Just miles from the bustle of Uptown, it's still possible to see a heron hunting for fish or catch a glimpse of a mating pair of bald eagles. With a booming population and ongoing development, some bird species are fairing better than others in Mecklenburg County.

Wing Haven recently welcomed Charlotte-based naturalist Taylor Piephoff — the former president of The Carolina Bird Club — for a seminar on the status of our birds.

Wild turkeys are one of several bird species very rare to spot in Mecklenburg County. | Photo by CLTtoday

Winners and losers

"If you don't have the habitat, then you're not going to have the birds," Piephoff emphasized, citing habitat loss to be the primary driver of declining bird populations. Species like American barn owl, wild turkey, loggerhead shrike, and northern bobwhite have all become rare or absent in Mecklenburg County.

Meanwhile, many raptors are showing positive trends, with bald eagles breeding in the county and red-shouldered hawks becoming common residents. Cooper's hawks have also increased and adapted to urban environments.

Several bald eagle mating pairs have been documented in Mecklenburg County. | Photo by CLTtoday

The skies ahead

Piephoff shared bird enthusiasts will play a critical role in preserving the natural beauty of birds in our backyards, while our feathered friends are possibly becoming more accustomed to life near a big city.

"They see humans, houses, and automobiles. They kind of are kind of comfortable with it, said Piephoff. "On the greenways, you're looking off to see birds and then you realize [a] hawk is sitting right here right next to you and it's just hunting. It doesn't mind you at all."

Connecting with fellow bird lovers

During his seminar, Piephoff said apps like Merlin, eBird, and Audubon Bird Guide are making birding more accessible to newcomers.

Backyard feeder birds

If you have a backyard feeder... we haven't forgotten about you. Common species you're most likely to attract include the house finch, northern cardinal, and Carolina wren.