Western Birds Journal

Volume 46, No. 2

Published April 1, 2015

Issue description

Volume 46, number 2 of Western Birds, published 2015

Articles

  1. Cover image V46(2)

    DANIEL D. GIBSON, JACK J. WITHROW (Author)

    INVENTORY OF THE SPECIES AND SUBSPECIES OF ALASKA BIRDS, SECOND EDITION

    The most recent inventory of the birds known from Alaska discussed 448 species and an additional 110 subspecies of birds recorded through 1996 (Gibson and Kessel 1997). In the 18 years since, many additional species and subspecies have been recorded in Alaska, and molecular studies have brought profound taxonomic changes that supplant many previous perceptions of avian relationships based primarily on morphology. In addition to species and subspecies new to Alaska, we outline here and provide literature citations for all recent changes in the families, genera, species, and subspecies of Alaska birds since the 1997 inventory. We include 505 naturally occurring species and an additional 114 subspecies known from Alaska through 2014.

  2. Cover image V46(2)

    ADAM SEARCY (Author)

    BOOK REVIEW: The Warbler Guide

    Back in the Peterson days we received the wisdom that warblers are confusing. Especially difficult are first-fall birds, but also fall adults having re-robed themselves for the flight south, leaving many of them looking rather plain (compared to their spring livery, that is). Subsequent warbler guides began to elucidate finer identification points—the standout being Dunn and Garrett’s 1997 A Field Guide to Warblers of North America—a brick of natural history and identification information and lovely painted plates (the most famous [and useful] of which are the plates of tails/undertails on pp. 105–106). Dunn and Garrett’s had few color photographs and sonograms—and, after revolutions in digital recording and photographic technologies, that is where The Warbler Guide steps in. With the help of this new photo- and sonogram-rich guide to these colorful (even in fall) and charismatic nymphs of our nearctic woodlands, much confusion, especially for beginning and intermediate birders, should be dispelled.