[tn-bird] Re: [Fwd: Yards as a wildlife hazard? (other than windows and cats)]

jreese5@xxxxxxx wrote:
 > We should probably avoid this topic, but when anyone starts
 > talking about pets running wildlife, I remind them that we
 > have gotten rid of almost all predators...surely we need a
 > few carnivores out there eating what are naturally meant to
 > be prey animals. I also remind people that dogs ran wildlife
 > for thousands and thousands of years. It is only a recent
 > invention of man that they should be kept up. The real
 > problem for wildlife is too many #@$%*& human beings in the
 > world. I had better stop there...
 > Carol Reese

Last week, I found two dead female English Sparrows next to
my millet bowl. I am certain that it was my neighbor's well-fed
Tabby who performed the backyard decapitations.

There are several factors at play in this situation. The Cat
nextdoor has a natural instinct to stalk small birds. And
House Sparrows like every other creature have to eat. As so
often is the case, the human being is the unpredictable
variable in the situation.

It was my ornithological desire to attract seed-eating birds
to my yard that created an unnatural over-abundance of food
in my yard. The millet bowl drew more birds than usual to my
yard. The noisy squabbling around the millet bowl attracted
the attention of the plump Feline. I don't blame the animals.
It was I who set the birds up to get wacked.

Robert Fowler
Memphis TN

PS: There are too many English Sparrows in the world.
And it is illegal to decapitate human beings in your
backyard.


=================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER=====================

The TN-Bird Net requires you to sign your messages with
first and last name, city (town) and state abbreviation.
-----------------------------------------------------
To post to this mailing list, simply send email to:
tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
----------------------------------------------------- 
To unsubscribe, send email to:
tn-bird-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Topographical Maps located at http://topozone.com/find.asp
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
     Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society
          web site at http://www.tnbirds.org
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
    TN-Bird Net Owner: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN
        jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx      (423) 764-3958
=========================================================

Other related posts: