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Bent, A. C. 1968. Life Histories of North American Cardinals

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Bent, A. C. 1968. Life Histories of North American Cardinals 123 Bent, A. C. 1968. Life Histories of Linsdale, J.M 1957. Goldfinches North American Cardinals, on the Hastings Natural History Grosbeaks, Buntings, Towhees, Reservation. Amer. MidI. Nat. 57: Finches, Sparrows and Allies. Part 1-119. 1. U.S. Nat. Mus. Bull. 237. Lowery, G.B., Jr. 1955. Louisiana Dover Reprint Edition. 602 pp. Birds. Louisiana State University Brooks, A. 1942. Additions to the Press. 556 pp. distributional list of the birds of British Columbia. Condor 44: 33­ Peterjohn, B. G. 1981. Middle­ 34. western prairie region. Amer. Birds 35: 304-307. Dickinson, J.c., Jr. 1953. Report on the McCabe Collection of Racey, K 1958. Bird notes from British Columbian birds. Bull. HuntIngdon, British Columbia. Mus. Compo Zool. 109: 123-205. Murrelet 33:25. Hall, G.A. 1982. Appalachian Stewart, R.E. 1970. Check-list of region. Amer. Birds 36: 293-295. birds in North Dakota. The Prairie Naturalist 3: 3-12. Hunn, E. S. and P. W Mattocks, Jr. 1984. North Pacific coast Woods, R. S. 1925. Goldfinches' region. Amer. Birds 38: 236-240. manner ofdrinking. Condor 27:71. James, R.D.. 1983. Ontario Bird Wormington, A. and R.D. James. Records Committee report for 1984. Ontario Bird Records 1982. Ont. Birds 1: 7-15. Committee, Checklist of the Birds of Ontario. Ont. Birds 2: 13-23. Notes Eds. Comment One aspect of stimulate our readers to contribute Ontario Birds with which we, as to the Notes section. Toward this Editors, are disappointed is the end we will be designating a Notes section. We would like to "Topic of Note" for each of the see more Notes submitted to three issues of Ontario Birds in Ontario Birds. Notes make an 1985. The Topic of Note will be a important contribution to provincial bird related subject which we hope ornithology, are relatively easy to will help our members focus their write and are usually very attention on a specific topic when interesting-often more so than trying to recall or when searching longer articles. In this issue's their field notes for a particular Guest Editorial, Martin McNicholl, observation. As well, the Topic of the author of dozens of notes, has Note will be a subject such that commented on their value. We members can go out into the field would like to try to further looking for observational material. VOLUME 2 NUMBER 3 124 Because the deadline for note form and send them to us. Be submissions for the April 1985 sure to include date and location of issue of Ontario Birds will be fast observation (or as close as approaching by the time most of possible), what the observation you receive this issue we are was, who saw it and whatever announcing Topics of Note for the other details seem appropriate. next two issues. They are 1) for Notes need not be long, a April: Unusual Nesting Holes, paragraph or two will suffice for Behaviour and/or Damage Caused most and they need not be typed, by Woodpeckers and 2) for though we would prefer them that October: Interactions Between way. Ifyou miss the deadline for Snakes and Birds. Ifyou have any given topic, submit it anyway made interesting or unusual and we will consider it for the next observations on either ofthese issue. Of course, we still welcome topics, please write them up in Notes on all other topics as well. Two Incidents of Small Passerine Entanglement in Spider Webs by W.J. Crins, J.D. Reynolds, M.J. Oldham, M. W.P. Runtz and RD. McRae Interactions between birds and County, Ontario. On 16 May spiders generally culminate with 1982, WJC, MJO and MWPR birds as the clear victors, with observed this warbler sitting in a spiders included as a small but small spicebush (Lindera ben­ regular percentage of the many zoin), when it suddenly dropped invertebrates that comprise the from its perch into a web and diets of many species of birds (e.g., became suspended by one wing. It flycatchers, Bent 1942; warblers, hung motionless for at least 15 Bent 1953; sparrows, Judd 1901, seconds before struggling and Bent 1968). However, we have breaking free as the three made two observations which observers approached it. It flew to suggest that the tables are a nearby bush where it preened its occasionally turned. wing for about one minute before The first incident involved an flying off without any noticeable ill adult male Golden-winged Warb­ effects. 1er (Vermivora chrysoptera) along The second case involved an the Woodland Nature Trail in after-hatch-year male Golden­ Point Pelee National Park, Essex crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa). ONTARIO BIRDS DECEMBER 1984 125 On 10 October 1983, lDR and Theraphosids are cursorial preda­ ROM noticed the kinglet struggling tors which pounce directly upon on the ground at the base of a large their prey, rather than netting them Norway spruce (Picea abies) at in webs (Cloudsley-Thompson the edge of a thicket between the 1968). In addition to theraphosids, Visitor's Centre and the lighthouse web-producing spiders have also in Presqu'ile Provincial Park, been known to prey upon Northumberland County, Ontario. hummingbirds (Skutch 1973). All ofthe primaries and a few In Illinois, Coale (1912) secondaries of its left wing were reported a case of a Yellow tangled and matted in sticky web warbler (Dendroica petechia) material. A few tail feathers were being captured in the web of a also entangled, pulling the tail garden spider (Argiope sp., toward the left wing, and the left Araneidae). The spider was foot was pulled forward and successful in binding the bird with immobilized against the primaries silken strands, and it appears the by web material. The web also spider would have eaten it had it contained spruce needles, insects, not been for human intervention. and other detritus. The kinglet was Terres (1980) states that photographed and the web was hummingbirds, bushtits, kinglets, removed from it, whereupon the sparrows, goldfinches, and other bird flew away fairly strongly. small birds have been accidentally Other kinglets were seen caught in webs. hovering and flitting about near the It is difficult to assess the base ofthe spruce, where several overall importance of spiders as large webs were suspended. This is hazards to birds in temperate consistent with a report by North America. The silk draglines Hespenheide (1962) ofopportun­ of some spiders, such as Araneus istic foraging by a Ruby-crowned diadematus (a common orb­ Kinglet (Regulus calendula). weaver) can support almost as Hespenheide observed a kinglet much weight as high-tenacity flitting along the base of a wall, nylon fibres ofthe same mass, and jabbing its bill into recesses in the are twice as extensible (Witt et al. stonework, and perching on the 1968). Webs may therefore rough surface as it explored constitute reasonably efficient depressions. Some ofthese mist-nets to small birds under recesses contained spider webs in some circumstances, particularly which there were the remains of during the kind ofopportunistic insects. The kinglet also had bits of foraging noted for kinglets. web on its feet and face. However, most webs would be Most reports of spiders killing destroyed when birds collided with birds come from the tropics. Large them, so actual predation by spiders, mainly in the family spiders is likely very rare. Theraphosidae, which includes the Since reports ofthis phencr North American "tarantulas", menon are scarce, particularly in have been known to take temperate regions, we encourage hummingbirds (Savory 1928). anyone with related observation to VOLUME 2 NUMBER 3 126 submit them to the editors of mites. Pergamon Press Ltd., Ontario Birds. Oxford. Coale, H.K 1912. Dendroica Acknowledgement: aestiva captured by a spider. Auk We thank Dan Brunton of 29: 105. Ottawa for bringing certain references to our attention. Hespenheide, H.A. 1962. Adap­ tive feeding in a Ruby-crowned Literature Cited: Kinglet. Wilson Bull. 74: 93-94. Bent, A. C. 194~. Life Histories of Judd, S.D. 1901. The relation of North American Flycatchers, sparrows to agriculture. U. S. Larks, Swallows, and their Allies. Dept. Agric. BioI. Survey Bull. 15. U.S. Nat. Mus. Bull. 179. Washington, D.C. Savory, T.H. 1928. The biology of spiders. Sidgwick & Jackson Ltd., Bent, A. C. 1968. Life Histories of London. North American Cardinals, Grosbeaks, Buntings, Towhees, Skutch, A.F. 1973. The life ofthe Finches, Sparrows, and Allies. hummingbird. Crown Publishers Inc., New York. U.S. Nat'l Mus. Bull. 237. Washington, D.C. Terres, J.K 1980. The Audubon Society Encyclopedia of North Bent, A. C. 1953. Life Histories of American Birds. Alfred A. Knopf, North American Wood Warblers. New York. Parts I and II. U. S. Nat. Bull. 203. Washington, D.C. Witt, P.N., c.P. Reed, and D.B. Cloudsley-Thompson, J.L. 1968. Peakall. 1968. A spider's web: Spiders, scorpions, centipedes and Problems in regulatory biology. Springer-Verlag Inc., New York. W.J. Crins, Department of Biology, Erindale Campus, University of Toronto, Mississauga, Ontario L5 L 1C6 J.D. Reynolds, Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario K7L 3N6 M.J. Oldham, Essex Region Conservation Authority, 360 Fairview Ave., Essex, Ontario N8M 1Y6 M.W~P. Runtz, 191 John St. N., Arnprior, Ontario K7S 2Pl RD. McRae, 623 Homewood Ave., feterborough, Ontario K9J 4V4 Unusual Feeding Behav~our of Ruby-crowned Kinglet On the afternoon of 14 October ham R M., we observed a small 1984, while sailing on Lake bird fluttering apparently help­ Ontario about 2.5 km south of lessly close to the surface of the Bonnibrae Point, Oshawa, Dur- water. It was an overcast, humid ONTARIO BIRDS DECEMBER 1984 127 day with little wind and we were observed on the lake that day, but able to approach the bird at a slow on more than one occasion speed.
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