Actually, the fastest known relex in the animal kingdom is Jim Stasz
reaching for his binoculars when he learns of a possible Slaty-backed Gull
or other Larus extraordinarus.



        Good Birding!


                Taylor McLean
                
                Baltimore County, MD



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Speicher, James (NIH/NIAID)" <>
To: <>
Sent: Friday, February 11, 2005 10:57 AM
Subject: Re: [MDOSPREY] winter blues...and Y-B sapsucker


> > That information is easily found by searching for "the fastest-known
> > reflex in the animal kingdom" on Google:
> > http://www.everglades.national-park.com/bird.htm
> >
> > but that doesn't make it so.  Nor does the repetition of the same
> > information in any text.  When and where and by whom was it measured?
> > Which animal was the runner up?
> >
> > Searching only for "fastest reflex" led me to:
> > http://www.theoceanadventure.com/Kids%20Page/amazing.html
> >
> > where it's reported that the Frogfish ("the world's fastest reflex
> > feeders, @1/400 second," i.e. 2.5 milliseconds) would have time to have
> > breakfast, lunch, and dinner before the Wood Stork had even begun :)
> >
> > As with all things, there is room for healthy skepticism. Recently, it
was
> > revealed that the recommendation to drink 8 glasses of water a day as
part
> > of a healthy lifestyle was based on one mention in an obscure report and
> > had no scientific basis in fact. Thru sheer repetition in the media,
> > however, it took on the mantle of truth over the years.  Be careful out
> > there :)
> >
> > Back to birds:
> > At lunchtime walks thru Parklawn cemetery, I have twice been entertained
> > by a Y-B sapsucker.  I was amazed to watch the bird walk backwards down
> > the trunk of a large tree.  It also emitted a hawk like "keeeer" call
> > which could be heard for quite a distance.  I found a fascinating
> > Smithsonian web article on the life history of the Y-B sapsucker which I
> > can highly recommend:
> >
> >
http://nationalzoo.si.edu/ConservationAndScience/MigratoryBirds/Life_Histo
> > ry/default.cfm?id=56
> >
> > To get to the life history article click on the link:  "Bird of the
month
> > article"
> >
> > Jim Speicher
> > Jspeicher-at-niaid.nih.gov
> > Rockville @work :(
> > Broad Run_S. FRED Co @home :)
> >
> >
> >