Cats and Birds information on net.

CATS may be man's new best friend - but proof that they are birds' worst enemy comes in a new report.

Latest studies by the British Trust for Ornithology estimate that around 10 per cent of small birds that die in Britain each year are killed by cats.

With the British cat population standing at around eight million, it is estimated they kill between 55 and 60 million birds, mainly garden species such as blackbirds, tits, robins, finches and wrens. On average, therefore, each cat kills seven to eight birds a year. This ranges from nil for the pampered pet in a high-rise flat to well over 100 for the feral farmyard cat. A separate trust report reveals that at least 10 million birds are killed on Britain's roads each year - and the figure could be as high as 60 million. The vanishing house sparrow is the main victim of cars, trucks and lorries, followed by the blackbird, song thrush, pheasant and chaffinch, according to leading ornithologist Chris Mead in the magazine British Wildlife. After reviews of all the evidence available from surveys throughout Europe, Mr Mead says vehicles travel 250 billion miles a year on Britain's roads. One survey suggests that as vehicles approach 50mph, bird deaths may increase 20-fold. The ornithology trust has issued a three-point plan to help birds survive. It urges people to: * Fit a new hi-tech "bleep" device on your cat's collar. * Put out food throughout the year and not just in winter. * Flash your headlights at birds on the road ahead of you.

A new study today names the domestic cat as the deadliest predator.

When it comes to sheer brutality the pet rules supreme, beating the wild stoat, polecat, buzzard and fox - to name but a few - into first place. The survey, which examined predators' range of victims, hunting methods and the final kill, found that the cat won claws down for its fondness for hours of torture, sheer number of victims and its cool survival tactics. The cat also shows itself to be versatile in its eating habits. It may turn up its nose at the gourmet cuts prepared by its owner, but will eat anything from frogs, lizards and grass snakes to weasels, squirrels and bats. The study, commissioned by Shooting Times magazine, follows a recent survey from the Mammal Society which revealed the bloody exploits of 800 British cats based on accounts from their owners. Missy from Blandford, Dorset, and Kipper "The Terminator" from Taunton emerged as two of the highest scorers of all time, with over 200 victims between them in only six months. Missy's toll was 23 mice, 19 field mice, 18 common shrews, 17 sparrows, seven field voles, five adult rabbits, four pygmy shrews, thee moles, three blue tits, two chaffinches, two goldfinches, two larger sucker fish, one wren, a pied wagtail, a robin, one bird (unrecognisable) and 15 baby rabbits. Total 125. Other recent studies suggest cats kill between 70 million and 200 million birds and small mammals each year.

I stumbled across this idea, which I would like to share with your gazillions of readers, especially those with cats!

We are perpetually daunted by cat toys being batted under the stove. I placed an adjustable-tension/spring-loaded curtain rod just under the drawer of the stove -- voila! No more lost toys, and it is able to sustain the bumps and taps of a 6-month-old kitten and a 12- year-old, 15-pound cat.

The white tension rod looks a little odd with the black stove front, but it's way better than standing on my head every morning with the yardstick fetching for the cats! Hope this is helpful to someone. -- Linda Fish-Brown, Via E-mail

As long as it works, that's all that matters. If you can't find a black tension rod, simply spray-paint it black to match the stove front. It should blend in, and you might not notice it. --Heloise

Dear Readers: Mary Weier of Sterling, Ill., sent a photo of Petrie, an adorable cockatiel dressed up in a little hat, sitting at a table among little doll gal pals enjoying her afternoon tea and crumpets.

If you have a pet parakeet and it lost its cage mate, your pet might start plucking its feathers and refuse to eat. They are very social birds, and when they lose a playmate, you might need to introduce another pal into the cage.

Also, parakeets love bird toys. -- Heloise

Dear Heloise: My dog sheds constantly, even though I brush her daily. Her favorite place to lie down is in a corner of my bedroom on our beige rug. I usually vacuum once a day, but one day I was in a rush and didn't want to drag the vacuum out.

I grabbed an old comb and proceeded to comb up the hair. I was pleasantly surprised to see how much I was able to pick up and throw into a paper bag.

This method is great in a pinch, but naturally there is nothing like a good vacuuming. -- Holly G., Vashon, Wash.

If you have a pet parakeet and it lost its cage mate, your pet might start plucking its feathers and refuse to eat. They are very social birds, and when they lose a playmate, you might need to introduce another pal into the cage.

Also, parakeets love bird toys. Buy a couple of new toys to keep it amused until you decide if you are going to get it another playmate. -- Heloise

Bird-watcher launches fund-raiser

He's doing 30 surveys in 30 days to gather $30,000

By MARY MCINTYRE Special to the Journal Sentinel

Friday, May 28, 2004

Wisconsin resident Noel Cutright is going on 30 counts in 30 days to celebrate 30 years -- 30 years of Breeding Bird Surveys, that is - - for which he hopes to raise $30,000 in donations for bird conservation.

The counts he is going on are three-minute stops along 24.5-mile routes established in Minnesota, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin, including a survey early Tuesday in the Town of Raymond in Racine County. Every half-mile, he will stop to record every bird seen or heard within a quarter-mile radius.

Cutright has done these surveys since the 1970s. To celebrate those 30 years, he is launching the Quad 30, a fund-raiser for the Important Bird Areas program, to attempt one count every day for 30 days, starting Sunday.

The counts are done by volunteers for a program called the North American Breeding Bird Survey, started in 1966 to monitor North American birds. More than 4,100 routes are in North America, according to Cutright's Web site.

Data from the counts are compiled by the U.S. Geological Survey.

All money pledged will go toward the bird areas program. Cutright will pay his expenses.

Cutright has loved birds since before he can remember, he said in an interview. He took his first class on birds as an undergraduate at Miami University of Ohio. He later received his doctorate from Cornell University as a wildlife scientist.

"I've been involved all my life," Cutright said.

He participates in several bird-watching organizations. He started the Riveredge Bird Club and recently attended a statewide convention of the Wisconsin Society of Ornithology, which he has served as president for the past year. For the last 27 years, he has worked on environmental issues in his job at We Energies.

The Quad 30 tour gives him a chance to return to his home state of Ohio, where his interest in nature began.

On Tuesday, Cutright will start a count -- at 4:30 a.m. -- in the Town of Raymond in Racine County. The survey route will end near the state line in Kenosha County. On Wednesday, he will travel across Racine County on a count that will end near Lake Geneva.

On these tours, volunteers identify and record birds by both sound and sight. They are not professionally trained, Cutright said, but they get better the longer they do it.

"Even those that are highly skilled will occasionally be stumped by a bird," Cutright said.

There are many threats to birds these days, he said. The most obvious is the loss of habitat. Farmland all over Kenosha and Racine counties is being converted to single-family housing, he said, and grassland species are threatened by the conversion of grazing land to crop-growing land.

Even outdoor cats threaten the bird population, he said.

"They will still hunt and kill birds," Cutright said. "It's very important to try to keep all cats indoors."

Because of these challenges, Racine County's bird landscape is changing, Cutright said. For example, the red-headed woodpecker and purple martin have declined significantly, while sandhill cranes and Canada geese are on the rise.

CATS ARE in for a purrr-fect evening in front of the television tonight when the first advert designed to sell cat food to its consumers is aired. The pet-friendly advertisement from Whiskas cat food is designed to excite our feline friends with colours, movements and noises.

Their interest could be displayed by a mere twitch of the ears or it could elicit what Whiskas calls 'an active response' with cats investigating the TV or even tapping the screen.

Anyone who suggests this is a cheap PR stunt to get cat owners talking about Whiskas should be severely reprimanded. This is serious stuff. Whiskas states that the commercial is based on the best scientific research available. There was only one way to test the cat food firm's claims. We assembled a panel of six of the most discerning cats in London to watch their first mini-blockbuster. With the volume on full and the pussycats lured towards the screen, the advert began. It is a tempting medley of mouse-like squeaking and heavy purring with images of traditional feline tempters like balls of wool and mice whizzing around the screen. The judges were divided. Emma, 7, a ravishing Turkish Van cat, tilted her head carefully when the purrs reached full pitch but then padded away seconds later. Her son, Boychik, 5 and a half, preferred to watch the entire proceedings perched on top of the television. Minnie, 6, a Ragdoll, was more interested and listened carefully to the arrangement of squeaks and excited cat yelps emanating from the screen. Most thrilled was her daughter Holly, 5, who ran to the screen and purred as the fluffy birds bounced and Whiskas packaging shot around the screen. The two Somali pedigrees were less easily impressed. Lucy, 6, demonstrated her disdain when, halfway through the 40 second commercial, the sound of the cat flap thumping shut showed she'd made an early exit. Titchy, 5, wasn't quite so firm in her cat criticism, stalking behind the sofa rather than out of the back door. Of those surveyed, three out of six said they liked it. But the cats' owner, Standard journalist Mira Bar-Hillel was unconvinced. "It was a bit unnerving, especially for those of a nervous disposition. I think they should stick to aiming the advert at the owners, not the cats." Sandra McCune, animal behaviourist and consultant to the Whiskas project, said: "This has been a particularly exciting pro- ject to have been involved with because although it is based on some serious cat behaviour research conducted around the world, it is ultimately all about having some fun - for the cat and owner". Cynics will pooh-pooh the idea that cats will respond to the television since they operate largely on smell and not visual stimuli, but Whiskas is confident of success. "One thing we are sure about is that many owners tell us their cats are interested in the TV and we think they'll really enter into the spirit of the idea and the thinking behind the ad." said Ms McCune. After Tellytubbies talked baby language to babies and children's adverts aimed toy commercials specifically at the child it was only a matter of time before our pets were spoken to as well. But the cats do have a few disadvantages over their human TV- watching companions. They can't switch channel for one and they won't know what time the advert is due on. To emphasise that the commercial is for your cat Whiskas is running a 10 second warning to owners to get their cats stationed in front of the television. Lord Saatchi, head of M&C Saatchi said: "One of the conundrums of pet food advertising has always been that we are advertising to purchasers who don't consume and consumers who don't purchase. MAYBE the new advertisement will break new ground." However fascinated the moggie is, he can't head down to the supermarket and buy the cat food. Writer Bernard Levin tells a story about his favourite cat food advertisement broadcast in America for a product called Miaow. Its slogan delivered the truism "Cat food so good your cat will ask for it by name". The Whiskas commercial runs tonight during Coronation Street on ITV.

I

IN 1951 THE WORLD SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY was stunned by the announcement that the cahow - a bird whose name had become synonymous with extinction because it was thought to have become extinct in the 1600s, around the same time as the dodo - had just been rediscovered. The cahow is a member of the petrel family, in the order which contains albatrosses and shearwaters. It ranges widely in the North Atlantic to the western edge of the Gulf Stream, where it feeds on squid and fish, but it breeds only on the 20 square miles of oceanic islands of Bermuda, located at 32 degrees North and 64 degrees west in the western reaches of the Sargasso Sea, 580 miles east of Cape Hatteras.

As the conservation program launched to save this extraordinary bird from extinction has gradually succeeded against all odds, expanding into the restoration of an entire terrestrial ecosystem on 15 -acre Nonsuch Island, the"cahow" has ultimately attained wider significance as a symbol of hope for conservationists around the world.

The history of man on Bermuda provides a stark contrast to the story of the cahow. Settled as a British colony on the strategic sea lanes between the old and new world, the island has become so successful economically that it is now threatened with environmental self-destruction. Bermuda is now the most densely populated, isolated geographic and political unit in the world, with a density of five people (and two houses) per acre and a growth rate of more than 500 new housing units a year.

The problems that conservationists confront in trying to resurrect the cahow, and the fragile oceanic island ecosystem that it symbolizes, can only be appreciated within the broader context of this human history. In telling the story of man and the cahow on Bermuda together, from pre-colonial time until the present, I want to try to convey in a chronological perspective what it is like to be involved with a very long-time restoration project - the patience required, the drudgery, the occasional agonizing setback, and, finally, those exhilarating breakthroughs that make it all seem worthwhile. Only in this way does it become apparent how closely the fate of these two species has become linked.

OUR STORY BEGINS more than 400 years ago when Bermuda was first discovered by Portuguese and Spanish navigators exploring the New World. In those days the treasure-laden galleons from the Spanish Main used to sail north from the West Indies to catch the westerly winds for their return home. Many came to grief in sudden, violent storms on Bermuda's uncharted reefs. As darkness overtook the stranded survivors they were terrified by the hordes of nocturnal seabirds coming and going to and from their nesting grounds each night. The sailors took them for evil spirits and named Bermuda "The Isle of Devils". The Spanish never settled Bermuda but they left a legacy of wild hogs behind to provide food for future shipwrecked mariners. The hogs caused such untold havoc among the seabirds that they ultimately destroyed far more than they provided.

It was in circumstances similar to those of the Spanish that the British first landed on Bermuda. In 1609, a fleet sailing to relieve the Virginia Colony was dispersed by a hurricane near Bermuda and the flagship, the Sea Venture, was shipwrecked on its shores. The survivors set about building ships to make their escape. It took them nine months, and in that period Sir George Somers became so impressed by the island's natural beauty and virgin resources that he determined to start a colony.

In the clear surrounding waters the fish were so tame they could be caught by hand. The land itself was covered in dense forest, and two trees in particular were especially common. The Bermuda cedar provided valuable timber for ships and the palmetto provided leaves for thatching the huts and making ropes and basketware, Both trees provided edible berries for food.

But apart from the pigs released by the Spanish it was a land devoid of mammals. Indeed, the only fourfooted creature to reach Bermuda before man arrived was a smalllizard of the skink family An abundance of sea turtles hauled themselves up on the beaches to bask in the sun or lay their eggs. But by far the most dominant element of the fauna was the birds, because these had no difficulties in colonizing the island across the ocean.

There were landbirds of several species, so tame that they readily landed on the settlers' shoulders. We do not know all the species involved because many were soon to be exterminated by the impact of human settlement. Seabirds were even more abundant, because they were adapted to exploiting the food supply from a vast area of surrounding ocean. By day, tropicbirds or longtails, as we have come to know them, were conspicuous.

These diurnally active seabirds were eclipsed at night by nocturnally active shearwaters and petrels in even larger numbers. One of these, which came to be known as the cahow, outnumbered all of the others put together. The cahow was a ground-nesting, soilburrowing seabird, and it nested both along the coast and inland, under the forest canopy. Cahows are also some of the fastest and most efficient flyers in the world, and it was this extraordinary ability that enabled them to reach beyond the relatively sterile waters of the Sargasso Sea to feed in the rich upwellings of the Gulf Stream more than 400 miles away.

"How come penguins (and some other birds) can't fly?" asks Garrett Poliey,

One of the most common human dreams is of flying. Unlike in everyday life, where our feet are pinned firmly to the earth, in a dream we can lift off, soar over rooftops, ride imaginary air currents. We envy birds, because they can take off into the air whenever they please.

So it's a real paradox that some birds are as earthbound as we. Out of the nearly 9,000 species of birds on Earth, about 40 kinds are flightless. And here's another twist: Flightless birds evolved from birds that could fly. How come? As much as humans love to fly in dreams, flying in the real world is an energy-hogging way for animals to get around. Yes, it allows birds to migrate thousands of miles in the winter, helps them find food near and far and facilitates a quick escape from hungry cats and other predators. But the ability to fly comes at a cost. The cost is not in dollars and cents, but in physiology. Birds evolved from reptiles that walked on the land. Flying required myriad adaptations -- a highly specialized body structure with unique flight muscles and feathers, wings, beaks instead of teeth, and a limit on body weight. To top it all off, birds need to eat enormous amounts of food to fuel their energy-wasting flying. Pricey changes, from the point of view of evolution -- sort of like turning an ordinary sedan into a sleek, gas-guzzling sports car. Scientists say flightless birds evolved in isolated areas of the planet, such as ocean islands, from regular birds that flew in and stayed. On their deserted island home, the usual predators didn't exist. When baby birds were, by chance, born with small flight muscles or stunted wings, it wasn't a given that they would die young. Over millions of years, wings atrophied in some species, until the island had its own species of flightless birds. Examples include the emus of Australia and the kiwis and kakapo parrots of New Zealand. Birds that can't fly have their own survival strategies. Ostriches are huge, up to 8 feet tall and 350 pounds. They can kick hard, then race away at 40 mph. Kiwis hide in burrows and feed at night, using their remarkable sense of smell. Still, when boats brought new predators -- such as people and their pet cats -- to isolated islands, many flightless birds, like the dodo, the great auk and the 1,000-pound elephant bird of Madagascar, were hunted to extinction. Penguins are the largest group of flightless birds living today. Scientists say they evolved from flying birds that came to roost in isolated areas of the Southern Hemisphere. Wings of penguin ancestors evolved into thin, hard paddles, perfectly suited for "flying" through cold ocean waters. Flightless penguins were also free to develop stout bodies padded with fat to keep them warm even at the frigid bottom of the world, Antarctica.

Call that bird 'Sir'

Imagine a 7-foot-tall flightless bird with a head larger than the one atop a polar bear. Over 50 million years, ago, such an animal actually walked the Earth. Called Diatryma, this fowl has long puzzled paleontologists, who wonder in particular what such a large, heavy bird ate for dinner. While one new study supports the mainstream view that Diatryma consumed animal flesh, a different analysis suggests it dined mostly on plants.

Lawrence M. Witmer and Kenneth D. Rose of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, along with Thomas M. Bown of the U.S. Geological Survey in Denver, performed a biochemical analysis of the Diatryma jaw, focusing on a recently discovered lower jaw found in the Bighorn Basin of northwest Wyoming. The fused junction between the right and left bones of the lower jaw was especialy strong for a bird, notes Witmer. He and his colleagues conclude that the strong bones could have withstood large biting forces generated by well-developed jaw muscles--which are evident from marks on the bone where the muscle attached.

The researchers think the Diatryma could cut through flesh and even possibly crush bone. They suggest the bird either scavenged carcasses or caught live prey. "This thing was huge. It had a head a foot and a half long. It could eat anything it wanted," says Witmer. Its possible meal choices included tiny horses the size of house cats and primitive lemurs and tapirs that have been found in the same deposits as Diatryma.

Allison V. Andors of the American Museum of Natural History in New York City reaches the opposite conclusion in his study. Although he thinks Diatryma may have occasionally supped on animal flesh, Andors says several pieces of evidence suggest the huge bird primarily ate leafy plant matter--a particularly rare diet among birds.

Andors notes Diatryma shares several features in common with existing herbivorous birds, many of which are also large and flightless. The plant-eating Takahe in New Zealand, for instance, has a stout neck and legs as well as an oversized beak, features all present in Diatryma. Moreover, the upper jaw of Diatryma does not hook downward to a sharp point as do the jaws of many birds that tear flesh. Andors, who could not attend the meeting, published an abstract in the Sept. 28 JOURNAL OF VERTEBRATE PALEONTOLOGY.

Employees at Northwest Seed & Pet stopped two women who failed in their attempt to steal the $10 yard bird.

Doug Beernink, manager of the store at 2422 E. Sprague, said the woman and her mother entered the store Thursday and inquired about the smallish hen.

"I put the chicken in a box," Beernink said.

The older lady diverted the attention of the sales clerk while the younger woman ducked out and put the box in her car, Beernink said.

"Then she came back and started shopping like we didn't notice, but we did," Beernink said.

Alerted to the situation, Beernink called Crime Check, but Spokane Police hadn't arrived by the time the two women found the plant they were looking for and approached the cash register.

"The cashier asked twice if there was anything else she wanted to pay for," Beernink said. "She said, 'No.' "

Beernink and sales clerk Judith Feeley followed the women out to their car where the chicken box had been placed among about a dozen Chihuahuas.

An officer arrived and cited the women for theft, police spokesman Dick Cottam said.

Beernink said it's not the first time customers have tried to steal animals.

"We've had chickens, puppies, cats, iguanas and birds stolen. We have a big shoplifting problem here so we are going to be as hard on shoplifters as we can be," he said.

Even after receiving the theft citation, the younger woman asked Beernink to purchase the chicken.

"I said no. Then she asked if I would sell her mother the chicken and I did," he said. "The last we saw it, it was driving off the parking lot in the car with 11 Chihuahuas and two ladies."

Employees at Northwest Seed & Pet stopped two women who failed in their attempt to steal the $10 yard bird.

Doug Beernink, manager of the store at 2422 E. Sprague, said the woman and her mother entered the store Thursday and inquired about the smallish hen.

"I put the chicken in a box," Beernink said.

The older lady diverted the attention of the sales clerk while the younger woman ducked out and put the box in her car, Beernink said.

"Then she came back and started shopping like we didn't notice, but we did," Beernink said.

Alerted to the situation, Beernink called Crime Check, but Spokane Police hadn't arrived by the time the two women found the plant they were looking for and approached the cash register.

"The cashier asked twice if there was anything else she wanted to pay for," Beernink said. "She said, 'No.' "

Beernink and sales clerk Judith Feeley followed the women out to their car where the chicken box had been placed among about a dozen Chihuahuas.

An officer arrived and cited the women for theft, police spokesman Dick Cottam said.

Beernink said it's not the first time customers have tried to steal animals.

"We've had chickens, puppies, cats, iguanas and birds stolen. We have a big shoplifting problem here so we are going to be as hard on shoplifters as we can be," he said.

Even after receiving the theft citation, the younger woman asked Beernink to purchase the chicken.

"I said no. Then she asked if I would sell her mother the chicken and I did," he said. "The last we saw it, it was driving off the parking lot in the car with 11 Chihuahuas and two ladies."

How to protect your dog or cat and what to do

if it has strayed or is lost or stolen.

My local newspaper recently published an article about a frequentflier cat named Felix that escaped from its cage and flew 179,000 miles in the cargo hold of a Pan Am Boeing 747. Felix's owners were located from the baggage-claim records and reunited with their lost pet. This is certainly a heartwarming account about a lost pet, but not all such stories have a happy ending. Mrs. Bowman, one of my elderly clients, was moving to a new neighborhood. With her cat Taffy in her arms, she lost her balance and fell on the sidewalk in front of the new house. Luckily, Mrs. Bowman was not seriously injured; however, Taffy escaped into the bushes by the house and has not been seen since.

Taking Precautions

A few simple steps may help you reduce the chances your pet will end up like Taffy, either lost or stolen.

* If your pet stays in an outdoor run or fenced yard, check to make sure that gates and fences are secure. If it resides in the house, keep doors closed and windows screened.

* If your pet is frightened by company, parties, fireworks, or thunderstorms, take extra precautions during these occasions to ensure that it feels secure.

* Join a neighborhood crime watch, and advertise your membership on your fence and home.

* Do not allow your dog outside its yard unless it is on a leash. Cats can also be trained to wear a leash or harness; start training them when they are kittens. And teach cats and dogs to come when called by name. Your dog should respond to the basic obedience commands of heel, stay, and sit.

* Have your pet neutered or spayed to reduce its tendency to wander.

* When transporting your cat, use a cat carrier. Dogs may travel in a portable kennel if they have not learned proper automobile etiquette. Never invite theft by leaving your pet unattended in an automobile.

Tattoos, Credits Cards,

and Computer Chips

Adequate pet identification will reduce the chances of your pet's being stolen and aid in its recovery if it is lost. All pets should wear an identification tag engraved with the owner's name, address, and telephone number.

The Bark Alert and the Meow Alert cards are interesting variations on the identification tag. They look like credit cards and attach to your pet's collar. The cards contain an individual identification number and the 1 -800-BARKUSA telephone number. Owners supply pertinent information and six telephone numbers to U.S. Pet Protection. The 800 telephone number is manned 24 hours a day. A lost pet will be boarded if the owner cannot be contacted.

The injectable computer microchip is another recent innovation in pet identification. A chip the size of a pencil lead is injected directly into the muscle of the animal. Information on the chip can be read with a device similar to those used by airport security. The information about the animal is registered on a computer at the AVID (American Veterinary Identification Devices) company headquarters. This method of identification is currently used by many zoos to protect valuable exotic animals, including birds and reptiles. AVID markets the identification chip through veterinary clinics and humane societies. For information write AVID, 3179 Hamner Avenue, Norco, CA 91760.

Tattooing, like injecting the microchip, is a permanent, painless means of pet identification. An identification number supplied by the registry is tattooed on the belly or inside leg of the cat or dog. The animal also wears a tag calling attention to the tattoo. This ID method has worked well in cases of animal theft, Goldie, a blonde Labrador retriever destined for research at a famous medical clinic, was traced back to her owner 350 miles away when a veterinary technician found the tattoo and called Tatoo-APet (1-800-828-8667). The founder and executive director of Tatoo-APet, Julie Moscove of Brooklyn, New York, claims a 99 percent recovery rate overall for the 16 years the company has been operating. Tattooed pets can also be registered with the National Pet Registry (1-800-255-5726) and the National Dog Registry (914679-BELL). Tattoo fees vary, from $20 including registration to as high as $50 without registration. Shop carefully and ask questions.

Taking Immediate Action

Karen Green, a pet detective and co-founder of Pet Finders company in Amarillo, Texas, recommends taking the following steps if your pet comes up missing: Contact all animal shelters, humane societies, and veterinary clinics in the area and give them a description of your pet. Place an ad in morning and evening newspapers. Notify radio and TV stations that offer lost-pet announcements. Check with neighbors. Place posters in a 20-block radius of your home. Posters should be easy to read, and they should offer a reward of as much as $200 if the animal is exceptionally valuable. If possible, put a large photo of the pet on the poster, along with information on where the loss occurred, height, weight, collar and spay or neuter status. To help lost-pet owners get off on the right foot, Karen sells The Pet Finders Reward Packet, containing a typeset poster, booklet, and tape with instructions.

With the rapid spread of towers for cellular telephones, pagers, digital television and other high-tech communications, the crowded skies are becoming more dangerous for their original users: birds.

Biologists fear that each year millions of U.S. migratory birds become disoriented by lights on communications towers and crash -- into the towers, their supporting cables, the ground or even each other -- and die. The experts call it getting "whacked."

For the first time, ornithologists, government regulators and communications industry officials will convene in a special workshop in Ithaca, N.Y., on Wednesday to figure out how bad the whacking problem is and how it might be stopped.

"This is a real problem, and we take it very seriously," said Al Manville, a wildlife biologist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service who is coordinating the conference. "It's becoming a major threat."

In the 1970s, a study figured that towers killed 1.4 million birds each year. Now Evans puts the number closer to 4 million. No comprehensive national study has been done.

More birds are dying now because there are more towers to whack, Manville said. Experts estimate that there are 80,000 towers in the United States, with about 5,000 new ones built each year.

That's what scares ornithologists.

"With the unprecedented growth of the towers in the communications industry . . . it's kind of a race for what can we do to make these towers bird-friendly before more towers go up and whack more of these birds," Manville said.

It's a race that the birds -- beautiful songbirds such as warblers, tanagers and orioles -- are losing because they are already under attack from loss of habitat, pesticides and even pet cats, said Gerald Winegrad, vice president of the American Bird Conservancy.

"You couldn't have devised a system that could be more destructive to the most watched species in the country," Winegrad said. "They're being destroyed by all these discrete methods. The songbirds are overall in a serious decline."

Birds whack into towers during spring or fall migration periods. When it is overcast, the light from the communications towers reflects off the clouds at night. The birds get confused. They shut off their normal nighttime navigation system and fly toward the light.

"They run into the tower, they run into the wire, they run into the ground, they get whacked," Manville said.

But while bird scientists are convinced the towers are causing major mischief, they are a long way from being able to do anything about it.

Officials at the Federal Communications Commission, which regulates the companies that use and build the towers, and the Federal Aviation Administration, which requires lights on towers more than 200 feet tall, say they want to work with bird experts. But first they say they need more evidence.

"We're in the very early stages, and clearly there needs to be more work done to actually determine if a problem exists and, if a problem does exist, how severe it is," said Sheldon Moss, director of government relations at the Personal Communications Industry Association, the largest wireless trade group.

There are well-documented individual incidents of bird slaughter caused by towers, such as the January 1998 kill of about 10,000 birds in western Kansas in one night. Other towers have had thousands of birds drop around them in a single night.

A few towers have been studied for years. For example, retired Chippewa Falls physician and amateur birder Charles Kemper has collected more than 120,000 bird carcasses around a single television tower since the mid-1950s, including 12,000 in one night.

Arthur Clark, associate curator of vertebrate zoology at the Buffalo Museum of Science, has been picking up birds killed by towers since 1967, and he has found fewer birds killed around the three towers he has studied. But that may just be because there are fewer birds or the birds hit other towers.

But even though fewer birds are hitting his towers, there are more towers. So, Clark said, "you are increasing the odds of taking out more birds if you're putting up tens of thousands of 200-foot towers."

Evans proposes using acoustic devices to shut off the lights when birds approach or turning off the lights on the towers permanently and putting new tower-detecting devices on all planes so they don't have to rely on a visual beacon.