Birds and Berries

Little is known about the interactions between our urban bird life and the numerous fruit-bearing shrubs and trees that brighten up our greenbelts. This talk by Peter Zika examines what species of birds consume the fruits and are necessary to spread the seeds of some of our native species like madrone and bitter cherry. Showy fruits serve to attract a surprising diversity of avians. Yet some of the same birds also gobble down the berries of our worst pests, like ivy and blackberry. Meet some of our feathered friends as they reveal their broad dietary interests. Learn a little about urban seed predators, and puzzle over the mysteries of seed dispersal for snowberry and stinking iris.
Peter is a field biologist from Seattle, investigating and describing new species of plants from western North America. Working at the herbarium of the University of Washington, he is contributing new treatments to the published floras of California, Oregon, and the Pacific Northwest. He teaches wetland plant identification, and conducts biological inventories of National Parks, National Wildlife Refuges, and Nature Conservancy preserves. An active birder, he has long studied the diet of fruit‑eating birds. His interests have led him to the tropics and into polar regions over the last 30 years. Peter has published numerous scientific notes, articles and books; as well as occasional photographs, cards and reviews in the popular press.
Thursday March 2, 2023, 7:00 P.M, Mountaineers Program Center, Cascade Auditorium, 7700 Sand Point Way N.E., Seattle

The plant identification workshop prior to the talk is back! While the workshop is oriented primarily toward beginners, anyone who wants to work on improving keying skills or their familiarity with the northwest flora is welcome. Doors open at 6:00 PM for the workshop and the talk starts at 7:00 PM.

David Hutchinson of Flora and Fauna Books will be bringing a selection of nature books of interest to our members for sale.
Public invited, admission is free. Donations are appreciated! Masks are encouraged.

Program will be in-person and live via Zoom. It will not be recorded for later viewing.

Related to Covid, please check back closer to the date in case we need to move back to a Zoom only presentation. Please check our event web page for updates and details on how to sign up for the Zoom link: https://www.wnps.org/cps-events/calendar/1809
Photo Credit: Richard Droker