Gene,=20

My Hitchcock and Cronquist notes that Pacific wax-myrtle (Myrica =
californica) is found along the coast from Grays Harbor County to =
California. Sweet gale (Myrica gale) can be found from Alaska southward =
to west central Oregon. Both species have small waxy drupes. I've seen =
warblers all over the coastal myrtle during spring migration, but that's =
not necessarily when the fruits are available to them. Can't recall =
what, if anything, I've seen as far as birds using the sweet gale brush =
in the hills.

Myrica species are listed together in the American Wildlife & Plants: A =
Guide to Wildlife Food Habits, by Martin, Zim and Nelson (1951 - I have =
the Dover reprint). Both Audubon's and Myrtle Warblers are listed in =
California as using Myrica (1/2 to 2% of diet for Audubon's and Myrtle). =
Elsewhere, 2 to 5% of the Myrtle Warbler diet is Myrica. Sorry, no =
references. These warblers apparently eat more Poison Oak berries than =
wax-myrtle fruits.

An interesting note: "It is a curious fact that along the Atlantic coast =
the tree swallow consumes many of the (Myrica) berries, though =
practically all the rest of its food consists of insects." They say =
that 25 to 50% of the plant food of the swallow can be Myrica berries.

Jon. Anderson
Olympia, Washington
festuca at olywa.net


>Subject: Re: Myrtle vs Audubon "call-notes"
>From: Eugene Hunn=20
>Date: Fri, 26 Apr 1996 16:34:05 -0700 (PDT)

>The coastal scrub (as at Ocean Shores) is in fact dominated by the =
Pacific
wax myrtle (Myrica sp.), hence the name "Myrtle" Warbler is quite
appropriate. However, the northern limit of the wax myrtle on the =
Pacific
is somewhere no too far north of Ocean City, WA I believe.

Gene.