The LA.S. 1975 Christmas Count 
By Kathleen Struthers 
THIS YEAR AGAIN there were 36 Christmas Count Reports (actually, 37 
—hbut one arrived too late to get into the table). Marion County (after an 
absence last year) and Will County—Joliet filled the space left by the 
failure of DeKalb and Williamson Counties to report. There were 137 
species reported, a net loss of 3 from last year’s 140. Two of these losses 
were due to changes in the AOU Check-list—the combination of Snow and 
Blue Goose into a single species and of Slate-colored and Oregon Juncos. 
Fourteen species were represented by a single invidual. 
Rock Doves were included this year for the first time, but since National 
Audubon made no prior announcement that these escaped pigeons would 
be included (“Rock Dove” was merely listed in the NAS report form), a 
most inaccurate picture of the true number of pigeons emerges. Only 19 
of the IAS counts reported them, and even within these counts, not all 
parties included them. 
Several species were reported and documented that were completely 
out of their normal range. The Monk Parakeet has been reported estab- 
lishing colonies in the wild after escaping from captivity. The bird reported 
by Rock Island had been observed at an area feeder regularly since Dec. 
1. The Black-billed Magpie, a common bird in the West, had been coming 
to a Cook, DuPage and Kane area feeder since mid-September. Another 
western bird, the Lazuli Bunting, was seen at a feeder just outside the 
Cook, DuPage and Kane area. Cook County—Chicago North Shore reported 
the third state sighting for the House Finch, another common Western 
bird. It had been coming to a feeder in Glenview with a group of House 
Sparrows. One of the Rufous-sided Towhees reported by Cook, DuPage 
and Kane was of the western Spotted race. 
