| Subject | Date Asked | Expert |
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| eggs | 11/19/2008 | Roger Lederer |
Q: what is the advantage of having the blastodisc on the top of the egg?
A: It's pretty complicated, but basically the cytoplasm is shoved into one part of the egg because the ...
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| Molting in wild birds | 11/16/2008 | Julia Booth |
Q: Julia~ Thanks for your quick reply to my other question. Why do you suppose only SOME of the birds ...
A: Why only some do it is a mystery to me as well, especially since it is usually necessary for both ...
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| Crests of cardinals | 11/14/2008 | Julia Booth |
Q: We have lots of cardinals in our backyard here in the piedmont area of NC. Some males and females do ...
A: It's possible that the Cardinals are molting, which often makes them appear bald and alters their ...
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| not sure what to do with my bird | 11/9/2008 | Julia Booth |
Q: I found a little bird when i was up visiting my cottage, the bird cannot fly. It's wings do not ...
A: I'm sorry for making you wait. I've been sick. I don't know how Canada operates, as far as local ...
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| not sure what to do with my bird | 11/9/2008 | Julia Booth |
Q: I found a little bird when i was up visiting my cottage, the bird cannot fly. It's wings do not ...
A: It would help if I knew where you lived and what type of bird it was. You can look for wildlife ...
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| Removing wild bird nests | 11/8/2008 | Julia Booth |
Q: my name is Melody and I live in East Texas. We have woods and lots of birds. We have birds that I ...
A: Those are wrens in the gourd. Good Job. Wrens will nest anywhere. The smaller the crevice, the ...
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| Identification | 11/8/2008 | Julia Booth |
Q: The other day I had a flock of birds around 20 feeding on some tiny crab apples in a tree in the ...
A: The closest thing to that description that I can think of is a female/juvenile American Robin. I ...
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| What is this bird? | 11/5/2008 | Julia Booth |
Q: Yesterday, around 2:00pm, I saw a bird sitting in a tree by the creek that runs behind our house. ...
A: Well it sounds like you're describing a Belted Kingfisher. But I think you'd have noticed the huge ...
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| Barn Owl | 11/4/2008 | Julia Booth |
Q: I recently moved to a rural farm setting and had a large open barn structure erected both for ...
A: This is breeding and nesting time for owls. Aside from the feces, it's unlikely to do any ...
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| injured woodpecker on sidewalk in queens | 11/2/2008 | Julia Booth |
Q: i came across an injured woodpecker(fairly small) w/ red head and white belly. appears to have ...
A: Bird's bones are very fragile and easily injured. But they can repair. If he is indeed injured, he ...
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| falcon eating chicks | 11/1/2008 | Julia Booth |
Q: I live in San Diego, CA and have a falcon or small hawk preying on my backyard chickens. The bird ...
A: Sorry to disappoint you on that front. The Cooper's is a year round resident and breeds in ...
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| falcon eating chicks | 10/31/2008 | Julia Booth |
Q: I live in San Diego, CA and have a falcon or small hawk preying on my backyard chickens. The bird ...
A: Sounds like a Cooper's Hawk to me, perhaps a Sharp-Shinned. The two look and act similiarly, but ...
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| Jurassic Park bird sound identification? | 10/30/2008 | Julia Booth |
Q: I was wondering if you could help me ID some birds that are heard in the Jurassic Park movies. ...
A: I cannot play video clips at this time. I have zero knowledge of dinosaurs, outside of the same ...
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| strange bird | 10/28/2008 | Julia Booth |
Q: I live in Woodland Hills Calif.and yesterday,Sunday, it was 5pm and I heard a strange bird sound and ...
A: I wish I could help you. - there are no birds with a "cone" shaped beak that are larger than a ...
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| strange bird | 10/28/2008 | Julia Booth |
Q: I live in Woodland Hills Calif.and yesterday,Sunday, it was 5pm and I heard a strange bird sound and ...
A: I'm going to need more information, because your idea of strange and big may not be the same as ...
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| Bird Identification | 10/27/2008 | Roger Lederer |
Q: I hope that you can tell me about a small bird I found in Brooklyn NY. He was a tiny little thing ...
A: There are around 40 species of warblers in the northeast. The plumage changes from juvenile to adult ...
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| Franklin's Gull | 10/26/2008 | Roger Lederer |
Q: Could you tell me who Franklin was? Thanks Alan PS I am an expert on this site unfder ...
A: Named after Sir John Franklin, FRGS (April 16, 1786 – June 11, 1847)who was a British Royal Navy ...
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| Birds In Houston Texas | 10/22/2008 | Julia Booth |
Q: I just visited Texas for my first time. Sitting out at my daughters house in Missouri City I seen ...
A: Okay, I've given this some thought. I'm going to have to ask for some more information. 1. Are you ...
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| Great Horned Owl | 10/22/2008 | Roger Lederer |
Q: Yesterday I saw a very big great horned owl (I'm pretty sure thats species) swoop across my yard and ...
A: I would love to see actual documentation, not just stories on the web. The GHO cannot lift 3-4 times ...
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| Great Horned Owl | 10/21/2008 | Julia Booth |
Q: Yesterday I saw a very big great horned owl (I'm quite sure thats the species) swoop across my yard ...
A: I'm not going to tell you that you're overreacting only because I can't be sure that you are. Great ...
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| Great Horned Owl | 10/21/2008 | Roger Lederer |
Q: Yesterday I saw a very big great horned owl (I'm pretty sure thats species) swoop across my yard and ...
A: You know, I have heard all kinds of stories about hawks and olws eating small dogs or cats but I ...
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| How do I kill a mockingbird? | 10/21/2008 | Julia Booth |
Q: There is this really annoying bird that starts calling in the middle of the night. Usually starting ...
A: I am not intimately familiar with the birds of Africa. But it sounds like something of Mockingbird ...
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| Purple Martins in SW PA | 10/20/2008 | Julia Booth |
Q: My wife's family currently runs a golf course in South Western PA, up in the Laurel Highlands close ...
A: Sorry for the delay. The chances of attracting ANY wildlife are merely touch and go. You can buy ...
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| Sarus Crane | 10/20/2008 | Roger Lederer |
Q: Hey roger, can you tell me the major effect of humans on the sarus cranes in asia? I meant what are ...
A: There were about 20.000 mature Sarus Cranes left in the wild in 2006 . The Indian population is less ...
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| Crows ... | 10/18/2008 | Roger Lederer |
Q: A family of crows seems to have chosen to live in the pecan trees on our home's small lot. While I ...
A: You don't say how long they have been there or whether this has happened before. It could just be a ...
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| Raven v Crow | 10/18/2008 | Julia Booth |
Q: What is the difference between a raven and a crow? If I saw one in my yard, would there be someway ...
A: American Crow is about 17 inches. Common Raven is about 24. The Raven can make a number of noises, ...
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| birds | 10/15/2008 | Miguel Rodriguez |
Q: Why does it seem like birds roosting on power lines face the same way?
A: I really wouldn't know, but I assume it's one of the following: - The birds land in the same ...
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| Nest ID | 10/15/2008 | Julia Booth |
Q: My son and my wife found a birds nest in a rose bush they were cutting back for fall this weekend ...
A: It's called a "cup nest" because of the shape. Based on the size of the eggs alone, it could only be ...
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| Robins at bird bath in fall before migration | 10/11/2008 | Julia Booth |
Q: Why do robins love the bird baths in fall before migration? Blue jays seem to like baths at this ...
A: It's my understanding that the desire to bathe isn't associated with any time specifically, unless ...
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| Wild bird ID | 10/8/2008 | Julia Booth |
Q: Can you ID this bird for me? I saw it on my backyard feeder. It was robin-sized w/ cone-shaped ...
A: Birds stray from their patterns all the time. That's why we collect so much data about them, monthly ...
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| Wild bird ID | 10/8/2008 | Julia Booth |
Q: Can you ID this bird for me? I saw it on my backyard feeder. It was robin-sized w/ cone-shaped ...
A: The picture is good enough. I always tell people that even a bag picture is better than nothing. ...
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| wild finch | 10/7/2008 | Julia Booth |
Q: saved a wild finch that was trapped inside the shopping center. - after releasing outside- it did ...
A: They are often stunned for a while, after flying into a window or being confused with flashing ...
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| cardinals conspicuously absent from scene | 10/6/2008 | Roger Lederer |
Q: I am puzzled by the total absence of cardinals from areas in the Midwest (western Wisconsin and ...
A: That area of the country is at the edge of their western and northern ranges. They don't migrate, ...
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| hummingbird housing | 10/5/2008 | Roger Lederer |
Q: I have a hummingbird feeder next to my house and would like to try to build or provide a suitable ...
A: Hummingbirds do not nest in birdhouses, so that won't help. But if you have lots of trees and ...
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| great horned owls | 10/4/2008 | Julia Booth |
Q: When do horned owls actually start the mating process. The pair on our place mated yesterday ...
A: Great Horned Owls are the most populous owls in North America and very virsatile in regards to ...
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| ducks eating there eggs | 10/2/2008 | Julia Booth |
Q: I have a 'pet' white duck (one of a breeding pair) who has been sitting on a nest some where in the ...
A: I'm so sorry for the wait. I was very ill and couldn't get online. Regarding your duck. First, ...
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| Sandhill Cranes | 10/1/2008 | Roger Lederer |
Q: Having watched sandhills migrating south through Central Washington state for many years, I'm ...
A: It is well known among ornithologists that all migratory birds initiate their migration based upon ...
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| wild black bird or crow | 9/28/2008 | Roger Lederer |
Q: I found a very large black bird or crow (not sure which) sitting on the ground. It is unable to ...
A: Best thing to do is contact your local wildlife rehab center or wildlife official for advice. The ...
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| hummingbirds | 9/28/2008 | Roger Lederer |
Q: Here in Northern Lower Michigan in the spring I set out two feeders for the Ruby Throated ...
A: There are all sorts of possible explanations for this. Populations fluctuate year to year, depending ...
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| bird nest boxes versus squirrels | 9/25/2008 | Julia Booth |
Q: I'm about to install nest boxes for Kestrel, Violet Green Swallows, Chickadees, Bats, & Flickers. ...
A: http://birdseedery.com/squirrelproof.html These are just a few examples of the products available, ...
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