While their main diet is almost certainly insects, I don't think it
automatically follows that the bug numbers are dramatically lower.
Whenever I've put up suet feeders over many years, Townsends always
show up quickly & keep coming until I stop. I think they are probably
just being opportunistic in taking advantage of an energy-rich food
source, and since they winter-flock with the chickadees & kinglets
they wind up quickly finding any feeders that appear in the
neighborhood.

Mark






>So the question I have is "What do Townsend's usually eat? I'm
>assuming insects. So, if that is true, is it reasonable to assume
>that most of the insects that they eat were killed by the cold
>weather?
>
>Christine Southwick
>N Seattle/Shoreline
>clsouthwick at comcast.net
>
>On Wed, 7 Feb 2007, Scott Atkinson wrote:
>
>>Tweeters:
>>
>>This has to be an all-time banner winter for Townsend's coming to
>>suet feeders given the reports in lately. I'll add one more from
>>my younger sister, who says she has had "four to six" (!)
>>Townsend's coming to the family suet feeder at their residence in
>>the Silver Lake area (s.e. Everett nearing Snohomish).
>>
>>Scott Atkinson
>>Lake Stevens
>>mail to: scottratkinson at hotmail.com
>>
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--
Mark Egger
Seattle, WA
USA
mailto:m.egger at comcast.net