Interesting post! It would be great if coyotes would take more feral cats - another incentive for the Cats-indoors Campaign. Melinda Welton Franklin, TN > From: "Reese, Carol" <jreese5@xxxxxxx> > Reply-To: <jreese5@xxxxxxx> > Date: Mon, 28 Mar 2011 20:57:43 +0000 > To: tnbird <tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > Subject: [TN-Bird] coyotes help control Canada geese in suburban settings > > A column of mine from several weeks ago that may be of interest to birders. > The first three lines are headline options for the editor. > Wait! Was that a bit of wilderness trotting down the alley?...or > > Coyote is not only wily, he may be our unwitting ally...or > > Coyote serenade certainly a sweeter sound than city traffic... > > I rather like to hear coyotes. The high keening stirs something in my heart, > but I don't get to listen for long. My dogs are also stirred, but in a > different way. They listen only long enough to take a deep breath and answer > forcefully. > > I imagine their reply means something like this in canine language. "We are > here, we are many, we are mighty. Don't you even think about coming this way. > Hear our strong voices?" > > It's amusing to think of it in these terms and amusement is at a premium when > the howling erupts during the wee hours. I have tried to shout the dogs down > before they hit full chorus, but the usually failed effort frustrates me, > making it more difficult to go back to sleep once howling has subsided. I've > found it more soothing in the long run to listen appreciatively, and try to > focus on picking out the best "singers". Spider's voice is impossibly, > thrillingly high pitched, while Tadpole's is more like the mournful cooing of > a dove. The beagles' baying seems rounded and full while Abe, the big black > lab, adds drawling dark bass notes. > > I just float with it, occasionally throwing in a howl of my own just to let > the dogs know I support them. Feeling like a member of the home team makes > sleep return more easily. > > I learned recently of coyotes in Chicago fitted with radio collars to keep > track of their wanderings. The study began in 2000, and has collared about 250 > coyotes and recorded their whereabouts more than 40,000 times. This covered > only a fraction of this urban coyote population, which has turned out to be > mostly invisible and mostly beneficial. While coyotes are reported to kill > small dogs and cats - and these attacks get lots of press - for the most part > they live off rodents and rabbits. They are also credited with helping to > control two species of animals that have become noted suburban pests, Canada > geese and deer. > > I was tickled reading the article about coyote predation on Canada geese. The > researcher setting up the cameras at the nests apparently had to suffer many > attacks from aggressive geese. Coyotes were less tolerant, and would kill the > defending goose, then take the eggs. Interestingly, they didn't always eat the > eggs then and there, but would carefully carry them for a bit before burying > them in a cache for later consumption. You may enjoy the article, found at > this link: http://chicagowildernessmag.org/issues/fall2005/stakeout.html > > Coyotes did not kill adult deer, but did take fawns, in some areas up to 80% > of them. This makes the coyote an unexpected ally in areas where > overpopulation of deer has become a major problem, resulting in destruction of > both native habitat and suburban landscapes. In some cemeteries, roses left at > grave side are often eaten by deer before the day is out. > > > > "There are some who can live without wild things and some who cannot." > - Aldo Leopold<http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/43828.Aldo_Leopold> > > Carol Reese > Ornamental Horticulture Specialist -Western District > University of Tennessee Extension Service > 605 Airways Blvd. > Jackson TN 38301 > 731 425 4767 email jreese5@xxxxxxx<mailto:jreese5@xxxxxxx> > > > =================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER===================== > > The TN-Bird Net requires you to SIGN YOUR MESSAGE with > first and last name, CITY (TOWN) and state abbreviation. > You are also required to list the COUNTY in which the birds > you report were seen. The actual DATE OF OBSERVATION should > appear in the first paragraph. > _____________________________________________________________ > 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. > ______________________________________________________________ > TN-Bird Net is owned by the Tennessee Ornithological Society > Neither the society(TOS) nor its moderator(s) > endorse the views or opinions expressed > by the members of this discussion group. > > Moderator: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN > wallace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > ------------------------------ > Assistant Moderator Andy Jones > Cleveland, OH > ------------------------------- > Assistant Moderator Dave Worley > Rosedale, VA > -------------------------------- > Assistant Moderator Chris O'Bryan > Clarksville, TN > __________________________________________________________ > > Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society > web site at http://www.tnbirds.org > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * > > ARCHIVES > TN-Bird Net Archives at //www.freelists.org/archives/tn-bird/ > > MAP RESOURCES > Tenn.Counties Map at http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/states/tennessee3.gif > Aerial photos to complement google maps http://local.live.com > > _____________________________________________________________ > > =================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER===================== The TN-Bird Net requires you to SIGN YOUR MESSAGE with first and last name, CITY (TOWN) and state abbreviation. You are also required to list the COUNTY in which the birds you report were seen. The actual DATE OF OBSERVATION should appear in the first paragraph. _____________________________________________________________ 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. ______________________________________________________________ TN-Bird Net is owned by the Tennessee Ornithological Society Neither the society(TOS) nor its moderator(s) endorse the views or opinions expressed by the members of this discussion group. Moderator: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN wallace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ------------------------------ Assistant Moderator Andy Jones Cleveland, OH ------------------------------- Assistant Moderator Dave Worley Rosedale, VA -------------------------------- Assistant Moderator Chris O'Bryan Clarksville, TN __________________________________________________________ Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society web site at http://www.tnbirds.org * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ARCHIVES TN-Bird Net Archives at //www.freelists.org/archives/tn-bird/ MAP RESOURCES Tenn.Counties Map at http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/states/tennessee3.gif Aerial photos to complement google maps http://local.live.com _____________________________________________________________