Tales from the Huffmans

     During the severe winter weather¹ in Iowa we usually put out food for the birds, squirrels², etc.  It provides a source of nutrients³ for backyard animals which otherwise might not survive⁴ the cold and icy, snowy season.  And, from our office windows we observe lots of interesting behavior⁵ as birds, squirrels, striped ground squirrels⁶, cats and occasional⁷dogs enter the backyard habitat⁸.  Most of these are expected⁹ and fascinating¹⁰, some undesirable¹¹ from our point of view¹², but all related to survival of individual animals¹³.

      We have about half a dozen bird feeders with a variety of foods including suet¹⁴, sunflower seeds, cracked corn¹⁵, millet¹⁶ and other small grains.  We also throw out ears of dried corn¹⁷, bread and cracker scraps¹⁸ and some vegetable scraps of carrots, celery and others which are left over from meals. 

      There are about a dozen species of trees and shrubs¹⁹ and a small grape arbor²⁰, all of which serve as perches^21, and a compost pile²² where small fallen branches, leaves, etc. offer a variety of diversity²³ for the dozen or so species of birds found at a given time. 

      At a subtle²⁴ level, some types of birds are more aggressive²⁵ than others. Wrens²⁶ are among the smallest birds present, but they are feisty²⁷, and will drive away some larger birds from feeders.  Starlings²⁸, those messy “immigrants” from England will drive away most of the smaller birds from the suet feeders²⁹, even the red headed woodpeckers³⁰ who are about the same size. Bluejays³¹ often frighten away smaller birds from suet or grain so.  Cardinals³², those brilliantly red residents, will drive off smaller birds if they want to, but not always.  Black-capped chickadees³³ show little animosity³⁴ for other birds, and will feed along beside the mellower³⁵ juncos³⁶ and rose breasted grosbeaks³⁷. 

      Mourning doves³⁸ usually arrive in groups of half a dozen or so, tend to show less aggression, and will feed from the ground below the seed feeders. Quail³⁹ occasionally visit the area and the same is true of the occasional pheasant⁴⁰ which come to the feeding area.

      Redwing blackbirds come from time to time, but seem to prefer the higher grasses near the athletic fields and near the wooded areas west of our yard. Each bird species, with its specific behavior, competes for survival⁴¹, and most do survive, though not perfectly.

      Cats, true to their predatory nature⁴², roam through the area, always looking for unaware birds. They also hunt the mice that feed under the bird feeders.  Dogs, including our own Blitzen IV, will chase squirrels or rabbits, but seem more interested in the chase than in hurting the other animals.

      Squirrels in this area feed well on grains and are willing to feed side by side with most birds.  They are voracious⁴³ eaters, and most of them are very fat and quite playful at mid-winter. They can be seen hanging by their back legs, feeding upside down at a feeder, or from the ground.  They are wary⁴⁴ of the dogs, not much bothered by the cats, and probably consume more food than any other group of animals. They also bury corn kernels in the soil so that we see corn sprouting⁴⁵ anywhere in the yard in the springtime.

      Perhaps most alarming is the activity of bird predators⁴⁶ such as hawks⁴⁷ and owls⁴⁸.  We have observed both small redtail hawks and sharp-shanked hawks enter our yard.  When seen by other birds there is a rapid exodus⁴⁹ of these prey species.  The hawks swoop down⁵⁰ swiftly from taller trees, sometimes catch an unaware bird, and either carry it off or kill and eat in on the spot. They will also prey upon mice, ground squirrels or small red squirrels. This is a natural phenomenon⁵¹, and certainly has had a role in survival and natural selection⁵² of prey species as well as predators, but it is not very pleasant to watch.  Owls tend to feed in late evening, and apparently always carry the prey back to their nests to eat it.

      Each small behavioral distinction⁵³ has a role in survival of bird species, and these behaviors are interesting to watch. They cause one to consider our own human behavior, and our impact on survival.

Notes:

1. severe winter weather: unusually harsh,  cold winter weather (恶劣的寒冬天气).

2. squirrels：松鼠

3. nutrients: 滋养物

4. survive: continue to live normally in spite of many problems (活下来).

5. behavior：行为，举止

6. striped ground squirrels: small, striped rodents which live in holes in the ground (一种住在地洞里带条纹的小松鼠).

7. occasional: occurring now and then; at irregular or infrequent intervals (偶尔的).

8. habitat: the place in which a given population of animals lives (居住地).

9. expected: anticipated, or not surprising (预料得到的).

10. fascinating: of great interest, or enjoyable to watch (吸引人的).

11. some undesirable: some of these are undesirable, or not wanted (有些是不受欢迎的).

12. point of view:  观点

13. individual animals: single animals (一个个的动物).

14. suet: a mixture of fat and meat trimming from animals (一种动物脂肪和肉的混合物).

15. cracked corn: corn grains broken into large pieces to be used as animal food (包米碴子).

16. millet: 小米

17. ears of dried corn：干的玉米棒

18. scraps: small pieces of some type of food material (碎片，小块).

19. species of trees and shrubs: 不同种类的树和灌木

20. grape arbor: a structure on which grape vines are grown (葡萄棚架).

21. perches: places where birds rest or sit temporarily (栖息之处).

22. compost pile: waste organic matter kept in a pile and allowed to decompose to form humus (堆肥堆).

23. diversity: a wide variety of types of something or some individuals (多样性).

24. subtle: obscure, or difficult to perceive or understand (细微的，难以察觉的).

25. aggressive: characterized by combative, assertive or fighting behavior (好斗的，咄咄逼人的).

26. wrens: small brown birds with a short tail that points upwards (鹪鹩).

27. feisty: often fussing, or scolding; or full of nervous energy (烦躁不安的，好争吵的，精力充沛的).

28. starlings: a type of gregarious blackbird which came to the U.S. from England, and which is now a pest species among birds (椋鸟，一种群居的黑鸟，由英国迁来，属于害鸟).

29. suet feeders: types of feeders providing fatty, meat products (放脂肪、肉食的食槽).

30. woodpeckers: 啄木鸟

31. bluejays: a common large North American bird with blue feathers (蓝背樫鸟).

32. cardinals: a North American bird. The male is a bright red color (红衣凤头鸟).

33. chickadees: 山雀

34. animosity: the characteristic of showing displeasure with another type of animal; ill will or hostility.

35. mellower: more gentle and calmer (更温和的).

36. juncos: 北美雀科小鸟

37. rose breasted grosbeaks: 胸部呈玫红色的松雀

38. mourning doves: 哀鸽

39. quail: (plural: quail or quails) 鹌鹑

40. pheasant: (plural: pheasant or pheasants) 野鸡

41. survival: 生存.

42. predatory nature: the quality of naturally preying upon another animal for animals for food (以捕食其他动物为生的特性).

43. voracious：gluttonous, eating large quantities of food, or rapidly eating (食量大的，贪食的).

44. wary: avoiding danger or threatening situations, cautious, prudent (谨慎的，小心翼翼的).

45. sprouting: growing out of the ground; beginning of plant growth (发芽).

46. predators: those animals who prey or feed on other animals (食肉动物).

47. hawks: 鹰，隼

48. owls: 猫头鹰

49. exodus: movement out of or from an area, i.e. away from danger (离开，退出).

50. swoop down: fly rapidly toward the ground to attack or prey upon another animal (俯冲，猛扑).

51. natural phenomenon: an event which occurs naturally (自然现象).

52. natural selection: the process by which only plants and animals that are naturally favored for survival in their environment will continue to thrive and breed, while  others will decrease in number or die out (物竞天择，自然选择).

53. distinction: a difference in one individual or species which sets it apart from others (区别).

 

 

 

 

 

This entry was posted on Monday, March 16th, 2009 at 3:09 pm and is filed under Yard and Garden. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.