>>Because bluebirds have quite specific habitat requirements involving
>>open/wooded ratios, insect type/loading and climate which are not
>>typically found in an urban landscape. How's that for being too literal?
>>Jack Bowling

>I don't think a "typical urban landscape" is all that great for
peopleeither.
>Toni

Yes, but my point is we could change that. Maybe it would be impossible
to transform a downtown city core into Western Bluebird habitat, but we could
do a whole lot better with what we do have.

Instead of expanses of gray roof, why not potted shrubs and perennials? or
extensive rooftop gardens complete with waterfall? As I mentioned there is
one building with 30-40'-high evergreens on a fourth-story landing.

Some time ago I read about a Songbird project in Vancouver BC that included
a contest for the best balcony habitat, aimed at getting apartment dwellers to
use whatever small balcony or space they have to create songbird habitat.
Imagine something similar with downtown buildings - get the owners all
competing against each other for the best rooftop gardens, or the most
hummingbird sightings or whatever.

Could be done, and it would make downtown a whole lot nicer for all of us.

BTW: There is a wonderful little garden project going on in the Cascade
neighborhood, about a block from the big REI store (in Seattle). It's
mainly a light-industrial neighborhood - total house sparrow and
starling turf. At the garden, however, I saw an adult and Juvenile
White-Crowned Sparrow. See what a little proper planting can do?

John Chapman
Seattle