abundant crops in most areas, expect Red Crossbills to be widespread in small numbers. A small-billed hemlock form prefers the small cones of hemlock and white spruce. It should be absent from the province this winter because the hemlock crop is poor and the spruce crop is only average. Red Crossbills very rarely go to feeders.
White-winged Crossbill: The White-winged Crossbill specializes on the small soft cones of spruce and hemlock. This crossbill wandered widely this past summer searching for extensive spruce cone crops. Most kept moving but some stopped and their singing suggested nesting but spruce cone crops are generally not large enough in most areas to support major nestings. This winter they should be widespread in small numbers in traditional areas such as AlgonquinPark. However, spruce cone crops are generally low in most of Canada so a moderate southward irruption is probable, perhaps extending south into the central United States. This crossbill very rarely goes to feeders.
Common Redpoll: Redpolls are a white birch seed specialist in the boreal forest in winter. White birch crops are poor in the northern two-thirds of the boreal forest, but seed abundance increases southward. In central Ontario, such as AlgonquinPark, crops on white and yellow birches range from fair to good. It is uncertain whether the birch crop is large enough to stop the southward movement in central Ontario about latitude 45 degrees. Some redpolls may get south to Lake Ontario if birch seed supplies run low. At feeders, redpolls prefer nyger seed.
Pine Siskin: A conifer seed specialist in winter, most siskins should leave the province this fall because the spruce cone crop is poor in the boreal forest. It is uncertain whether the huge white pine seed crop will keep some siskins in central and northern Ontario this winter. Siskins resemble redpolls and goldfinches (common at feeders) in size shape and habits. All these species often hang upside down to feed so some feeders are designed particularly for them. All these species prefer nyger seed.
Evening Grosbeak: This grosbeak should make a small southward movement this winter because food supplies are probably sufficient in the north. Older birders remember the 1970s when the Evening Grosbeak was a common feeder bird. Their memory is based on the greatly inflated numbers 30 years ago in Eastern Canada due to huge outbreaks of spruce budworm. The last Algonquin Park Christmas Bird Count (CBC) to have high numbers of Evening Grosbeaks was in 1984 with 1474 individuals, which was the North American CBC record that year. A significant decline in grosbeak numbers began in the mid-1980s because the size of annual budworm outbreaks decreased. Ontario's breeding population is currently probably stable, subject to periodic fluctuations in spruce budworm. At feeders, they relish sunflower seeds.
Where To See Winter Finches
A winter trip to Algonquin Park is a birding adventure. The park is a mix of boreal and hardwood habitats only a three hour drive north of Toronto. Kilometre markers along the highway are the distances from the west entrance. Watch carefully for crossbills and other finches in early morning eating road salt and sand. Two excellent birding spots are the Spruce Bog Trail at km 42.5 and the gate area on the Opeongo Road about 4 km north from km 46 on the highway. Watch and listen for finches, Gray Jay, Boreal Chickadee, Spruce Grouse and Black-backed Woodpecker. The Visitor Centre and restaurant at km 43 are open only on weekends in winter. An observation deck overlooks a spectacular bog and black spruce forest. The feeders attract Evening Grosbeak, Pine Grosbeak, Common Redpoll and other finches depending on the winter. Gray Jays frequent the suet feeder and sometimes a Pine Marten or Fisher goes to the suet. Eastern Canadian Wolves (Canis lycaon) are seen occasionally from the observation deck feeding on road-killed moose put out by park staff. Arrangements can be made to view feeders on weekdays. For information call the Visitor Centre at 613-637-2828.
