Subject: Re: migrants
Date: Sep 23 09:30:01 1996
From: Dennis Paulson - dpaulson at mirrors.ups.edu


In response to my comments about a flood of migrants, Kelly McAllister wrote:

>It seems that I remember Dennis complaining that, despite the most ambitious
>attempts at habitat develpment, there was little hope to attract much more
>than House Sparrows and Starlings when one lives in the city. Well, perhaps
>these native birds have found that little oasis in the city and, now, you
>won't be able to beat them back with a dead tabby.

I probably wasn't clear in my post on this subject. What I meant to say
is that urban situations don't seem to support *breeding* migratory birds
in this area (or perhaps in any other). Migrants have a lot less choice
where they spend time and are likely to turn up anywhere, but breeders do
have choice, and they mostly choose to shun cities. I've never had any
evidence of any warbler breeding in my neighborhood, for example, although
I will admit that chickadees, nuthatches, and a few other residents are
plenty common. They seem the foolish residents that rush in where wise
migrants fear to go. However, Song Sparrows disappeared from our yard last
spring and haven't shown up since, and there's only one towhee, a juvenile,
around. I don't know whether cats or random population fluxes should take
the rap for that.

It's really only the migrants that make it exciting to maintain a yard list
over the years!

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