DANCES ON THE EDGE Judie Peet March c. 2001 ============================ A Hooded Robin dances on the edge of the tree's dead wood. Dances on the edge of extinction. But what does a bird know of extinction? This bird knows sunshine and fat black gnats; he knows flaking bark and yellow grasses, drying in the wind. This bird knows soft autumn rains and sticky cobweb; he knows a hollow that is perfect for a nest. and each morning, he sings in the light of false dawn. He sings enticement, he calls, come to me, he sings and sings but he dances alone on the edge. ======== *"The Hooded Robin (Melanodryas cucullata), an insectivore, is declining so rapidly that it faces extinction in some parts of its range. A hollow-nester, it is always seen on or near dead wood and the removal of dead wood for firewood as well as loss and degradation of habitat in agricultural areas, is having a disastrous effect on this species." ======== ========