That Cuckoo was not innocent. It was the killer of numerous larval
lepidopterans, including quite possibly pointy posteriored babies of several
salicophageous Sphingids such as our misnamed "Cherry Sphinx" Smerinthus
cerisyi. Sphinx larvae were listed as one recorded food in a web search I
did for Yellow-billed Cuckoo. The Peregrine probably killed the Cuckoo
because of these serial salicophage killings.

Stewart Wechsler
West Seattle
mailto:ecostewart at quidnunc.net

-----Original Message-----
From: TWEETERS-owner at u.washington.edu
[mailto:TWEETERS-owner at u.washington.edu]On Behalf Of Dennis Paulson
Sent: Monday, February 16, 2004 11:27 AM
To: tweeters at u.washington.edu
Subject: Yellow-billed Cuckoo prey of Peregrine


Hello, all.

I've lost the original message asking for information on the poor
innocent cuckoo that was photographed being torn asunder by a cruel
Peregrine Falcon at the Washington Mutual building in Seattle, but I
have the info. The date, according to Steve Mlodinow, was mid June
1997, and the bird is on record with the Washington Bird Records
Committee.
--
Dennis Paulson, Director phone 253-879-3798
Slater Museum of Natural History fax 253-879-3352
University of Puget Sound e-mail dpaulson at ups.edu
1500 N. Warner, #1088
Tacoma, WA 98416-1088
http://www.ups.edu/biology/museum/museum.html

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