Food for Survival
Severe winter weather can mean competition for food. An observer reported at least 200 robins wintering in Rimouski, Quebec. They had been eating mountain ash berries and seemed healthy. Then severe weather arrived and robins suddenly needed more energy. Bohemian Waxwings zoomed in and took all the food right when the robins needed it most. Buckthorn is not as nutritious as other winter fruits. It was sad for the observer to see the result:
"The last 7-10 days, the weather has been very cold. The result is that many of the robins here already died and many of the remaining ones don't seem to be very healthy. Here they are eating sea buckthorn, a fruit of last resort for them where I live."
Gerard Prouix Rimouski, PQ February 12, 2015
|
