>west of the Cascades. However, this underlines the dramatic decline of
>nighthawks, from common 30 years ago to rare today. A well-known
>Oregon birder recently referred, in a posting to OBOL, to his
>first-ever sighting on the "floor" of the Willamette Valley.

(snip)
>Many people have speculated on the reasons for the decline in
>nighthawks throughout that part of the Northwest west of the Cascades.
>There may be no single reason, but the one that makes most sense to me
>is increased predation by crows. Crow numbers around Vancouver have
>increased by a factor of at least 3 since 1970, and crow predation has
>a major effect on several bird species. I don't subscribe to the
>notion that a decrease in flying insects, because of air pollution, is
>a factor; the swallows seem to be doing fine.
>At the same time, there seems to be no decline in nighthawks EAST of
>the Cascades. A recent report of a flock of 200 to 300 nighthawks at
>Kamloops underlines this point.
>Wayne C. Weber
>Kamloops and Delta, BC


In 30 years, the subdivisions/streets/shopping malls built - and *lit up at
night* - decrease of habitat - in combination with the increase of
predators *and* the competition for food seems to me to account for not
only the drop in numbers west of the Cascades - althought there is no lack
of construction/pavement/lighting east of the Cascades either, just more
space *as of now* - and the push into previously unknown or marginally
acceptable territory (Willamette area), tells the slow story of adaption -
or extinction - of yet another species ..... and the fact that "summer"
homes are being built further and further up logging roads and into even the
mountains is cutting still further into the birds nesting/roosting
territory, with the accompanying sources of other food for predators like
crows, who apparently hang out with humans - very well.

Toni Hawryluk
Seattle, WA