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<div>
<span style=3D"font-size: 12pt;">One thing not mentioned in the discussi=
on Lance was the use of</span>
</div>=20
<div>
<span style=3D"font-size: 12pt;">road salt. It very effectively wiped ou=
t the Hungarian Partridge on PEI.<br/></span>
</div>=20
<div>
<span style=3D"font-size: 12pt;">They went from plentiful to rare in a f=
ew years after salt came into use.<br/></span>
</div>=20
<div>
<span style=3D"font-size: 12pt;">They would get gravel for grit along th=
e road and pick up salt.<br/></span>
</div>=20
<div>
<span style=3D"font-size: 12pt;">The same may have happened to House Spa=
rrows also - come to think of<br/></span>
</div>=20
<div>
<span style=3D"font-size: 12pt;">it rats - the Norway kind - have had an=
unlamented decline also.</span>
</div>=20
<div>
<span style=3D"font-size: 12pt;">All 3 species are of the invasive kind.=
The history of most invasive species is</span>
</div>=20
<div>
<span style=3D"font-size: 12pt;">that they thrive for </span>
<span style=3D"font-size: 12pt;">a time and then  die down.<br/></s=
pan>
</div>=20
<div>
<span style=3D"font-size: 12pt;">Enjoy the November rain<br/></span>
</div>=20
<div>
<span style=3D"font-size: 12pt;">Paul <br/></span>
</div>=20
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<!-- <![endif] --> On November 20, 2015 at 11:26 AM "Laviolette, Lan=
ce" <lance.laviolette@lmco.com> wrote:
<br/>
<br/>=20
<div class=3D"WordSection1">=20
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"color: #1f497d; font-family: '=
;Calibri',sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Hi Peter,</span></p>=20
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"color: #1f497d; font-family: '=
;Calibri',sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p>=20
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"color: #1f497d; font-family: '=
;Calibri',sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">There are undoubtedly a number =
of factors contributing to the decline of House Sparrows. However one facto=
r which has been pointed out by studies in the UK is a reduction in the abu=
ndance of insects for nestlings. Whatever the cause in the decline in insec=
t numbers (pesticides, predators, climate change, etc.), the hypothesis goe=
s that less insects mean less protein for the young which results in less h=
ealthy young fledging from the nest. These less fit birds don=E2=80=99t sur=
vive very well in harsher, winter conditions. </span></p>=20
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"color: #1f497d; font-family: '=
;Calibri',sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p>=20
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"color: #1f497d; font-family: '=
;Calibri',sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">The reason European Starlings a=
re not declining may be attributed to their diet also. From the Birds of No=
rth America accounts:</span></p>=20
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"color: #1f497d; font-family: '=
;Calibri',sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p>=20
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"color: #1f497d; font-family: '=
;Calibri',sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">House Sparrow - Insects and oth=
er arthropods during breeding season.</span></p>=20
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"color: #1f497d; font-family: '=
;Calibri',sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">European Starling - Extremely d=
iverse diet that varies geographically, with the age of individuals, and wi=
th season. Unusual abundances of food items=E2=80=A6 garbage, livestock fee=
d, etc. are also exploited.</span></p>=20
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"color: #1f497d; font-family: '=
;Calibri',sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p>=20
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"color: #1f497d; font-family: '=
;Calibri',sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">The diverse diet of starlings g=
ives them a big edge when trying to survive and fledge healthy young in are=
as where no one food type is sufficient by itself.</span></p>=20
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"color: #1f497d; font-family: '=
;Calibri',sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p>=20
<p class=3D"MsoNormal"><span style=3D"color: #1f497d; font-family: '=
;Calibri',sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">As Paul mentioned, House Sparro=
ws used to be seen closely associated with cows and horses and they still a=
re. However most of the large animal operations have now been replaced with=
intensive agricultural crop raising farms. I=E2=80=99d call the resulting =
corn and soya fields deserts compared to the diversity rich pastures and =
=E2=80=98wild=E2=80=99 hay fields that used to be common even 20 years ago =
except deserts are much richer in diversity. House Sparrows have gone from =
being abundant and wide-spread to being locally common over that time. In m=
y area in summer they are now focused almost exclusively ar