What is Here?

Pictured below are a number of bird species you may encounter during your visit to Sparks Farm, if you would like a full comprehensive checklist click here. If you are new to bird watching, the Merlin bird app is a great resource to help you get started with identification! For more avid birdwatchers, we highly encourage you to submit your findings to eBird, a citizen’s science database run by Cornell University.

All photographs were taken by Pedro Miranda

What is Missing?

In an interview with the Sparks, we learned of two species of particular interest that were once common on the farm and are now missing. The first species is our Pennsylvania state bird, the Ruffed Grouse. The second bird is the Bobwhite quail, which is now considered extirpated (locally extinct) in the state by the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

Our State Bird, The Ruffed Grouse

The Ruffed Grouse is a small chicken-like bird often found in the dense understory of old-growth forests and sometimes in first-successional growths. In the last 50 years, grouse has heavily declined in Pennsylvania. It is believed that this is due to a decline in understory brought on by deer overpopulation as well as the West Nile Virus. Jack Sparks remarked this was once a very common species along the logging roads in the wooded hills of the property. However, in the 90’s they also disappeared from the property. This likely is due to the destruction of the understory of the forest. As of right now, the forest is being managed for the removal of Japanese stilt grass to rejuvenate the understory.

The Northern Bobwhite Quail

The Bobwhite Quail is a small plump white and brown bird that was once found across the state sitting on the fence posts singing its iconic Bob…. White Call.

Bobwhite Call for FreeSoundLibrary.com

However, since 1970, the bird has completely disappeared from the state as a result of changing agricultural processes as well as the introduction of the West Nile Virus. This quickly thinned the population in a matter of 40 years. Here at Sparks Farm, Jack Sparks said the bird he grew up hearing began to disappear when he took on the farm and switched to raising beef cattle. He was so upset by this that he introduced a covey on his property that persisted for about ten years before once again disappearing (https://www.pgc.pa.gov/Wildlife/WildlifeSpecies/Pages/Northern-Bobwhite-Quail.aspx)

Birding Checklist For Spark’s Farm

Checklist-V2 Download

Free Resources

https://merlin.allaboutbirds.org/

https://ebird.org/home

Birds of Sparks Farm