From: drintoul@matt.ksu.ksu.edu (David A Rintoul)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Burning Birding Questions 10/92
Date: 15 Sep 1992 22:37:56 -0500
Organization: Kansas State University
NNTP-Posting-Host: matt.ksu.ksu.edu

The following is a regular monthly feature of the _Prairie
Falcon_, the newsletter of the Northern Flint Hills Audubon
Society in Manhattan KS.  This version will appear in the
October 1992 newsletter. Hope you enjoy it.
-----------------------------------------------------------

Birding questions asked anonymously will be answered by the
anonymous answer person.  Send your burning questions c/o the Prairie
Falcon editor, Dave Rintoul, Ackert Hall, Biology Division, KSU,
Manhattan KS 66506, call him at 537-0781 (home), 532-5832 (work), or
send them by electronic mail to drintoul@matt.ksu.ksu.edu, since the
usual contact person, Ruth Welti, is on sabbatical this year.  All
questions are appreciated (even though you might not appreciate the
answers), so keep those cards and letters coming in!  

1.  Is it true that hummingbirds really migrate on the backs of geese
or swans?
	No, but I think I can suggest to you how such a folktale could
develop.  One June day as I was walking across the prairie I flushed a
great horned owl.  The bird was immediately hassled by an eastern
kingbird.  The kingbird actually landed on the shoulder of the owl,
continuing to peck the owl as the owl glided down with outstretched
wings.  Of course what hummingbirds actually do is even more amazing
than what you indicated in your question.  They migrate even longer
distances than geese and swans, usually crossing the Gulf of Mexico to
winter in Central America!  In preparation for that flight they gain
weight, becoming literally obese, putting on so much fat that it
equals at least a quarter of their body weight.  

2.  What is the purpose of tail-wagging such as seen in kestrels,
phoebes, etc...?  This seems like a waste of energy; is there any good
reason for this behavior?
   Another Augustinian in our midst!  Now tail-wagging in kestrels and
phoebes appears to be superfluous.  The purpose is unknown, but
evolutionary theory predicts that yes, there is a good reason for this
behavior.  Your opinion that it "seems like a waste of energy" only
emphasizes a homocentric arrogance for the intrinsic value of the rest
of creation.  There is so much we don't know.  We should not truncate
the discovery process by assigning value (ultimate cause) or, on the
other hand, no value to adaptations about which we really know nothing
(unless, of course, it's in the form of a hypothesis which we then can
empirically test).  I'm reminded of a scene near the end of the poem
about Job when Job's proverbial patience begins to wear thin and God
tells him to quit his petty bellyaching, confronting him with the
question as to where he (Job) was when He (God) laid the foundations
of the universe.  It is good to remain humble in the face of cosmic
realities like the wagging of phoebe tails.


-- 
Dave Rintoul            Internet: drintoul@matt.ksu.ksu.edu
Biology Division - KSU     Latitude 39.18, Longitude -96.34
Manhattan KS 66506-4901                         TCN: id2418
(913)-532-5832 or 6663                  FAX: (913)-532-6653
Newsgroups: rec.birds