This ain’t no bird watching scam…this is the changing of the guard.
The creation of the urbs and suburbs has been a boon for the thrush world. Replacing the forests with a shortscape of decorative fruiting shrubs is like replacing the chickadee with this Thrush Family Robin; you change the habitat, you change the animals. The mockingbird has benefited ‘bigly’ from our manscapes. They can often be seen running across them as they try to scare up some insect life for their consumption.Mockingbirds survive largely on berries during winter, so it’s not unusual to see them perching guard over fruit-laden, non-native plants. BTW, if you’re in the burbs and don’t want to hear it singing all night long, shut your lights off. That way everybody, outside and in, can get some shut-eye. Every organism that has sleep as part of its life has its life shortened when it can’t get any.The bluebird lobby has worked hard to fulfill their dreams of “A bluebird box in every yard.” It’s helped that most manscapes are berry-filled, giving adult birds something to eat most any time of year. Another thrush combing the ground for food. Like the others, the catbird has really benefited from forest removal. It finds insects in this 100% non-native ‘lawn’ to feed its nestlings. This same scenario is played out year after year for this migratory bird that thrives and reproduces in these ‘native plant deserts’, aka the average suburban yard. Just another native animal sticking it to the NPNs and their talking points. Thrushes spend a lot of time on the ground. Could you please keep your cat inside? If you want ‘Kitty’ to have something to chase, turn on your UFO-style, flying saucer, robot vac that spy’s on you just like UFOs have always done. It’s amazing how history repeats itself, isn’t it? 🙂
