Subject: Sky Lark population
Date: Feb 6 11:25:32 2003
From: Paul Webster - paul.webster at attbi.com


The Sky Lark (Alauda arvensis) breeding population on San Juan Island
has been extirpated by feral cats and foxes (both introduced), according
to the article on BirdWeb. Anecdotal evidence I've heard is that it's
been pretty useless to look for one there for the last several years.
Occasional stray visitors from Vancouver Island (around 16 km away) are
possible, but the 1965 population of over 1,000 birds in Canada (most on
the Saanich Peninsula) had declined "by the mid-1990s" to about 100
birds. (Birds of North America series #286). I've been told this
population is relatively stable, though perhaps Canadian birders or
wildlife professionals have better information on that. But it seems
that the Sky Lark on San Juan Island is history.

Paul Webster
Seattle
paul.webster at attbi.com