From south-bay-birds-bounces+south-bay-birds-archive=[[email protected]] Fri Apr 23 10:41:50 2004 Received: from www.plaidworks.com (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by plaidworks.com (8.12.9/8.12.9) with ESMTP id i3NHdMH2029788 for <[[email protected]]>; Fri, 23 Apr 2004 10:39:23 -0700 (PDT) Received: from rwcrmhc13.comcast.net (rwcrmhc13.comcast.net [204.127.198.39]) by plaidworks.com (8.12.9/8.12.9) with ESMTP id i3NHbxAg029747 for <[[email protected]]>; Fri, 23 Apr 2004 10:37:59 -0700 (PDT) Received: from 204.127.197.112 ([204.127.197.112]) by comcast.net (rwcrmhc13) with SMTP id <2004042317375901500pu87de>; Fri, 23 Apr 2004 17:37:59 +0000 Received: from [24.6.89.52] by 204.127.197.112; Fri, 23 Apr 2004 17:37:58 +0000 From: [[email protected]] To: [[email protected]] (South-Bay-Birds) Date: Fri, 23 Apr 2004 17:37:58 +0000 Message-Id: <[[email protected]]> X-Mailer: AT&T Message Center Version 1 (Apr 12 2004) X-Authenticated-Sender: anJsaXR0bGU2QGNvbWNhc3QubmV0 Subject: [SBB] Scrub-Jay Feeding X-BeenThere: [[email protected]] X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5b1 Precedence: list List-Id: South Bay Birding List-Unsubscribe: , List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Sender: south-bay-birds-bounces+south-bay-birds-archive=[[email protected]] Errors-To: south-bay-birds-bounces+south-bay-birds-archive=[[email protected]] Hi SBBers, Another aspect of backyard birding and bird-feeding came into evidence this morning. We've seen both Cooper's and Sharp-shinned Hawks use our seed-feeders as sources of "food" in the form of feeding Mourning Dove and House Finch. This morning a Western Scrub-Jay left the peanuts and sunflower seeds on the platform feeder to attack, kill and fly away with an American Goldfinch. The Goldfinch was eating at the thistle feeder. The Jay flew to the feeder and knocked the Goldfinch to the lawn. At that point the Jay repeatedly "stabbed" the goldfinch with it's bill. The Goldfinch was immediately incapacitated. The Jay waited a few seconds, then took the Goldfinch in it's bill and flew off over the fence. A year ago, I saw a Steller's Jay kill and immediately consume a small flycatcher fledgling (Pacific Slope or Western Wood-Pewee, I don't remember) in Alum Rock Park. The young bird just flew from the nest, followed closely by the parent. The Steller's Jay knocked the young bird to the ground and with a quick jab from it's bill, killed and began to eat, much to the concern of the adult. Just reporting what happens. I have a question to those in the group. Since both observations of this behavior was in the spring, is that coincidence or do Jays eat meat more in the spring or possible use meat to feed young. (Kind of in the same vein as Hummingbirds taking small flying insects to feed their young in spring.) Or do they do it just to add variety to their diets? Any ideas? -- Randy Little, Milpitas, CA [[email protected]] "I bird because the voices in my head tell me to." Question: If you don't pay your exorcist, do you get repossessed? _______________________________________________ Do not post admin requests to the list. They will be ignored. south-bay-birds mailing list ([[email protected]]) Help/Unsubscribe/Update your Subscription: http://www.plaidworks.com/mailman/options/south-bay-birds/south-bay-birds-archive%40plaidworks.com This email sent to [[email protected]]