Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!cs.utexas.edu!usc!apple!olivea!oliven!mjm
From: mjm@oliven.olivetti.com (Michael Mammoser)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Re: Winged rats and other introduced bird pests
Message-ID: <49402@olivea.atc.olivetti.com>
Date: 13 Sep 90 23:50:37 GMT
References: <133704@kean.ucs.mun.ca>
Sender: news@olivea.atc.olivetti.com
Lines: 22


In article <133704@kean.ucs.mun.ca>, dgraham@kean.ucs.mun.ca (David Graham) writes:
 > 
 > All this has moved me to think about the three great introduced bird 
 > species in North America; all successful, none now considered 
 > especially handsome, two normally considered active pests (Rock Dove
 > and Starling, of course). What do you suppose prompts the kind of
 > change in attitude towards birds that would make people bring in the
 > three big European imports which now infest our cities? I mean, if I
 > were emigrating from Europe, I wouldn't choose House Sparrows or the
 > other two to bring with me (gimme Merops apiaster any day :-)). Were
 > these birds chosen simply because they were commensals of man in
 > Europe? because they were easily carried from one continent to
 > another? Anybody know? 

	I believe that the House Sparrow was introduced as a predator
control of the Linden Moth. The Starling was introduced by a society
(I forget the name) that was interested in introducing into the U.S.
every bird species that was mentioned in the works of Shakespeare.
I don't know about the Rock Dove, off the top of my head.

Mike