ONE MORE: We all love a good mystery, right? And now maybe you
can help solve one.

Our mystery comes from a group called Project FeederWatch,
Ithaca, N.Y., and its about the apparent disappearance of the
evening grosbeak. (Our apologies for non-birding readers out there
– this is our second such birding request in the past week or
so.)

Here’s the scoop on today’s mystery: “The evening grosbeak is an
enigma. Many people who used to see these raucous birds descend on
their feeders in large numbers now report that they haven’t spotted
one in years.”

“Reports from volunteers who count the birds at their feeders as
part of Project FeederWatch, a bird-monitoring program coordinated
by the Cornell University Lab of Ornithology and Bird Studies
Canada, show that grosbeaks are indeed declining.

“In fact, grosbeaks are completely missing from many areas where
they were common as recently as the early 1990s.”

More than a century ago, the evening grosbeaks began rapidly
expanding their range from western North America to include many
areas in the East. The range expansion brought these gluttons to
feeders all across the northern half of the continent by the
1950s.

Noisy flocks would routinely visit backyard bird feeders and
devour sunflower seeds. Grosbeaks were one of the most common
species reported to Project FeederWatch when the program began in
1987. Now, nearly 20 years later, evening grosbeaks have fallen off
of the list of most common feeder birds in most regions.

The evening grosbeak is a yellow, black, and white finch with a
bill that appears too big for its body. Its winter range typically
covers the entire northern half the United States and it is found
year-round in many western states and southern Canada.

But “typical” is no longer typical and experts have been left to
ponder this mystery of their apparent disappearance.

Are the birds dying, are they failing to reproduce, or are they
simply moving elsewhere? Scientists are not sure, but bird watchers
may help unravel the mystery by counting birds at their own feeders
and submitting information to Project FeederWatch.

Participants report all of the birds seen, so researchers can
learn where grosbeaks are found, as well as where they are
missing.

The more eyes looking out for grosbeaks and other birds, the
better! To sign up for Project FeederWatch go to
www.birds.cornell.edu/pfw or call the Lab toll-free at (800)
843-2473.