From: Wm Mulligan <wmmulligan at gmail.com>Date: Sat, Jan 26, 2008 at 2:18 PMSubject: Invasive species controlTo: tweeters at u.washington.edu
Several years ago there was publicity about the plight of the Italian bird catchers becoming unemployed, due largely to their effectiveness in killing off their supply, which was primarily migrating songbirds. They sometimes caught the birds in nets, but more commonly by liming tree branches. About 70,000(!) of them were being placed on the Italian unemployment roles.
This also had an impact on the consumers of these birds, in France and other European countries. It was common a few years ago(perhaps even now) to see the plucked songbirds laid out alongside turkeys, geese and other fowl, in the displays of poultry shops in Paris and other cities.

I suggested a solution to this problem, which was to send the Italian bird snatchers to North America, where they could resume their occupations in reducing the population of invasive birds such as house sparrows and starlings. These birds could then be flash frozen and shipped to European markets where they are considered a delicacy. I assumed that their sale would supply the bird catchers with an adequate income. Everybody wins, except the starlings of course.

Alas, nothing came of my meagre efforts to enlist others in this project.

As a footnote, my wife and I are planning a trip to the Michigan Upper Peninsula this spring to see the Kirtlands warbler(a life bird for us), a bird which would most probably be extinct by now if not for the aggresive control of cowbirds and others.-- Wm MulliganSeattle WA 98136wmmulligan at gmail.com -- Wm Mulligan8423 California Av SWSeattle WA 98136206-932-4340wmmulligan at gmail.com