"Biologists for the first time have documented a second breeding season 
during the annual cycle of five songbird species that spend summers in 
temperate North America and winters in tropical Central and South 
America.... it turns out that they squeeze in a second breeding season 
during a stopover in western Mexico on their southward migration..."

Read the news article at:

http://esciencenews.com/articles/2009/10/26/first.evidence.a.second.breeding.season.among.migratory.songbirds

"[R]esearchers found individuals from five species... that were breeding 
rather than molting."

One imagines the following scenario: An oriole tells its mate, "Oops, look 
at the calendar! Time for me to wing it south for a few months and freshen 
up the ol' plumage. See you in the usual place next spring, darling." The 
mate responds, "Don't give me that story -- I know you're really planning to 
meet your sweetie in Mexico for some hanky-panky on the way!" We await 
further research on avian pair bonding in these five species.

Janet Millenson
Potomac, MD (Montgomery County)

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"Look at the birds!" -- Pascal the parrot