Andy Stepniewski wrote:

>One of the problems with OCWa's is that they cease active singing rather
>early in the breeding season. I contend the brushy habitats are "crawling
>with this species"... but they are only occasional singers after say 20-25
>May. A breeding bird census of any eastside forest ecosystem in June is
>going to miss many Orange-crowned Warblers.

Sorry, I responded to your first posting before I saw this. I agree with
you about the early cessation of singing, but it's noteworthy to me that I
have been recording whether birds are in song for quite a few years now
(with a musical note next to the species name on the field card), and
Orange-crowns that were on my May east-side lists during that period were
conspicuously noteless, while all the other warblers were singing.

And are you saying that not a one of these birds (which, of course, would
still be "crawling" all over the place even after they stop singing, as
their young fledge in June) would ever come to a potential predator (the
tooting and pishing that attract just about all the birds of their
habitat)?

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