This is especially true in the winter in climes east of the Cascades.
Hermit thrushes, such as the one we found for the first record on the
Pullman CBC several years ago, will also follow these flocks. In the
Midwest, it's the best way to find butterbutts (yellow-rumps). Every
Hutton's vireo I've found in the wintere has also been in such a flock.
A good posting of good use.
Right now, in the Portland hills, the two species of chickadees
are alreeady forming such guilds.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ray Korpi
rkorpi at clark.edu
Wrk: Clark College Hm: Portland, OR
Vancouver, WA
360-992-2215
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On Wed, 9 Aug 1995, James Neitzel wrote:

>
> I want to share a useful piece of advice I gained from a Birding article
> about ten years ago-unfortunately, I cannot remember the author. Now
> that nesting is over, many birds will be moving around in loose, mixed
> species flocks. If you see or hear a flock, even if it seems like
> ordinary, common birds, CHECK IT OUT. I Have probably had my first looks
> at half the warbler species I have seen my using this mehtod in
> campgrounds and random picnic areas. In the west, these often seem to
> have cores of chickadees, kinglets, and bushtits, but I have also seen
> most forest warblers and vireos as mebers of this troops, as well as
> occasional flycatchers and even woodpeckers. The cooperative feeding
> seems to help all of the various insect eaters, as well as providing
> extra eyes to watch predators. Since many birds are off territory now,
> between these groups there may be few birds in late summer. Do not miss
> the opportunity to carefully check out these group.
>
> These feeding groups seem to be common all over the world, and in
> tropical and subtropical forests the guilds can contain 50 species.
>
> Jim Neitzel
> The Evergreen State College
> neitzelj at elwha.evergreen.edu
>