** Reply to note from Deb Beutler

> Usually, people point to cases where cowbirds were eliminated from
> the nesting area around an endangered species, such as Kirtland's Warbler,
> and the population increases. But again, there are multiple factors working
> here. In the case of the Kirtland's Warbler, the nesting success greatly
> increased after cowbird removal but the population didn't really increase
> very much until they were provided with more nesting habitat.
> While it is obvious that cowbirds have detrimental effects on
> individual host parents, it is difficult to determine whether that is enough
> to affect the population or the species. We don't know (yet). So much more
> work to be done :-)

Thanks, Deb. Yes, I thought there would be much more to it than a simple answer
to a simple question.

- Jack



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