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Photo © Keith Williams
Photo © NestWatch

NestWatch 2013: Year In Review

Happy New Year, NestWatchers! Now that 2013 has come and gone, it’s time to look back and see what went down in nests across the country last year. In total, 15,340 nest attempts were monitored by 1,629 NestWatchers in 49 states. (We have yet to see any Hawaiian nests entered.)

A total of 147 species were monitored, which collectively laid 52,852 eggs. Of those that hatched, NestWatchers counted 36,309 fledglings last year. Below, we list the top species monitored and the newcomers to the flock:

Top 20 species monitored in 2013.

Top 20 species monitored in 2013.

Eastern Bluebird continues to lead the pack, while Mountain and Western Bluebird have dipped below House Sparrow. This could be due, in part, to House Sparrows being previously under-reported. Wood Duck is notably absent from the top 20 for the first time in history (coming in at #24). Arrows indicate overall population trends according to the North American Breeding Bird Survey.

Species new to NestWatch in 2013.

Species new to NestWatch in 2013.

Eleven new species joined the flock in 2013, including five species that are in decline (according to the North American Breeding Bird Survey). The introduction of several new Western species is notable.

Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Cornell Lab of Ornithology