** Reply to note from tweeters at u.washington.edu Fri, 7 Mar 1997 00:07:55 PST


> Northern Rough-winged Swallows, as opposed to Bank Swallows, don't dig
> their own nesting holes. They use those dug by someone else, Bank
> Swallows, Kingfishers, drainpipes, etc. Along with some other hole
> nesters who do not dig their own holes they tend to be early arrivals,
> probably to try and gain an advantage in finding holes. This would
> require defending the hole against other potential owners,including
> previous ones. They would seem to be at a disadvantage if choosing a
> Kingfisher burrow. Thanks for the observation.

Hmmm, guess I must have been hallucinating when I watched - oh- maybe 3 or 4
different pairs of N. Rough-wingeds excavating their own holes over the past
25 years. Perhaps as a general rule they don't exxcavate, but they will if
they have to.

- Jack

Jack Bowling
Prince George, BC
jcbowling at mindlink.bc.ca