The average life expectancy for most song birds is around 18 months. It has
been estimated that after the breeding season, there are some 20 billion
passerines in North America. With a stable bird population, that means that
billions must die every year, or some 36 million each day on average, about
10 per square mile.

Scott Ray
Yakima, WA
-----Original Message-----
From: TWEETERS-owner at u.washington.edu
[mailto:TWEETERS-owner at u.washington.edu]On Behalf Of LDavey at aol.com
Sent: Friday, September 27, 2002 6:51 PM
To: tweeters at u.washington.edu
Cc: Steven at pinelakenews.com
Subject: Dead bird


Tweeters:

This may well be a silly question, but I was wondering if authorities
watching for the imminent arrival of the West Nile virus would be testing
dead birds. I ask, because today we found a newly deceased bird on our
property. The bird seemed to have no injuries at all, so it didn't seem as
though a predator had killed it. The body was actually in perfect shape, and
since it was just laying at the bottom of a tree, it didn't seem as though
it has crashed into a window. I'm sure there are any number of things that
could have caused his death, but we have "West Nile" on the brain. (My
husband is terribly allergic to the everyday common mesquite, so we are
dreading the arrival of West Nile-infected ones.)

Also, I have no idea what kind of bird this was, it seemed to look like a
Hermit or Wood Thrush. What bird commonly found around here might resemble
those two? I took photos, but haven't had them developed yet.

I appreciate any comments.

Linda Davey
Pine Lake
Sammamish, WA