Document Type

Research

Abstract

For at least 30 years, during summer and fall months, the shade trees in residential areas of Ames, Iowa, have been a nightly rendezvous for thousands of bronzed grackles, Quiscalus quiscula, starlings, Sturnus vulgaris, cowbirds, Molothrus ater, and robins, Turdus migratorius. Each evening the birds have come from the surrounding countryside to roost in the city's trees, and each morning they have left to return to their feeding areas. Relatively few of the birds have remained in Ames during the day. It was the writer's privilege to have studied this phenomenon from August, 1949, to November, 1952. Throughout this time it was observed that the birds resorted to certain trees night after night, and that they did not use others nearby. Because physical dimensions of the roost places were suspected to have a bearing, several features were measured. Tree size and tree grouping are reported in this paper.

Publication Date

1954

Journal Title

Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science

Volume

Issue

First Page

468

Last Page

478

Copyright

Language

File Format

application/pdf

Recommended Citation

Bliese, John C. W. (1954) "Some Physical Measurements of the Bronzed Grackle Roost at Ames, Iowa," Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science, 61(1), 468-478.
Available at: https://scholarworks.uni.edu/pias/vol61/iss1/65

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Some Physical Measurements of the Bronzed Grackle Roost at Ames, Iowa

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