The annual Christmas roundup of Bermuda’s birds has yielded some noteworthy visitors to the island, including a Eurasian collared-dove, a short-eared owl, a grey heron and an American avocet.

The Bermuda Audubon Society’s 49th Christmas Bird Count came through with the help of 24 dedicated birders, out from dawn to dusk identifying and counting every bird they could see.

Bermuda’s results are sent each year to the National Audubon Society in the United States, which compiles data from North America, Central America and much of the Caribbean.

The citizen science programme takes people out into nature while bringing back hard information for the conservation of birds.

The 2023 count identified 100 different species on the count day, with an additional three species during the count week.

The society called the results “amazing, given that we have less than 20 species of resident birds”.

This year’s star sighting was the ash-throated flycatcher, a rare bird typically found in the south-western desert of North America, first seen in November.

Most years come with the sighting of at least one ruby-throated hummingbird — and last year was no exception.

The tiny birds, which breed across eastern North America, fly hundreds of miles to get to Bermuda, often lingering through the winter and feeding on red or orange tubular flowers.

The society reported a total bird count of 5,828, down from 9,230 last year.

The group said a deeper analysis would be needed to determine if this marked a significant decrease in total numbers.

Once again, the invasive species were most prevalent, with 1,471 European starlings, 874 great kiskadees and 782 house sparrows.

The most abundant non-invasive species was the mourning dove, with 464 birds counted.

The complete results from this year, along with historical data, can be found on the website of the National Audubon Society.

Bermuda offers a critical refuge with food and shelter for a wide range of migratory birds, with some covering thousands of miles to rest and feed on the island before continuing their long journeys southward.

Others stay for the winter months, underscoring the need to preserve woodlands and natural spaces.

The Bermuda Audubon Society highlighted an upcoming presentation on the island’s birds on February 8 at the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute in Hamilton.

Miguel Mejías will take the stage at 7.30pm for 2023: A Big Year for Birds in Bermuda.

Tickets are available online or from the BUEI gift shop at 294-0204.