Curved Bill Thrashers

4season · November 6, 2016

For the first time in 20 or more years these birds were in the garden this spring. They probe around the roots of row crops digging little hollows when feeding. They did enough damage to the peas that I think the harvest was down 20 to 25%. They went away for the summer but came back again this fall and are digging around the fall pea roots again. These plants are big enough to tolerate it. Has anyone else had this problem ?

ddsack · November 7, 2016

They are likely probing for insect grubs and must have had success earlier, which would account for them coming back. Is it possible your lower harvest was down due to subsurface insect damage and not the birds themselves? We don't have those birds here, but some years I have trouble sprouting peas, because something in the soil bites or chews on the pea just before or after they start to sprout.

November 6, 2016	#1
4season Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: albuquerque Posts: 308	Curved Bill Thrashers For the first time in 20 or more years these birds were in the garden this spring. They probe around the roots of row crops digging little hollows when feeding. They did enough damage to the peas that I think the harvest was down 20 to 25%. They went away for the summer but came back again this fall and are digging around the fall pea roots again. These plants are big enough to tolerate it. Has anyone else had this problem ?

November 7, 2016	#2
ddsack Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Northern Minnesota - zone 3 Posts: 3,231	They are likely probing for insect grubs and must have had success earlier, which would account for them coming back. Is it possible your lower harvest was down due to subsurface insect damage and not the birds themselves? We don't have those birds here, but some years I have trouble sprouting peas, because something in the soil bites or chews on the pea just before or after they start to sprout. __________________ Dee **************