Jack et al.,
Shawneen and I saw this bird in the company of a few others this morning and we
noticed nothing about this bird's behavior that suggested it was in "distress."
It may well have some injury, but that doesn't mean that humans need to have a
role in its recovery. People are talking about this bird as if it is some
pathetic waif wholly incapable of taking care of itself. It is actively feeding
itself, seemingly flies with ease and aside from a potentially bum leg looks
perfectly healthy. Condition of the plumage is one of the first clues to a
bird's health. If this bird were in bad shape or fragile it would not be as
stunningly beautiful as it is.
In the end, it is one individual bird that is a long way from its normal range.
Given its current location, it may not find a mate and breed this summer. Aside
from hounding the bird to the point where we interrupt its efforts to forage
(no one seems to be doing that), I doubt birders are going to put this bird
into distress. In reality, the relatively constant presence of humans probably
reduces its chances of getting plucked off by a predator. Enjoy it for what it
is and try to avoid thinking that its survival is somehow 'our' responsibility.
If its strategy and wayward migratory route are flawed, it may well end up
being eliminated from the gene pool before reproducing. That's okay, because
that's how the natural world works.
Finally, I think humans are quick to underestimate the resiliency of wild
animals and discount their ability to survive and recover from serious injury.
Remember the Hillsboro Library Rusty Blackbird from last year. At one point
early in the winter it had a massive gaping flesh wound on its underparts.
Those who saw the bird at its worst assumed it wouldn't last long. Lo and
behold, by early spring the wound had healed and new feathers were grown and
the bird showed absolutely no evidence of the bloody abdominal cavity from a
few months earlier. When humans lift a hand to 'help' a creature that we think
is in distress, we often do more harm than good.
Dave Irons
Portland, OR
