In a message dated 9/24/1999, 10:55:41 AM, halop at accessone.com writes:
<<focuses on the controversy over whether broad-scale cowbird control is an
effective, or indeed an ethical, remedy for reducing nest parasitism of
declining songbird species. The authors' conclusion is that, based on>>

I can tell you from at least my single point of view that, in a properly
managed and properly documented sitution, Brown Headed Cowbird management
DOES work.

In 1997 I was a volunteer for The Nature Conservancy, working on the
Golden-Cheeked Warbler project, at Ft. Hood, Texas.
This warbler,as well as the Black Capped Vireo are both extremely endangered,
partially due to heavy BHCO parasitism. The Nature Conservancy was called in
by the U.S. Army to work with both the GCWA and BCVI populations on Ft. Hood.
We mistnetted and banded GCWAs ( I was involved only with the GCWA so I
cannot say exactly what happened with the BCVI) and monitored nests for BHCO
parasitism.

We also monitored and controlled BHCO populations by banding males, using
females in a telemetry study and euthanizing the females not earmarked for
telemetry studies or other avian studies in the country that required live
passerines. I personally banded at least 200 cowbirds in just one season, and
this study has been ongoing since 1992. So, there's a great number of banded
male cowbirds out there.

The results from last years studies indicated that stringent cowbird control
resulted in a tremendous increase in both GCWA and BCVI populations,
especially in HY's.I don't have the numbers here, but I want to say that the
successful nest count went from a low of about 13 nests in 1992 to appx 100+
in 1998. All other factors being equal, I can only imagine that it's the fact
that controlling BHCO's made the difference.

If you want to know more about this, Terry Cook, the bosshoss for the Seattle
office of The Nature Conservancy co -authored a book that's just been
published about the Brown Headed Cowbird.

On a personal point of view, it's a shame that the cowbird is such a
detrimental parasite, because they're really kind of neat birds.... they're
intelligent and are tremendous insectivores. I always am torn when I see a
flock of BHCO's in my area...on my organic gardener hand, I welcome them for
the bug eaters they are..on my ornithologists and bird watching and bird
feeding hand, I hate to see them anywhere near "my"more desirable nesting
passerines.

Michelle Blanchard
Littlerock, WA
MBlanchrd at aol.com