Tips on finding 'half-hardies' in winter (1 Viewer)

[cnybirder]

Anyone have any tips on what characteristics a location should have to be good for 'half-hardies' in winter?

By half-hardies I mean birds like American Robin, Eastern Bluebird, Tree Swallow, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Golden-crowned Kinglet, certain sparrows, Hermit Thrush, etc. - birds that generally should be further south in winter but occur in moderate numbers annually north of where they should be in winter.

Where I am we get a lot of snow (and not many of these half-hardies) - in fact sometimes the most snow anywhere east of the Mississippi - but 20 or 30 minutes away there are areas without much snow even when we get a lot.

 

[Jim M.]

I saw so many American Robins in my area last winter, that I no longer consider them an unusual bird in the winter here. (Though apparently our winter robins are mostly from Canada, not the ones we see in the spring and summer).

But as to your question, things that spring to mind are the fairly obvious: fruit bearing trees/bushes with fruit still on them, feeders, and open water with trees or bushes for nearby cover. Though I imagine some of these are going to be pretty hard to find in your area.

Best,
Jim

 

[ovenbird43]

I imagine that Tree Swallow would be the toughest of the bunch- we rarely get those in winter down here in Arkansas, though I did see one at the very beginning of spring this year, at a fish hatchery.

Generally I'd echo all of J Moore's suggestions. Most of these species are likely to use either open or edge habitats. Watch any mixed-species flock for kinglets and Yellow-rumped Warbler. Hermit Thrushes are likely to prefer more wooded areas, but at least down here the interiors of extensive upland forests are very bird-poor in winter.

Finding species north of their usual winter range seems to be more common nowadays, from what I see on various listservs and from talking to long-time birders in my own area. The reigning thought is that birds are limited in their winter range by food rather than weather, so any habitat that may provide appropriate and adequate food and water for each species is a good bet.