Local Bird Expert Lee Schoenewe Talks to Rotary

Posted by Kathryn Fahy 
 
Local bird expert Lee Schoenewe spoke to the regular noon Iowa Great Lakes Rotary club on April 22, 2009. He shared his love of birding with the group and also shared interesting tidbits about local birds and their habits.
 
  • Lee started birding in 1978 when his wife started feeding birds outside their home.
  • He leads bird hikes in the spring and throughout the year in NW Iowa.
  • Some of his credentials include being on the Record of Birds Committee, conservation groups member, regular contributor to Iowa Bird Life, Chair of Clay County Conservation Board, Trustee for State of Iowa Nature Conservancy
  • 1 in 5 Americans have some level of interest in birding
  • Lee stressed the importance of paying attention to birds with your ears as much as your eyes. One example is the meadowlark. There are two species - an eastern and western species and the only way to tell the two of them apart is by the noise they make. Native Americans called it the "bird with two voices."
  • There is a difference between a bird's song and its call. A song is territorial and is used to set up and defend its territory. Also used to attract mates. A call is simply used for birds to keep track of one another - a simple communication tool.
  • The American Crow is one of the most intelligent birds in North America. The young from the prior year stays with adults through the following year to help with the new young.
  • Birds can see in color and it is important to birds. It attracts mates and defends territory. Males are typically the birght color and the female is more camoflauged.
  • Lee is able to recognize 180 types of birds by sounds as there are distinctive sounds for each species.
  • Eagles have incredible eyesight and are known to be "able to read from the distance of the length of a football field"
  • Male robins are the first to arrive in the spring to select their territories.
  • Start putting out feeders for Hummingbirds and Orioles in early May
  • Orioles like oranges - cut in half and put on deck or fence (they also like grape jelly)
  • Turkey vultures are more prolific lately due to the deer population. They are known to have a well developed sense of smell - can smell rotting flesh from up to 75 miles away
  • There are 8 species of owls in Iowa.
  • Seeing Robins earlier in the year isn't necessarily a sign of spring, but of climate change. Robins wintered in Iowa thsi year.