Backyard Birds -
Where in the World Are We?
By Guest Writer, Shawn Keith
I’ve often thought about the birds that visit #2 - Red Billed Quelea at 1.5 Billion. Stunned again, our backyards wondering if they I’m thinking “Ok, what is this bird?’’ “I’ve exist in other countries or do they only never heard of it.” I’m starting to have a exist here. I did a little research to find sinking feeling that there will be no birds these answers and came across an from our area. This bird is almost five inches article naming the “Top 10” most in length and native to the Sub-Saharan populous bird species in the world. area of Africa. This really piqued my curiosity, #3 - The Mourning Dove - Aha, here wondering where the United States fits we go, a backyard bird of ours is on the list. A pheasant into this list and better yet, are our Coming in with a population of 475 million, backyard birds a part of this list. I dived in with both feet they live in North and Central America. to find the answer because, as the saying goes #4 - American Robin - This list is picking up “inquiring minds want to know”. momentum for our backyard birds. We have robins all Buckle-up – you might find this interesting. over the place. I had no idea this bird was so populous in #1 - The Domestic Chicken at 30 Billion. Ok that a world list. With numbers hitting 310 million across the caught me off guard. My mind was not going down that United States, Canada, Mexico, and Guatemala, that is road at first but then again, it makes perfect sense for it quite a few birds. to be a really big number. Poultry as a domesticated bird #5 - Common Pheasant - Another backyard bird for bred for consumption, with eggs for cooking, baking and us but not one that everyone would see in their so on. Some folks may have them for exotic breeds, backyard. I have, however, been fortunate enough to fresh eggs and pets for our own personal hobby. have seen one in my yard. While sitting out one evening, This bird is believed to have originally been I saw it come out of the woodline by my house. It slowly domesticated in Southeast Asia, India, and northern walked around my yard and then slowly migrated back China as far back as 8,000 years ago from a tropical bird into the trees. known as a red junglefowl. #6 - Red-winged Blackbird - At around 210 million, this is a semi-backyard bird for us. While hanging around the edge of fields and water, it could be near some people’s backyard. #7 - Chipping Sparrow - Another backyard bird at 200 million, these little guys cover mostly the entire area of the North American continent. #8 - Common Starling - At over 150 million, I thought this bad bird would have been much higher in numbers since they can be so bothersome during the nesting season of our native birds. Hailing from Europe and spreading to Australia, New Zealand, Canada, United States, Mexico, Argentina, South Africa and Fiji Island, it appears there is no country it can’t conquer. Fresh #9 - Common Swift - Coming in at over 130 million, Picked this swift is not in the US. Our Swift is the Chimney Swift. Daily! The Common Swift population covers a large part of Europe and the southern half of the African continent. #10 - Yellow Rump Warbler - Holding the last place in this top ten list at 130 million, this little guy has quite vivid yellow markings. The yellow is on the top of the base of its tail which makes him quite a sight to see, but unfortunately, we are unlikely to see it in our area. It’s not impossible but unlikely. In summary, this top ten list was quite an interesting Fresh Picked & Country Priced topic. It was great to see that our backyards hold so Follow u ad many of the species found on this top 10 list. In fact a s Call Ahe k 2195 S. Old State Rd. 65 on c e total of seven of the species on this list can be found in Owensville, IN to Ch ity most of our backyards. Now we know where we are in Availabil this world.
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Page 22
August 2022
Small Town Living
