File:Bird life glimpses (1905) (14753005164).jpg

Identifier: birdlifeglimpses00selo (find matches)
Title: Bird life glimpses
Year: 1905 (1900s)
Authors: Selous, Edmund
Subjects: Birds
Publisher: London, G. Allen
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Smithsonian Libraries

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. For say that a woodpeckerbe deprived of its first nest, or tunnel, it will as-suredly excavate another one. Not, however, im-mediately : it is likely, I think, that there would bean interval of some days—perhaps a week, or longer—and, by this time, a vast number of starlings wouldhave laid their eggs. Consequently, the dispossessedwoodpecker would have a far better chance oflaying and hatching out his, this second time, and abetter one still, were he forced to make a thirdattempt. No doubt, a starling wishing to rear asecond brood would be glad to misappropriateanother domicile, but, as the woodpecker would benow established, either with eggs or young, it wouldprobably—I should think, myself, certainly—beunable to do so, but would have to suit itself else-where. The woodpecker should, therefore, havereared its first brood some time before the starlinghad finished with its second, and so would have time ^ The nakedness in this case rather ; but I use the term conven-tionally.
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/. 131. INDIGNANT ! Starling hi possession of Woodpeckers Nestino- Hole CUCKOOS IN POSSE 131 to lay again, if this, which I doubt, is its habit.Thus, after the first retardation in the laying of theone species, consequent upon the action of the other,the two would not be likely again to come intocollision ; nor would the woodpecker be seriouslyinjured by being forced, in this way, to become alater-breeding bird. As long as there are a sufficientnumber of partially-decayed trees for both starlingsand woodpeckers—and any hole or hollow does forthe former—I can see no reason why the lattershould suffer, except, indeed, in his feelings; andeven if a time were to come when this were nolonger the case, why should he not, like the LaPlata species, still further modify his habits, even tothe extent, if necessary, of laying in a rabbit burrow.^Love, I feel confident, would find out a way. But there is another possibility. May not eitherthe woodpecker or the starling be a cuckoo inposse ? I

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