Stuart,

I suspect it has a lot to do with urban landscaping, especially winter
blooming plants, and perhaps also the insects they support.

Gene.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Stuart MacKay" <stuart at blarg.net>
To: <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
Sent: Thursday, January 08, 2004 3:07 PM
Subject: Re: Feeding Birds:who gains? who loses?


> On Thursday, January 8, 2004, at 02:57 PM, Eugene Hunn wrote:
>
> > With regard to the potential for Anna's - Rufous Hummingbird
> > competition, I
> > suspect not, as Anna's in Washington are almost never seen outside of
> > urban/suburban environments (with the lone exception of Lyle), at
> > least in
> > my experience.
>
> There are several Anna's wintering around the immediate vicinity of my
> house - near Ravenna Park, just north of U. Village Mall. I don't think
> there are many hummingbird feeders, if any. All the hummingbirds I see
> in the area spend a lot of time catching insects.
>
> A significant factor in hummingbird survival in the area could be due
> to micro-climates and the heat-island effect caused by all the building
> and traffic.
>
> Stuart
> --
> Stuart MacKay, Seattle, WA, USA
>