In a message dated 98-12-30, Russell Rogers writes:

<< ...In addtion to the learning that cowbirds will migrate great distances
from
where they breed...... >>

This is a very interesting record and posting. I had kind of sort of just
'assumed' that cowbirds were somewhat sedate in that they didn't undertake
long distance migration such as this (Washington to southern California),
rather just shifting somewhat to more temperate climes within a general
geographic area. That 'assumption' has been rather off the cuff, premature,
and probably betrays an unlearned ignorance, and just dimissing the species
and 'taking it for granted'. In any case, the passerine most often observed
during pelagic research work off the central and southern California coast in
the Fall is the Brown-headed Cowbird. I have always thought that to be a tad
cuious but I had more-or-less just 'assumed' (again) that these were probably
just wandering California birds, most being immatures and/or females. Some
probably are California birds but then perhaps some originated from much
further afield.

Richard Rowlett (Pterodroma at aol.com)
47.56N, 122.13W
(Seattle/Bellevue, WA, USA)