Subject: "Where Have All the Birds Gone"
Date: Nov 29 11:46:04 1994
From: MONICA E GREGORY - meg5 at PSU.EDU


The discussion about the price of seed, etc., brings to mind passages from
John Terbourgh's book "Where Have All the Birds Gone?" I quote from page 66:
"At first glance, jays, crows, and juncos represent an odd trio. Whay they
have in common is that they are short-distance migrants that profit
opportunistically from winter food supplies provided by humans. Jays and
juncos are commonplace visitors to feeding stations, whereas crows, like
Canada Geese, feed on the wastage in cornfields.

"The total amount of food available from both sources is staggering. U.S.
citizens buy over $500 million worth of birdseed every year (Klinger
1982). This is enough to provide a pound of seed to each of more than 1
billion birds. Given that our most abundant species, such as robins,
grackles, red-wings, and Song Sparrows, have world populations that number
in the tens, or, at most, hundreds of millions, the dietary supplement we
provide at feeders is enough to sustain the entire populations of several
species. "What are the effects of this massive intervention at a time of
year when energetic stress can lead to high mortality? It would be a
simple matter to compare the winter densities of jays, juncos and Song
Sparrows in suburban areas that were well provided with feeders with those
in rural areas that were not, but I have not run across such a study. On
page 184 under the sub-heading of "Matters of Individiual Discretion:"

"Consider that the birdseed you put out for chickadees and cardinals also
supports expanded populations of starlings, Blue Jays and cowbirds, and
that poorly covered garbage cans promote high densities of racoons and
other terrestrial nest predators." And from the preface, page xiv, this
quote: "With the very best of intentions, Americans annually stock home
feeders with more than a billion pounds of birdseed, thereby unwittingly
augmenting the populations of avian nest predators (Blue Jays) and
parasites (cowbirds). Garbage from poorly covered waste cans subsidizes
large numbers of raccoons, opossums, and feral house cats, which in turn
are devastatingly effective in destroying the nests of ground-nesting
birds, most of them migrants."

I won't offer my own feelings, but I think Terbourg's sentiments are clear.
For anyone who hasn't read his book, the title again is "Where Have All the
Birds Gone?" (1989). ISBN 0-691-02428-6 (paperback). It ought to be read by
anyone who cares the slightest little bit about our native wildlife.

Alan C. Gregory, Conyngham, Pa.
*************************
* Monica E. Gregory, Ph.D.
* Psychology "Hope is the thing with feathers
* Penn State Hazleton that perches in the soul"
* Hazleton PA 18201 -Dickinson
* Internet: meg5 at psu.edu
* Tel:(717)450-3188