chris@leadsv.UUCP (Chris Salander) (05/21/88)
With all this discussion of warring bird species, I wanted to contribute an observation and ask a question. Less than two weeks ago I was in Arizona. There I was horrified to see that many of the saguro cactus were occupied by Starlings. Three times I watched Starlings attack and drive off Gila Woodpeckers. I also saw this happen to a Cactus Wren. I even saw a Mourning Dove who had been nesting in a saguro have to fight a Starling to get back in. Most of what I observed was on city or federal property. Are there any government programs to systematically control or eliminate the Starling/House Sparrow/Pidgeon scourge? If not, is there any way we can encourage the start of such a program?
gnome@oliveb.olivetti.com (Gary) (05/24/88)
I am seeing the same thing happenning with a flock of swallows that have built their nests on the buildings I work in. The sparrows are slowly kicking-out all of the swallows in the area. In my case, I doubt that there is much that can be done. Gary