This is the SOUTHEASTERN CARIBBEAN BIRD ALERT (2001-10) for 23 March 2001. Sponsored by the T&T Field Naturalists' Club, our aim is to promote birding and ornithology in the southeastern Caribbean by fostering communication among resident and visiting birders regarding the study of birds in the region. The SCBA and information about the T&TFNC are accessible on the Internet at http://www.wow.net/ttfnc. Reports should be sent to Floyd Hayes by phone at 662-5918 (H) or 645-3232 x2206 (W), or by e-mail at floyd_hayes@hotmail.com. The T&T Rare Bird Committee requests details for species indicated with an asterisk (see SCBA website above and end below).

HOTSHOTS IN HOT SPOTS: In the Northern Range of Trinidad, the Trinidad Piping-Guan could not be found at Morne Bleu on 21 March but a breeding plumaged adult BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER* and a male SWALLOW-TANAGER provided consolation.

In the Caroni Plain of Trinidad, the elusive Crane Hawk* (1st for T&T) could not be found at Wallerfield on 17 or 22 March but three RED-BELLIED MACAWS and three SULPHURY FLYCATCHERS were noted on 17 March and a MORICHE ORIOLE* and seven flocks of DICKCISSELS were noted on 22 March.

Along the west coast of Trinidad, noteworthy observations from the South Oropouche Swamp on 17 March included two PROTHONOTARY WARBLERS, four YELLOW WARBLERS, a NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH, a female AMERICAN REDSTART and two RED-CAPPED CARDINALS. At Point Gourde, three MOUSE-COLORED TYRANNULETS were carefully distinguished from a NORTHERN SCRUB-FLYCATCHER and several SOUTHERN BEARDLESS-TYRANNULETS on 18 March.

ORNITHOLOGICAL TIDBIT: There are several hypotheses for the origin of polygyny in birds. The resource defense polygyny hypothesis postulates that males defend clumped resources that receptive females come to exploit. According to the polygyny threshold hypothesis (a form of the resource defense hypothesis), polygyny occurs as a function of differences in territorial quality among males. A female has two options: sharing a high quality territory with one or more females or becoming the only mate of a male in a poor quality territory. Because females may be able to produce more young with a polygynous male in a rich territory than with a monogamous male in a poor territory, the ocurrence of polygny should increase as the differences in territorial quality among males increases.

BIRD BRAINS: Do we believe what you see? We want to! Many of the identifications reported in the SCBA are tentative in nature. The T&T Rare Bird Committee, formed in 1995, requests details for all rare birds observed (see Species Review List at our website). Please submit details to the T&TRBC Secretary: Graham White, Bungalow 16, Waterloo Estate, Waterloo Rd., Carapichaima, Trinidad and Tobago; fax, 868-673-0373; e-mail, g-white@tstt.net.tt.