Subject: Species on Whidbey question
Date: Apr 15 09:50:34 2003
From: Greg Toffic - Greg.Toffic at Zoo.org


Ken,
This won't help you very much, buit I just took a look at Gruson's "Checklist of the World's Birds", and he lists 146 species of waterfowl worldwide.
Greg Toffic
Seattle

-----Original Message-----
From: Ken Steffenson [mailto:ksteffenson at watoxics.org]
Sent: Tuesday, April 15, 2003 9:30 AM
To: tweeters at u.washington.edu
Subject: Species on Whidbey question


Hello-

I'm editing a story for the next issue of Washington Toxics Coalitions'
newsletter, and I came across a statistic that seems potentially inaccurate.
I didn't know where else to turn but to the experts out there in
Tweeterland.

The article discusses the Lake Hancock Marsh on Whidbey Island, and states
"... with its four ecosystems: saltwater marsh, brackish marsh, freshwater
marsh, and adjacent grasslands ... is prime breeding ground and nursery for
150 species of waterfowl."

I don't doubt the four ecosystems, but the "150 species" seems high.
Maybe 150 species of ALL types of birds? I haven't gotten hold of
the author to find out where this number came from.

Can anyone provide a science-based, accurate number (or at least a
knowledgeable estimate) for this location? I'd appreciate any assistance.
Thanks.

Ken Steffenson
Communications Director
Washington Toxics Coalition
4649 Sunnyside Ave N Suite 540
Seattle, WA 98103

206-632-1545 ext. 17
ksteffenson at watoxics.org
http://www.watoxics.org