Thanks Dave, good point. I too subscribe to the "ID your Target FIRST" mantra.
Perhaps the forum owner could put a Pest Bird Identification introduction in the hunting section to help us distinguish between pest birds and song birds. Members could submit a short description of a pest bird,
the legal hunting status of it in their area, a link to where the information was obtained, and how to identify it.
EXAMPLE: (these are the 'BIG 3' in my area)
-- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STARLINGS:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/StarlingIn the United States, the European Starling is one of three birds not protected by law
(the others are the House Sparrow and Rock Pigeon, also introduced species).
It is considered to be a pest in several of the countries to which it has been introduced.
Starlings have created mayhem in North America. Many species are losing nesting sites
to the more aggressive Starlings. Starlings will also sometimes drive off native birds,
including the bluebirds, the Purple Martin, Tree Swallows, and some of the smaller species of woodpecker.
These birds pose enough of a threat to songbirds that it is legal to kill Starlings
at any time in the U.S. and Canada.
ID):
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/European_Starling.html-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HOUSE SPARROWS:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_sparrowIn the United States, the House Sparrow is one of three birds not protected by law
(the others are the European Starling and Rock Pigeon, also introduced species).
House Sparrows sometimes kill adult Bluebirds and other native cavity nesters and
their young and smash their eggs. The House Sparrow is partially responsible
for a decline of Eastern Bluebirds in the United States.
House Sparrows often take over unmonitored nestboxes and Purple Martin houses in the United States.
This invasion has led many nestbox monitors in the United States to trap or shoot the adults
and take their eggs in order to allow native species to reproduce.
ID):
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/House_Sparrow.html-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ROCK PIGEON (AKA Feral pigeon):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feral_pigeonIn the United States, the Rock Pigeon is one of three birds not protected by law
(the others are the European Starling and House Sparrow, also introduced species).
...they are often considered a pest or even vermin, owing to concerns that they spread disease,
damage property, cause pollution with their excrement, and drive out other (native) bird species.
Alternative, pejorative, nicknames for pigeons are sky rats, flying rats, or similar; gutter birds, or flying ashtrays.
They are known, in particular, to be susceptible to salmonellosis, tuberculosis, and ornithosis.
It is wise, therefore, to use precautions when handling them.
ID):
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Rock_Pigeon.htmlPaul
