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--14dae934097dbf9d1d04b5dc90b2 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 hi folks, *observation* *part*: This morning, after four attempts and one dead car battery (*who says urban birding is uneventful...*), I observed a male RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER at the suet feeder on 4 Melbourne Ave, Kentville. A striking sight amongst the usual suspects feeding there. It is unknown whether this male is the same observed by Richard Stern on the XBC at Miner's Marsh (these locations are 900-1200 m apart). He (the bird, not Richard) swooped in around 8:45 for only about 60 seconds then flew off west to a nearby Maple, then out of sight. No female was observed. I had a chance to see him next to both a Downy and a female Hairy, which would have made a great picture. Although Hairy and RBWO size ranges overlap significantly, this individual RBWO was noticeably larger than this individual Hairy. (of course there might have been some perceptual bias here too because of differences in colour or markings). * discussion/speculation part (tune out at will):* But might it be expected that successful overwintering and "colonizing" individuals at the Northern edge of their range would be larger than the species average? If Bergmann's Rule applies (general larger animal body size, for some taxa, at higher latitudes/colder temperature because of smaller surface-area-to-volume ratio or fasting endurance etc), but also if greater size entails greater colonizing/dispersal ability (e.g., competitive ability (within and among species) and greater mobility (ability to find resources, suitable habitats, mates))? Have others observed Red-Bellieds here to be larger than Hairy's, or have thoughts/info related to body size of colonizers? cheers, James -- James Churchill Kentville, Nova Scotia jameslchurchill@gmail.com home: (902) 681-2374 --14dae934097dbf9d1d04b5dc90b2 Content-Type: text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable hi folks, <br><br><b>observation</b> <b>part</b>:<br>This morning, after fo= ur attempts and one dead car battery (<i>who says urban birding is uneventf= ul...</i>), I observed a male RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER at the suet feeder on = 4 Melbourne Ave, Kentville. A striking sight amongst the usual suspects fee= ding there. It is unknown whether this male is the same observed by Richard= Stern on the XBC at Miner's Marsh (these locations are 900-1200 m apar= t). <br> <br>He (the bird, not Richard) swooped in around 8:45 for only about 60 sec= onds then flew off west to a nearby Maple, then out of sight. No female was= observed.<br><br>I had a chance to see him next to both a Downy and a fema= le Hairy, which would have made a great picture. Although Hairy and RBWO si= ze ranges overlap significantly, this individual RBWO was noticeably larger= than this individual Hairy. (of course there might have been some perceptu= al bias here too because of differences in colour or markings).<br> <br><b><br>discussion/speculation part (tune out at will):</b><br>But might= it be expected that successful overwintering and "colonizing" in= dividuals at the Northern edge of their range would be larger than the spec= ies average? If Bergmann's Rule applies (general larger animal body siz= e, for some=20 taxa, at higher latitudes/colder temperature because of smaller=20 surface-area-to-volume ratio or fasting endurance etc), but also if greater= size entails greater colonizing/dispersal ability (e.g., competitive abili= ty (within and among species) and greater mobility (ability to find resourc= es, suitable habitats, mates))? <br> <br>Have others observed Red-Bellieds here to be larger than Hairy's, o= r have thoughts/info related to body size of colonizers?<br><br><br>cheers,= <br>James <br><br><br><br><br><br><br>-- <br>James Churchill<br>Kentville,= Nova Scotia<br> jameslchurchill@gmail.com<= br>home: (902) 681-2374<br><br> --14dae934097dbf9d1d04b5dc90b2--
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