Western Birds Journal

Volume 34, No. 3

Published July 1, 2003

Issue description

Volume 34, number 3 of Western Birds, published 2003

Articles

  1. Cover image V34 (3)

    DANIEL D. GIBSON, STEVEN C. HEINL, THEODORE G. TOBISH (Author)

    REPORT OF THE ALASKA CHECKLIST COMMITTEE, 1997-2002

    During the six years 1997–2002, there were 21 additions to the Alaska list, four other status changes based on taxonomic decisions, and one deletion, resulting in a net total of 468 species and 110 additional subspecies of birds known at the beginning of 2003 to have occurred naturally in Alaska.

    Using the published inventory of Alaska birds (Gibson and Kessel 1997a) as a foundation, we have assembled here all additions to, systematic status changes to, and deletions from the Alaska list during the years 1997–2002, inclusive. The 1997 inventory discussed 448 species and 110 additional subspecies. At the beginning of 2003, with the additions, status changes, and deletions published here, the Alaska list included 468 species and 110 additional subspecies.

  2. Cover image V34 (3)

    JOHN R. SPENCE, BENNY R. BOBOWSKI (Author)

    1994-1997 WATER BIRD SURVEYS OF LAKE POWELL, A LARGE OLIGOTROPHIC RESERVOIR ON THE COLORADO RIVER, UTAH AND ARIZONA

    We conducted monthly boat surveys of aquatic birds on Lake Powell from September to April each year from 1994 to 1997. The surveys were standardized in seven designated areas on the reservoir. Each survey took three days and was conducted by two experienced birders and a boat pilot. In total, we recorded 72,549 detections of 57 species across 19 monthly surveys. The most commonly detected species was the American Coot, followed by the Western Grebe; these two species accounted for 81% of all detections. Species rarely recorded in southern Utah and northern Arizona but found during the surveys included the Little Blue Heron, Barrow's Goldeneye, Greater Scaup, Herring Gull, Long-tailed Duck, Red-necked Grebe, Surf Scoter, and Pacific and Yellow-billed loons. Species rarely recorded in winter in southern Utah and northern Arizona but detected during the surveys included the American White Pelican, Hooded Merganser, and Red-breasted Merganser. Lake Powell appears to be used primarily as a migratory stopover for aquatic species. Reservoir levels fluctuate greatly from year to year, preventing the growth of aquatic vegetation. Fish populations in the lake also fluctuate, and only in some years are they sufficient to support winter populations of fish-eating species.

  3. Cover image V34 (3)

    MICHELLE L. CROZIER, MARK E. SEAMANS, R. J. GUTIERREZ (Author)

    FOREST OWLS DETECTED IN THE CENTRAL SIERRA NEVADA

    We recorded detections of other species of forest owls while surveying for the Spotted Owl (Strix occidentalis) in the central Sierra Nevada from 1 April to mid-August, 1997–2002. During 4,562 Spotted Owl surveys, we recorded 355 responses from six other owl species: the Northern Saw-whet (Aegolius acadicus), Northern Pygmy (Glaucidium gnoma), Flammulated (Otus flammeolus), Great Horned (Bubo virginianus), Long-eared (Asio otus), and Western Screech (Otus kennicottii). We did not detect the Great Gray (Strix nebulosa) or Barred (Strix varia).

    After correcting for annual variation in survey effort, we estimated that detection rates for most species varied annually in a similar pattern. Most owl responses were recorded during April and May. These incidental detections are useful for documenting the presence of owl species in the central Sierra Nevada and suggest potential directions for future research.

  4. Cover image V34 (3)

    CHRISTOPER W. THOMPSON, KEVIN J. PULLEN, RICHARD E. JOHNSON, ERIC B. CUMMINS (Author)

    SPECIMEN RECORD OF A LONG-BILLED MURRELET FROM EASTERN WASHINGTON, WITH NOTES ON PLUMAGE AND MORPHOMETRIC DIFFERENCES BETWEEN LONG-BILLED AND MARBLED MURRELETS

    On 14 August 2001, Robert Dice found a Brachyramphus murrelet approximately 12 miles east of Pomeroy in eastern Washington, more than 200 miles from the nearest marine waters. The bird died later that day. It had begun definitive prebasic body molt but not flight-feather molt. Necropsy indicated that the bird was a female, probably in her second calendar year. Johnson and Thompson identified the bird as a Long-billed Murrelet, Brachyramphus perdix, on the basis of plumage and measurements; this is the first specimen of this species for Washington state.

    Contrary to many recent publications stating that Long-billed and Marbled Murrelets have white and brown underwing coverts, respectively, we confirmed that both species typically have white underwing coverts prior to definitive prebasic molt and brown underwing coverts after this molt. Absence of any extensive storm systems in the North Pacific in the days preceding 14 August suggests that the specimen discussed here became disoriented during postbreeding migration rather than having been blown inland by easterly winds.

  5. Cover image V34 (3)

    ALAN H. KRAKAUER (Author)

    CALIFORNIA QUAIL LAYS EGG IN WILD TURKEY NEST

    Intraspecific nest parasitism has evolved several times in the order Galliformes and has been documented for at least 32 species (Gelfen and Yom-Tov 2001, Yom-Tov 2001). Reports of interspecific nest parasitism in this order are much less common than egg dumping among conspecifics (Lyon and Eadie 1991). Below, we describe an instance of egg laying by California Quail (Callipepla californica) in the nest of a Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo). This record represents the first report of nest parasitism between these two species.

  6. Cover image V34 (3)

    GUY McCASKIE (Author)

    RUDDY GROUND-DOVE BREEDING IN CALIFORNIA

    On 8 December 2002 I found a female Ruddy Ground-Dove (Columbina talpacoti) in a farmyard at the intersection of Eddins and Sperry roads, 2.5 km west of Calipatria, Imperial County, California (33°07.5′N, 115°32.5′W). The farmyard at this location supports planted palms, eucalyptus, and other shade trees, as well as planted shrubs including native palo verde (Cercidium floridum) and mesquite (Prosopis). It is surrounded by open fields with irrigation ditches, typical of broad areas of the Imperial Valley (Patten et al. 2003). Grain for livestock in half a dozen small pens provided an abundance of food for doves. Common Ground-Doves (Columbina passerina) were numerous, as were Inca Doves (Columbina inca), with both species resident and presumably nesting.

  7. Cover image V34 (3)

    EDUARDO SANTANA C., JOSE CARRILLO ORTIZ, ALFREDO ARAGON CRUZ (Author)

    EXTENSION OF THE NORTHERNMOST BREEDING RANGE OF THE WHITE-COLLARED SWIFT IN WESTERN MEXICO

    The White-collared Swift (Streptoprogne zonaris) ranges from Argentina and Bolivia in the south to the West Indies and Mexico in the north (Howell and Webb 1995, American Ornithologists’ Union 1998). Howell and Webb (1995) described the species as an uncommon nonbreeding transient, vagrant, or winter visitor in the west-central part of Mexico and suggested that birds from Jalisco and Colima might belong to the subspecies albicincta from southern Central America. Edwards (1972) reported the swift without details from Nayarit, and a few northerly vagrants have been reported in the United States (Hardy and Clench 1982, Lasley 1984, Erickson et al. 1989, American Ornithologists’ Union 1998). The northernmost breeding population in western Mexico is reported for the state of Guerrero (Rowley and Orr 1962, Howell and Webb 1995).

  8. Cover image V34 (3)

    MARCO ANTONIO GONZALEZ-BERNAL, XICOTENCATL VEGA, ERIC MELLINK (Author)

    NESTING OF WESTERN GULLS IN BAHIA DE SANTA MARIA-LA REFORMA, SINALOA, MEXICO

    The Western Gull breeds on islands along the Pacific coast of North America from southern Washington to southern Baja California but, before the observations we report here, had never been reported breeding in the Gulf of California (American Ornithologists’ Union 1998; Everett and Anderson 1994; Howell and Webb 1995; Pierotti and Annett 1995; Wilbur 1987). Non-breeding individuals, mostly immature, range into the Gulf of California as far north as Puerto Peñasco and as far south as Bahía Guásimas (Russell and Monson 1998). They are frequently found among Yellow-footed Gulls (Larus livens).

  9. Cover image V34 (3)

    Richard C. Hoyer (Author)

    BOOK REVIEW: Birds of Oregon : A General Reference

    This highly anticipated publication (hereafter BOGR) is not your usual state bird book for a couple of reasons. The first can be detected in the subtitle—it is more than just “status and distribution.” The second is indicated in the listing of three editors; not only were there an additional four principal contributors, but the actual species accounts were authored by about 100 volunteers recruited from among the state’s birders, biologists, and researchers. Given the total number of contributors, this book probably also stands out as being more eagerly awaited than any other state bird book.

  10. Cover image V34 (3)

    PETER GAEDE (Author)

    FEATURED PHOTO: DIET AND FEEDING ACTIVITY AT A FLAMMULATED OWL NEST IN IDAHO

    The Flammulated Owl (Otus flammeolus) is a small, cavity-nesting species that feeds on a wide variety of nocturnal arthropods (Marshall 1957, Johnson and Russell 1962, Ross 1969). Various studies throughout western North America during the breeding season have found species in the order Lepidoptera (moths and their larvae) and/or Orthoptera (crickets and grasshoppers) to constitute the majority of this owl’s diet, with Coleoptera (beetles), Dermaptera (earwigs), Araneae (spiders), Chilopoda (centipedes), and miscellaneous insects making up a smaller percentage (Goggans 1986, Reynolds and Linkhart 1987, Powers et al. 1996).