On Fri, 9 Aug 1996, M. Smith wrote:
> 1.) Since Don beat me to the keyboard, I would venture a guess at the
> Baccus theory.

>Hmm, if the birds were struck by cars as they flew across the roadway,
>it would seem likely that at least some of them would fall on the
>shoulder, but Dave Nunnalee specifically mentioned that they were only
>found on the road. I seem to recall reading a message last summer (on
>obol maybe) about hordes of swallows (Cliff?) *on* the road somewhere.

I've seen cliff and barn swallows do that, but not bank swallows. Then,
again, I've only seen a couple of bank swallow colonies next to roads
(thanks to ODOT activities - i.e. fresh artificial roadside banks).

In fact I nailed a barn swallow a week or so ago that made no attempt
to flee, and that I didn't see until the last moment. Off the subject,
but equally weird, I had a city pigeon the other day walk right under
my tire, killing itself, as I was slowly moving in downtown traffic.
I'd seen it but hadn't paid much attention, never thinking it would
turn to the right 90% and waddle right under the tire!

But if bank swallows do the road-surface hugging thing, one big, fast,
speeding truck could do it, huh?

- Don Baccus, Portland OR <donb at rational.com>
Nature photos, on-line guides, at http://www.xxxpdx.com/~dhogaza