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Bluebirds v. Cowbirds



Thanks again to all who wrote to help me with the issue of the cowbird chick
in the bluebird nest.  For those that disagree with my actions, here are
some points I would like to make:

1.  We knew it was illegal to remove the cowbird chick from the nest before
we did it.  Songbirds are protected, I suppose nationally. Hillsborough,
like many townships, is a bird "sanctuary" which applies to all birds (even
crows, Canada geese and cowbirds).  We decided to risk the legal recourse of
our actions, if there should be any.  (Fantasies of calling expert witnesses
to court to testify on the abhorrent behavior of brood parasites... etc.)
Yes, we broke the law and would do it again if faced with the same
circumstances.

2.  Cowbirds are not native to NC and are not endangered.  According to one
very knowledgeable gentleman on this list, they've only ranged eastward in
the last 100 years or so.  Bluebirds are native to NC and it is only through
human re-intervention (our first intervention reduced their native habitat)
that they have survived as a species.  Perhaps they no longer need our help,
but we're giving it just the same.

3.  Cowbirds have a right to breed.  Just not in my backyard.

4.  The entire episode was very upsetting. Damned if we do, damned if we
don't.  We do respect animal life and do not wish to cause suffering.  For
us, the needs of the 3 bb chicks outweighed the needs of the 1 cb chick.
The cb chick would have killed the bb chicks eventually.  What would you do?
Really?

Sorry to have stirred up so much controversy on the list.

Jenny Richards
Hillsborough, NC
jennyrichards@nc.rr.com