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From: jms@turing.newcastle.ac.uk (J.M. Spencer)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Re: Cats & WIld Birds
Message-ID: <1989Nov30.170914.5099@newcastle.ac.uk>
Date: 30 Nov 89 17:09:14 GMT
References: <855@wrgate.WR.TEK.COM>
Sender: news@newcastle.ac.uk
Organization: Computing Laboratory, U of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK NE17RU
Lines: 16

Following this disccussion of cats are the major reason for wild bird 
deaths in the UK...

I do not see how this can be proven or disproven.  Certainly it could be
shown that cats do kill birds and perhaps in large numbers, I would like
to see how *anyone* can say that cats kill more birds (of any species)
than say starvation in hard winters, or collisions with motor vehicles,
or natural predation from mink/fox/hawks etc.  The reasoning is simply
that to proove the case either way it would be necessary to collect 
and analyse the lives/deaths of *every* bird that lives.

Since the discussion has centred around bird tables, I assume we are 
talking about passerines (sp?) and the like.  Rest assured, the British
population of blackbirds, thrushes etc has never been higher (due in part
to atificial habitat and foodstuffs).  The populatin levels of both birds
and cats is artificially high: predation is natural whether you like it or not


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