On Mon, 5 Dec 1994, Teresa Michelsen wrote:

> I can't imagine that there's anything wrong with picking up a feather, but
> collection of a nest might not be a good idea if it could be used the next
> spring.

Is that true? Granted that some birds (mostly raptors, I think) keep
reusing their big nests year after year, and there are such things as
heron rookeries; but on the whole the fixed-action patterns of most birds
must induce them to start building new nests every time the right hormones
start flowing through their veins. The old nest will generally be falling
apart after the winter, and a pair of birds can't say to each other, "Hey,
look, our old nest is in pretty good shape if we just fix it up a little
here and there!" I should probably go home and read some of my references
first, but I'll risk the opinion that this seems very unlikely.

Burt Guttman guttmanb at elwha.evergreen.edu
The Evergreen State College Voice: 206-866-6000, x. 6755
Olympia, WA 98505 FAX: 206-866-6794