[Tweeters] RFI: Birds and local glaciation

[Tom Benedict]

This is an interesting topic. I don’t have any particular insights, but I wonder if looking for proxy data in the non-avian natural history might infer some relationships. Especially the history of the flora, since that makes up so much of the food source for birds. I have found it fascinating to compare the rich plant diversity in southern states beyond the limit of glaciation against the quite limited diversity we find today in the northern states. There may be a way to correlate bird species with native plants which managed to persist during the ice age. 

Off hand, I’d speculate that sea birds, living mainly on sea life, may have stayed on the margins the longest. Fish eating raptors too. 

Have you contacted the Ice Age Floods Institute <http://iafi.org/puget-lobe-chapter/>? They seem to be focused on geology and hydrology, but might have some biology expertise.

Sorry I don’t have any other specific resources. Keep us posted on what you find.

Tom Benedict
Seahurst, WA


> On Jan 9, 2023, at 11:06, Tucker, Trileigh <TRI at seattleu.edu> wrote:

> 

> Hi Tweeters,

>  

> I’m trying to learn about our regional birds’ history around the latest glaciation. I’ve been searching hard online and in my collection of bird books, and whether I’m just not using the right search terms or there’s just not much out there, I’m coming up short.

>  

> For instance, I’d like to know where our Western Washington birds emigrated to as the climate cooled and the Puget Lobe glacier approached, what species might have stuck around and managed to make a living even during the maximum extent, and how and in what order lowland birds returned once the glacier melted north.

>  

> There doesn’t seem to be much in the way of fossil record (periglacial environments not being terribly good for fossil preservation)—but again, perhaps I’m missing something obvious.

>  

> I’d love any resources you can point me to. Funny, it seems a simple question, but without a straightforward (to me) answer. 😊

>  

> Many thanks,

> Trileigh

>  

>  

> Trileigh Tucker

> Pelly Valley, West Seattle 

> NaturalPresenceArts.com <http://naturalpresencearts.com/>

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