Subject: chickadee coexistence
Date: Apr 17 06:29:01 2000
From: Mike Patterson - celata at pacifier.com


There are subtle differences in the structure, behavior and
habitat preferences of chickadees. Most of these are probably
not evident at the community intersection provided by bird
feeders.

Ecologists use the word niche partitioning to describe how
closely related species share a habitat. In the case of
Black-capped and Chestnut-backed Chickadees the feeding tool
is the most obvious element of partioning.

http://columbia-pacific.interrain.org/ahscience/photo_archive/chick_niche001.jpg

--
Mike Patterson Alas, to wear the mantle of Galileo,
Astoria, OR it is not enough to be persecuted
celata at pacifier.com by an unkind establishment,
you must also be right.
---Robert Park
http://www.pacifier.com/~mpatters/bird/bird.html