Rare Bird Alert: Western Tanager Lands In Channahon

Press release from the Forest Preserve District of Will County:

Rare birds dropping into Will County sure are causing a frenzy among birders, with the latest unusual sighting coming in the form of a western tanager in Channahon.

The bird was spotted in multiple locations in the past few days, including the Des Plaines Fish and Wildlife Area.

Western tanagers are bright yellow birds that, as you'd expect from their name, live in the western part of the United States. According to eBird data, there have been some sightings in Illinois in the past 10 years, but they are fairly isolated. This is the first time it has ever been reported in Will County.

These birds tend to forage in branches, where they look for insects in the summer and berries in fall and winter. Those who observed the bird on Sunday indicated it was busy eating berries on some honeysuckle.

With more and more rare birds being spotted in the area, it's a fine example of the Patagonia picnic table effect. That's when one rare bird is found and birders flock to the area, only to find more rare birds in the same location. While something like a western tanager may go unnoticed to a casual observer, hardcore birders can easily identify it.

Here's how the Patagonia picnic table effect played out recently:

• In late November, a Eurasian wigeon was seen near the same area along Front Street in Channahon.
• Birders then went to look for the wigeon and last week stumbled on a great kiskadee in the same area. That was the first time a great kiskadee had ever been reported in Illinois.
• And then in the past few days, birders trying to spot the greak kiskadee found the western tanager, another rarity for the area.

Bob Bryerton, a program coordinator at Plum Creek Nature Center, said he recently saw an Anna's hummingbird just over the border in Indiana. Just like the western tanager, Anna's hummingbirds are West Coast birds and shouldn't be in this area.

"One possible explanation for the Anna's hummingbird is the wildfires in California, which caused it to get disoriented," he said. "Between wildfires and hurricanes we’ve had this year, it’s possible that is having an impact. Maybe the hurricane spun (the great kiskadee) out and it followed the wind current.

"I don’t think there is enough research to understand why this happens. It’s hard to say how they ended up here."

In addition to these birds dropping in, birders have been able to check off a number of other unlikely species on their lists at other Will County locations. For example:

• Last week, a Baltimore oriole was seen at Rock Run Rookery. While generally not rare for the area, this was the first time this bird has been seen in Will County later than September.
• In September, a yellow-crowned night heron was spotted at Whalon Lake.
• In August, American avocets visited Whalon Lake.
• In June, some black-bellied whistling ducks dropped in at Monee Reservoir.
• Last summer, a painted bunting mugged for the camera at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie.
• In January 2019, a black-legged kittiwake was spotted at Whalon Lake.

So when you're out and about, keep your eyes peeled. If it's a bird you've never seen around here before, it may be one that avid birders haven't either.

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This press release was produced by the Forest Preserve District of Will County. The views expressed are the author's own.