Is in-breeding that much of a problem with birds? A biologist working on
peregrine falcon restoration once told me that bird genetics works in such a
way that in-breeding is not as much as a problem as it is with mammals.
That is how peregrine falcons and other endangered avian species whose
populations have dwindled down to a handful could be restored without
adverse effects.

Robert Riedl
tulse at uswest.net
Bellevue, WA


----- Original Message -----
From: Kelly Cassidy <lostriver at seanet.com>
To: Tweeters <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
Sent: Sunday, April 09, 2000 10:21 AM
Subject: Re: Quail Query


> There's a population in Magnuson Park. Most of them hang around the
shrubs
> near the entrance to NOAA (the north end of the park along the lakeshore).
>
> I'd be surprised if this population will last too many more years. They
> must be highly inbred, since they are totally cut off from any outside
> population. One bad winter or disease outbreak and they'll be gone.
>
> Kelly Cassidy
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: David Chelimer <chelimer at earthlink.net>
> To: Tweeters <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
> Date: Sunday, April 09, 2000 9:56 AM
> Subject: Quail Query
>
>
> >A great time to ask what I've been meaning to: It used to be that I could
> >show California Quail to out-of-town visitors by trips to the Washington
> >Park Arboretum or Seward Park. But that was long ago. Now I can't even be
> >sure that I'll find them at the Montlake Fill.
> >
> >Can anyone help me with a location or two, as close to downtown Seattle
as
> >possible, or if not all that close, what other "good" birds might be
there
> >to wow my friends from back East? I'm getting tired of driving to the
Wenas
> >area via I-90 and back on 2 past Stevens Pass only to hear the snoring of
> my
> >poorly time-adjusted friends while I drive.
> >
> >Thanks in advance.
> >
> >Cheers,
> >
> >David Chelimer
> >Seattle
> >chelimer at earthlink.net
> >
>
>