Wintergreen Lake has some new additions to the permanent resident waterfowl that call the place home.  Four Trooper Swans, hybrids between the North American Trumpeter Swan and the Eurasian Whooper Swan, were moved onto the lake this past week. All had to visit the MSU Veterinary Clinic in East Lansing for surgery prior to their big move. At the clinic the swans were spayed (if female) or neutered (if male) – just like dogs and cats. I know: Who knew that the procedure could be done on birds too? And why have the surgery done in the first place? Well, the Bird Sanctuary didn’t what the Trooper swans breeding with any of the wild swans on the property thereby creating more hybrids.

Now for a little bit of history to explain how the hybrids came to exist in the first place. When W.K. Kellogg established the Sanctuary in 1927, there were no Trumpeter Swans in the area. Once present across most of the northern continental United States and into Canada and Alaska, the species was decimated with the arrival of European settlers. By the early 1900s these large waterfowl were close to extinction as a result of hunting and habitat removal. States including Michigan initiated reintroduction programs to help the species recover. As part of the restoration effort, the Sanctuary collected eggs, raised the birds, and eventually released 200 Trumpeter Swans.

It was around this time a Trumpeter and Whooper Swan mated, creating their hybrid offspring, the Trooper Swans. Normally, these species would not pair in the wild, since their natural breeding ranges do not overlap. As Whooper Swans escaped captivity in North America, however, they have been able to reproduce successfully with closely related species like Trumpeter Swans.

So if you’re interested in seeing a new breed of waterfowl, look for the Trooper Swans. They look like Trumpeters but their bills have a large white patch.

Fill up the feeders. Brush up on tricky bird identification. Prepare to tally.

It’s time for the Great Backyard Bird Count!

Each February the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, National Audubon Society, Bird Studies Canada, and most importantly, the public participants partner to make the international event a success. This year, citizen scientists across the United States and Canada will go into their own backyards from February 17-20 to record how many birds of various species they see. Scientists can then use the data to track the year-to-year changes in bird populations.

Kellogg Bird Sanctuary recently hosted an informational program about the Great Backyard Bird Count to prepare anyone interested in participating. A few highlights include:

• Anyone can participate - beginner or expert, child or adult
• Count birds for at least 15 minutes during one of the four days.
• Record the highest number of each species seen together at one time.
• Register your findings online at www.BirdCount.org.

The Count has grown in popularity since it was introduced in 1998, when fewer than 12,000 checklists were submitted. Last year, over 92,000 checklists were submitted – with 2,728 coming from Michigan. Maybe this year we can even make it into the top ten participating states. Michigan was only about 200 checklists away from beating number ten, Washington, in 2011! But we still have a way to go to beat New York, the number one state, where 5,817 checklists were entered.

What’s so great about the Great Backyard Bird Count is that the data isn’t just accessible to scientists. Anyone curious about birds can explore the results. Compile a list of local species or create animated maps to see how bird populations fluctuate over the years.

So be a citizen scientist. Starting Friday, get outside and count some birds!

White-breasted Nuthatch and Black-capped Chickadde. Two species that may be seen during the Great Backyard Bird Count

A morning of birding in the chill February air followed by a hot cup of freshly brewed coffee: Doesn’t it sound delightful? On the second Wednesday of each month the Sanctuary hosts Birds and Coffee, a birding excursion for early risers – of both the human and avian varieties! – led by a knowledgeable staff member.

As an intern I have attended the program and thoroughly enjoyed myself. I’ll admit - I am not the best birder. If I’m alone, I have difficulty finding the birds flitting about in the treetops, but a group makes it easier. I’m able to see birds I probably would have missed because there are more eyes in the sky to help me. If one person notices a bird, he/she points it out to the rest of us. That’s why this program is great for everyone from beginners to experts.

The walk is always different, as new seasons bring changes in temperature, vegetation, and accordingly, visiting birds. This month, as our group meandered down the path to Wintergreen Lake (where many of the Sanctuary’s birds can be found), I wondered: Is the Hooded Merganser around this morning? Can the American Black Duck be distinguished from a flock of drabber female Mallards? By the time the walk was over both questions were answered with a yes.

Male Northern Cardinal, one species that might be seen during Birds and Coffee

After our walk, we headed back to the bookstore to compile a list of our sightings and enjoy a nice cup of bird friendly coffee. Packaged as Birds and Beans: The Good Coffee, each bag carries the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center’s seal of approval. This means the farms, where the coffee is harvested, maintain a diverse plant habitat, ensuring bird biodiversity (https://birdsandbeans.com/). The coffee is available for purchase year-round in the bookstore and comes in four varieties. Yum!

So if any of this sounds like fun, keep Birds and Coffee in mind for next month!

Last week I glossed over the actual information gathered during a raptor health check. This week I wanted to go into more depth about what we examine and what that tells us about the bird’s overall health.

The very first piece of information collected is the bird’s weight. The weight combined with the amount of muscle on a bird’s keel (similar to the breastbone in humans) are the first indicators of whether the bird is healthy. Any significant loss of weight or muscle may indicate there is problem that should be looked into further.

The feet and talons also need to be examined. Since our birds are in captivity their talons (aka their claws) sometimes become overgrown. Not only can this be uncomfortable for the bird but overgrown talons can puncture their feet. These wounds can lead to a bacterial infection known as Bumblefoot. That’s why a bird’s talons need to be trimmed regularly, just like people trim cats and dogs claws.

Since most of the raptors at the Sanctuary have wing injuries, it is important that we check the site of their injury. If the wound is open, the enclosure should be rearranged to prevent further harm. We also examine the feathers at this time. If the feathers appear chewed up, it is a sign that the bird has feather mites and should be treated with a broad spectrum anti-parasite medication.

Finally we look at their head including eyes, ears, and mouth. In the mouth we look for any discoloration (sign of infection) or dryness (sign of dehydration). We also examine the eyes for damage and make sure the bird can blink properly. The very last thing is to put the bird back in its cage after the ordeal.

Great Horned Owl being wrapped for a health check