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Posted by Ann Wiley on 07:40:31 12/06/10
In Reply to: Re: Where have all the buntings gone.... posted by Paul-the-other
Geez, not sure how that got out. I have lost no birds to feral cats. That cat would be in a pot with garlic before I would allow that. I have a have a heart trap and a shot gun on the ready at all times! I have, like Paul, seen a HUGE decrease in ALL bird visits due to raptors (Red-shouldered, Cooper's, Broad-winged). I now have four PB that are very skittish, 2 male, 2 green ones. By now I would have 10 and they would be very comfortable here. My small bird feeders are in dense vegetation and the PB can be in cover in less than 1/2 second. I have moved my platform feeders away from the PB area and under trees but with every direction open so they have open escape routes if hawks fly in. It is a strange year, I have reported all this to the PBOT: Painted Bunting Observatory Team, based in NC. They have told me that hawk predation of PB's is very low due to them being small, fast and being mostly in cover. They said the worst predator of PB is feral and outside domestic cats. Even well fed feral cats kill for fun. PBOT said snakes are the worst predator of young PB's.
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