Michele

I have lived in the Graham-Eatonville area for 22+ years. While I have not
been a birder for more than half of those years, I must say that I have
witnessed many changes in all animal life, not only bird life, as my rural
area has become more suburbanized. Only in the last six or so years have I
seen starlings on my 9 acres. Unfortunately they have taken over my wood
duck nests. They are only present in the spring to nest and fledge their
young, and then leave. They dive bomb the ducks each spring until they
drive them off of there historical nesting area. As of yet, I have not ever
seen a house sparrow on my property or even in the area. I would trade
house sparrows for starlings any day. My experience would however support
your theory that increasing human habitation increases these species.

I would add however that whenever you travel in rural areas where dairy
farms are present, no matter how remote they are, it seems that large
numbers of starlings (and often time rock doves) are present. This holds
true in my observations traveling all over the west, not only in Washington.
I am sure they have found an easy meal in spilled grain. Birds are very
smart when it comes to being fed.

I must admit I have been a 'lurker' for a few months on Tweeters, and thanks
to Tyler have felt that I should respond to messages that I might be able to
contribute to. Thanks Tyler and Michele for getting me to get into a more
responsive mode.

Louise Fountain
Eatonville
-----Original Message-----
From: Michele Herzberg <foxglove at jps.net>
To: tweeters at u.washington.edu <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
Date: Monday, January 11, 1999 6:55 PM
Subject: The primary cause of declining native species?


>Hi Tweeters,
>
>It's my impression that many invasive bird and plant species do best in
>areas disturbed by human activity. I draw this impression from having
>grown up in a very rural area where invasives and introduced species did
>not appear to be much of a problem (at least at that time). However, a
>journey to a more urban area would present quite a different picture.
>
>House Sparrows and Starlings etc. are highly adaptive and seem to thrive
>where human activity provides easy food and nesting "habitat." So it seems
>to me that human encroachment into wildlife habitat and the resulting
>habitat loss/degradation are among the primary factors that cause declines
>in native species.
>
>I'm interested to learn more. Does anyone have any information and/or
>examples of where introduced Sparrows and Starlings cause problems in our
>remaining WILD areas where human activity is not in close proximity? I
>would presume that most farmland wouldn't be included as a wild area as it
>is often modified from a pre-existing natural state, or at the very least,
>disturbed.
>
>Michele Herzberg
>Kent, WA
>
>