Pennsylvania birders pushed the state to a No. 4 finish in the 2019 Great Backyard Bird County, filing 6,275 checklists and reporting 140 bird species spotted during the February 15-18 event.
That was nearly 300 more checklists than Pennsylvania birders submitted last year, but down slightly from the 145 bird species counted in Pennsylvania last year.
It was not enough to raise Pennsylvania out of the same position it finished the 2018 GBBC.
California was again the No.1 state with 8,139 checklists, followed by Texas with 7,210; New York, 6,857; Pennsylvania, 6,275; Florida, 6,159; Virginia, 5,137; Ohio , 4,078; Washington, 4,012; North Carolina, 3,882; and Michigan, 3774.
For most bird species counted, the top 10 states were Texas, 359; California, 348; Florida, 296; Arizona, 271; Louisiana, 227; Oregon, 220; Washington, 210; New Mexico, 202; South Carolina, 195; and North Carolina, 192.
Across the U.S., birders submitted 111,776 checklists and reported 662 bird species.
In Pennsylvania the top counties were Lancaster , 107 species; Philadelphia, 98; Bucks, 95; Chester, 94; Montgomery, 90; Allegheny, 85; Berks, 84; Centre, 83; Dauphin, 83; and Lebanon, 82.
Top hotspots in Pennsylvania were Peace Valley Park, Bucks County, 66 species; John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge, Philadelphia, 61; Middle Creek Wildlife Management Arear, Lancaster and Lebanon counties, 61; Pennypack Ecological Restoration Trust, Montgomery County, 50; Speedwell Forge Lake, Lancaster County, 50; Big Spring, Cumberland County, 49; Chestnut Grove Natural Area, Lancaster County, 45; Core Creek Park, Bucks County, 45; Octoraro Reservoir, Lancaster County, 44; and Wildwood Park, Dauphin County, 44.
The Great Backyard Bird Count is a joint project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society with partner Bird Studies Canada and is made possible in part by founding sponsor Wild Birds Unlimited.