Newsgroups: rec.birds
Path: utzoo!rising
From: rising@utzoo.uucp (Jim Rising)
Subject: dead warbler
Message-ID: <1989Sep15.130425.24754@utzoo.uucp>
Organization: U of Toronto Zoology
Date: Fri, 15 Sep 89 13:04:25 GMT

Almost all wild birds are protected (exceptions are house sparrow,
starling, & pigeon), so if you do pick one up (in the US) you should
take it to the nearest federal game protector (if it is a migratory
species).  This is generally a pain in the neck.  I'd recommend that
you note where and when you found the bird, write it on a piece of
paper and pop the bird in a plastic bag and put it in your freezer.
Ultimately, take your salvaged birds to the nearest natural history
museum where they might be able to put them to some scientific use.
Generally there is someone at such a museum with a salvage license.
Also, I think that anyone with a banding license can legally salvage
a dead bird.

I think that the hawk silhouettes really do work.  In the building
where I work there are glassed in stainwells, and in the past many
birds would kill themselves on these during migration.  Not uncommonly
I would find several birds in a single day.  I was frankly skeptical
about the silhouettes, but finally bought some and put them up.  Sub-
sequently (for about the last 10 years!) very few birds have hit the
building.  I've had similar experiences at our cottage, though not 
with so much contrast, perhaps because we put up silhouettes shortly after
purchasing it.  

I think that nocturnal migrants generally fly considerably higher
than a 2-story building, but your Cape May Warbler probably flew
into a window during the daylight (yes, nocturnally migrating
dickey birds do put down during the day).  Apparently, birds 
either can see through a building (if there is glass on both
sides of the building, as was the case with our building) or
see the reflection of a tree (or something) and fly to it--bang.
--Jim Rising
-- 
Name:     Jim Rising
Mail:     Dept. Zoology, Univ. Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada    M5S 1A1
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