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Re: bird families




Research on red-cockaded woodpeckers shows that the helpers do not breed.
Helpers help for two main reasons:  they help in exchange for being allowed
to remain on a good territory (which they hope to inherit) and the helper
is increasing the survivorship of related nestlings therefore promoting
their own genes.

Susan Ladd Miller
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
P.O. Box 119
Southern Pines, NC  28388
(910) 695-3323
susan_miller@fws.gov


                                                                                                                                              
                      "Gary Phillips"                                                                                                         
                      <walela@sccoast.net>            To:      "carolinabirds" <carolinabirds@duke.edu>                                       
                      Sent by:                        cc:                                                                                     
                      carolinabirds-owner@acp         Subject: Re: bird families                                                              
                      ub.duke.edu                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                              
                      06/21/02 10:14 PM                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                              




FWIW, Brown-headed Nuthatch, Chimney Swift and Red-cockaded Woodpecker (to
name a few of our fine Southern birds) have been documented as
"cooperative"
breeders. Normally it's a male bird from the previous year's brood that
assists its parents in raising this year's offspring.

While researching BHNU (B-r-o-w-n-h-e-a-d-e-d N-u-t-h-a-t-c-h for those of
you that are alpha-code challenged, or can't follow the thread of a
msg...oops, m-e-s-s-a-g-e) a few years back ('cuz I think they're way-cool
birds and I got a grade for it)  Dr. Kim Smith was of the opinion that some
DNA (D-e-o-x-y-r-i-b-o-N-u-c-l-e-i-c A-c-i-d) work would be interesting,
and
might show that jr.'s (j-u-n-i-o-r's) not so altruistic. Some bluebird work
showed multiple paternity in a number of nests, if I recall the
communications correctly.

I hope I never reach the stage where I'm unwilling (or unable) to learn
something new.

"And that's all I have to say about that." (Forrest Gump)

Cheers y'all,
;-)
gary

Gary Phillips
Conway, SC
Sunset Zone 31
walela@sccoast.net
"...where is the person, I ask, who, on observing this glittering fragment
of the rainbow, would not pause, admire, and turn his mind with
reverence..." (J. J. Audubon)

-----Original Message-----
From: Armstrong, Craig <CraigArmstrong@PerformanceInc.com>
To: Bird (E-mail) <carolinabirds@duke.edu>
Date: Friday, June 21, 2002 12:55 PM
Subject: RE: bird families


>>Young [American] crows may live with their parents for up to four years,
>>helping with territorial defense, nest-building, and feeding of later
>>broods. It is also not unusual for the first brood raised by a pair of
>>bluebirds to help with feeding the second brood. In one amazing
>observation,
>>a male bluebird that was nesting a mile from his parents brought his own
>>offspring to assist in rearing one of his parents' later broods.
>>Wow! Really cool. I would love to hear from others on this topic.
>
>Hi Leah,
>
>Good info about the Crows & Bluebirds, thanks for sharing.  Have you
checked
>out the Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior?  Great book, a lot of info
>similar to the type you're looking for.  One that comes to mind is the
>Brown-Headed Nuthatch, the one year old males help the parents build new
>nests and get ready for more young.  I'll have to re-read that to be sure,
>but that's what I think it says.
>
>Very interesting topic though, I'd love to learn more about it also.
>
>Take care, Craig Armstrong / Chapel Hill
>