>I have a slide of about a dozen or so of the little mites [Bushtits] on a suet
>ball munching greasily away during a cold snap in Vancouver, BC. Glad
>to forward to you if you like, Dennis.
>
>- Jack Bowling

Actually, one of the more interesting things about Bushtit biology is the
differentially suetivorous nature of local populations. In the Seattle
area, Bushtits come to suet constantly in some people's yards (mine, for
example) and absolutely never in others, even when suet is in plain sight
and Bushtits are regular visitors to the yard. I suppose this is some sort
of learned behavior, but I'm sure it would repay more study in the realm of
learned behavior.

And it would be interesting to find out how many tweeters have one or the
other of these experiences, and where.

This is Bushtit Research Suggestion #1, Bushtit Research Bunch, Seattle, WA.

Dennis Paulson, Director phone: (206) 756-3798
Slater Museum of Natural History fax: (206) 756-3352
University of Puget Sound e-mail: dpaulson at ups.edu
Tacoma, WA 98416