Birds of the Lower Ohio River Valley in West Virginia

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CARDINAL, GROSBEAKS, INDIGO BUNTING, DICKCISSEL

Indigo Bunting  Passerina cyanea

WINTER:  NO RECORDS.

SUMMER:  Very Common to Abundant Resident.  See Remarks section.

MIGRATION:

 Spring:  Common Migrant from late April to early May.  Early dates, Edeburn et al. (1960) cites a very early date of 27 March 1960; 15 April 2000 (HS); 21 April 1964 (HS); 23 April 2006 (MG, DP); 25 April 2009 (JW).

 Fall:  Common Migrant from late September to mid-October.  Rare Migrant in late October.  Late dates, 26 October 1979 (HS); one banded (LW) on 24 October 1984; 22 October 1960 (Edeburn et al. 1960); two on 21 October 1982 (HS) and one banded (LW) on 21 October 1984.

REMARKS:

Singing Male Census (Koch and Hurley 1972): Beech Fork Lake, Wayne Co., WV (1969): mature mesophytic forest (elevation, 198 m to 244 m): 8 males/100 ha.; second growth mixed hardwoods-pine woods (elevation, 236 m to 289 m): 16 males/100 ha.

Breeding Bird Survey (Koch and Hurley 1972): Beech Fork Lake, Wayne Co., WV (29 May 1969): 50 Stops, 25 Mile. Number of Stops Recorded: 28. Total Birds: 44.

Singing Male Census (Koch 1974): McClintic WMA, Mason Co., WV (1971): hardwood forest (elevation, 250 m to 259 m): 41 males/100 ha.; abandoned bottomland (elevation, 186 m): 33 males/100 ha.

Breeding Bird Survey (Koch 1974): McClintic WMA, Mason Co., WV (29 May 1971): 50 Stops, 12.25 Mile. Number of Stops Recorded: 33. Total Birds: 42.

Singing Male Census (Eddy 2003): Cabwaylingo State Forest, Wayne Co., WV (2002): Tick Ridge: dominant canopy: yellow poplar, black cherry, sugar maple (elevation, 350 m to 378 m): +.

Breeding Bird Survey (Bullard 2003): Cabwaylingo State Forest, Wayne Co., WV (2002): 135 Stops (7 surveys), 64 Mile. Number of Stops Recorded: 76. Total Birds: 92.