Date: Mon, 4 Feb 2002 13:03:45 -0500 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Jim Felley Subject: Kestrels and Shrikes MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit A propos the discussion of nest boxes for kestrels: a guess of mine, based on anecdotal evidence alone, is that kestrels and shrikes interact negatively in a population ecology sense (such that increasing populations of kestrels are associated with declining populations of loggerhead shrikes). Two pieces of evidence that I have noted are (1) Loggerhead Shrikes are quite common in the southeastern states, where breeding American Kestrels are rare and (2) while in southwestern Louisiana, I noticed that wintering kestrels usurped the favored hunting perches of local Loggerhead Shrikes. The shrikes were still in the area, since they could be found on these perches when the kestrels were away. Do I now see a correlation between the timing of the kestrel nest box program and the last breeding of the Frederick Co. shrikes? A mini-tempest has arisen on BIRDCHAT about anecdotal evidence and data of scientific value. I offer the kestrel-shrike interaction as an observation only, but has anyone else noticed such an association or seen research on the species' interactions? Jim Jim Felley Smithsonian Institution irmss668@sivm.si.edu ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================