20 THES WACUsD eB ONS BGs aioe 
The LA.S. 1972 Christmas Count 
By Kathleen Struthers 
THERE WERE AGAIN 36 Christmas Census reports—though not all the 
same as last year’s. Marion, Vermilion, and Winnebago Counties failed to 
report; Adams, Richland, and Will-Cook replaced them. There were 140 
different species, 16 of which were represented by a single individual. 
Common Loon, Woodcock, and Dunlin were reported for the count 
period, but not on specific count days. There were 3 additional races, not 
listed as separate species—Richardson’s Canada Goose, Krider’s Red-tailed 
Hawk, and Northern Horned Lark. There was one White-fronted/Canada 
Goose hybrid reported in DuPage County. This was NOT included in the 
Census chart. 
Of the total of 282 Bald Eagles, 158 were adults, 95 immatures, 7 un- 
identified, and 22 not specified. Had the weather permitted an aerial census 
in the Jersey-Calhoun count, there would probably have been more sighted. 
Although only 3 counties reported Goshawks last year, 12 counties re- 
ported them for the count day this year. Red Crossbills, absent from the 
reports last year, were seen in half of the counts this year. Mute Swan, 
Harlequin Duck, Bewick’s Wren, Dickcissel, Indigo Bunting, Pine Grosbeak, 
and Sharp-tailed Sparrow are the other additions to this year’s list. Most 
noticeably absent this year was the Snowy Owl, reported on only one count 
last year, but sighted by many excited Chicagoland birders throughout the 
winter. 
524 Nathan Road, Park Forest, Ill. 60466 
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CENSUS EDITOR’S NOTE: We owe a big “thank you” to Kay Struthers 
for taking over the task of compiling our 1972 Christmas Census Table and 
doing such an admirable job. She not only tallied the figures and checked 
out the totals in both directions, but she completely retyped a hash of notes, 
nearly illegible field cards, and hand-written reports to make clear, read- 
able copy for the printer. Again, we want to thank the hundreds of partici- 
pants who braved cold winds, snow, sleet, freezing rain, and rough terrain 
to take the biggest Illinois census ever. 
The total of 3,421,157 individual birds is an impressive figure—until 
you analyze some of the components. When we take the totals from St. 
Clair, Cook (Chicago Urban and North Shore), Union, Rock Island, and 
Williamson Counties, we come up with roughly 714,000 Starlings, 171,000 
sparrows, 705,000 Redwings, and 1,400,000 Grackles. Include two game 
species—153,000 Canada Geese and 50,000 Mallards—and we have 3,200,000 
birds. This leaves roughly less than 220,000 songbirds, shorebirds, and 
other species that we commonly regard as desirable wild birds. 
Richard Rodrian is undertaking a study in St. Clair County to deter- 
mine (if possible) whether the massive populations of blackbirds there have 
