Subject: Fwd: [Tweeters] Evening Grosbeaks ubiquitous near
Date: Jul 21 19:25:19 2010
From: notcalm at comcast.net - notcalm at comcast.net











Below, is information from Cornell American Birds online. Please see last paragraph, which is highlighted in blue- with references regarding this topic.


Evening Grosbeak

Coccothraustes vespertinus
Order
PASSERIFORMES ? Family
FRINGILLIDAE

Issue No. 599
Authors: Gillihan, Scott W., and Bruce Byers














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Also consumes snow, charcoal from campfires ( Orr 1951 ), coal and coke ashes ( Parks 1947 ). Strongly attracted to salt and other minerals; eats salt on roadsides and mineral-rich soil ( Downs 1956 , Shaub 1956 ). Attracted to areas where NaCl or CaCO3 experimentally added to soil ( Bennetts and Hutto 1985 ). Salt sometimes used as a bait to trap Evening Grosbeaks for banding ( Clabaugh 1930 )."







Best regards,

Dan Reiff,

Mercer Island