Re: [SBB] So... what is this? [Beating a Dead Horse]

[Bill Bousman <[[email protected]]>]

Folks:

House Sparrows are common hanger-ons at Cliff Swallow colonies and 
frequently usurp their nests.  I doubt that it has a large affect as I 
suspect the Cliff Swallows build a new nest and the usurper may keep other 
sparrows away.  There are quite a few other species that will use completed 
Cliff Swallow nests, including House Finches--see the Birds of North 
America account.  Others use abandoned nests as roosts.  I'm not aware of 
any evidence that any of the goldfinches ever occupy such sites or cavities 
of any kind.

Bill

At 08:16 AM 5/5/06, Chuq Von Rospach wrote:
> >> Laurie took this shot at shoreline, at the pumping station. The
> >> swallow she expected to find. Her neighbor?
> >>
> >> http://www.flickr.com/photos/lsefton/138071102/in/photostream/
>
>Just to follow up on this --
>
>Responses leaned towards one of two answers:
>
>Female house finch, with some pollen.
>
>A goldfinch ( possibly a lesser, bob reiling thought a young male
>american).
>
>Most people who responded felt it was a sparrow, and a sparrow
>"borrowing" a swallow's nest is expected behavior, I'm going to lean
>in that direction, although to be honest, comparing it to the
>pictures in Sibley's the beak makes me lean towards the goldfinch. It
>could be either from those shots.
>
>
>--
>Chuq Von Rospach, Architech
>[[email protected]] -- http://chuqui.typepad.com/
>
>Very funny, Scotty. Now beam my clothes down here, will you?
>
>
>
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