Does anyone know why mockingbirds would be vanishing from prime mockingbird habitat in rural areas of Texas? The following worrisome reports were recently posted on the TEXBIRDS listserv (archives at
http://listserv.uh.edu/archives/texbirds.html) -- thread name "Mockingbirds":
>> At 09:10 PM 9/21/2003, Gary and Donna Burrows wrote:
>>> Wondering if someone could give me a clue why I don't have
>>> mockingbirds on
>>> my property in Colorado County.
>>> We have owned it, now, since March 03, and average a once a week
>>> visit. I have yet to see or hear a
>>> mockingbird.
> We have 20 acres of Post Oak Savanna. The property is managed for a
> wildlife exemption. There is one approx.
> 200'x200' human made clearing. It is otherwise undisturbed by
> buildings, etc. Has 2 huge brush piles. A
> water source. Gazillons of bugs, beautyberries, four or five
> different oaks species, hickory, farkelberry,
> yaupon, Virginia creeper. We have the resident chickadees,
> titmouse, blue birds, wrens, cardinals,
> woodpeckers, and more, but no mockingbirds. It just seems a mystery
> to me what we are missing. I do actually
> miss this bird. Will want to do what I can to get him to "move in".
And a reply today reports: --------------------------------
Hi Donna,
It's funny that you posted this because I was wondering the same thing
this past week! We have 220 acres in NE Milam County, also Post Oak
Savannah and prime habitat for mockingbirds. Our MB's prefer the large
yaupon thicket islands (Ilex spp.) that are scattered in the open
pasture. We've owned the property about 31/2 years and this is the
first year I've not seen an abundance of mockingbirds. I observed a
few this Spring but none throughout the Summer.
On the positive side we observed our first covey of 10 Quail (Northern
Bobwhite) this past Saturday. I'm sure this is "no big deal" for a lot
of Texbirders but in our area they have vanished and I was told by more
than one wildlife management "expert" that they were gone for good and
reintroduction would be a waste of time.
Sharon Kersten --------------------------------
Could it be West Nile Virus or spraying for WNV that's causing this disappearance?
Betsy Baker in Dallas