Western Birds Journal

Volume 16, No. 4

Published October 1, 1985

Issue description

Volume 16, number 4 of Western Birds, published 1985

Articles

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    DAVID F. DESANTE, NED K. JOHNSON, RON LEVALLEY, ROBERT P. HENDERSON (Author)

    OCCURRENCE AND IDENTIFICATION OF THE YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER ON SOUTHEAST FARALLON ISLAND, CALIFORNIA

    The occurrence in western North America, particularly in California, of numerous individuals of most migratory species of eastern North American passerines has been abundantly documented (McCaskie et al. 1979, Roberson 1980, Garrett and Dunn 1981). Because of its fortuitous location, size, topography and vegetation, and because of the continuous year-round presence of personnel from the Point Reyes Bird Observatory (PRBO), Southeast Farallon Island, 42 km west of San Francisco, California, has produced an inordinately large number of records of eastern passerines (DeSante and Ainley 1980, DeSante 1983). Eastern flycatchers of the genus Empidonax, however, with the exception of the Least Flycatcher (E. minimus), are represented there and elsewhere in western North America by very few documented records. Here we report two occurrences of the Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (E. flaviventris) on Southeast Farallon Island, the first of which constitutes the first record in California (Roberson 1980). In addition, we present some new information bearing on the identification of this species.

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    JON E. SWENSON (Author)

    REPRODUCTION OF MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS IN SOUTHCENTRAL MONTANA

    Mountain Bluebirds (Sialia currucoides) occupy an extensive breeding range in western North America (Bent 1949). They breed in a greater variety of habitats, including the Upper Sonoran, Transition, Canadian and Hudsonian life zones, than other members of the genus (Power 1966, Herlugson 1978, Pinkowski 1979a). Although Ponderosa Pine (Pinus ponderosa) savannas are often used by breeding Mountain Bluebirds (Pinkowski 1979a), there are apparently no published reports of the reproductive biology of the species in Ponderosa Pine-dominated habitats. Here I report results of a 3-year study of Mountain Bluebird reproductive biology in a Ponderosa Pine savanna in southcentral Montana.

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    RANGE D. BAYER (Author)

    NEARSHORE FLIGHTS OF SEABIRDS PAST YAQUINA ESTUARY, OREGON, DURING THE 1982 AND 1983 SUMMERS

    Although there have been several studies of seabird distributions off the Oregon and Washington coasts (e.g., Wahl 1975, Wiens and Scott 1975, Manuwal et al. 1979, Wahl et al. 1981, Matthews 1983, Wahl and Speich 1984), research has not been directed to determining the net movement of seabirds flying nearshore along these coasts. Interpretations of flights can be equivocal, but Marchant (1977) has shown that systematic observations of nearshore flights can provide valuable information about seabird distributions and movements.

    I conducted this study to determine if selected seabirds, especially Common Murres (Uria aalge), exhibited significant net movements past the mouth of Yaquina Estuary. Dispersion or migration would be suggested by many more birds flying in one direction than another because if there were many watches, the numbers of birds flying to and from colonies or feeding areas should cancel each other out.

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    PETER W.C. PATON, J. MICHAEL SCOTT, TIMOTHY A. BURR (Author)

    AMERICAN COOT AND BLACK-NECKED STILT ON THE ISLAND OF HAWAII

    Ornithologists studying the wetland avifauna of the island of Hawaii during the late 1800s reported two endemic species (Hawaiian Rail Porzana sandwichensis and Hawaiian Duck Anas wyvilliana), three endemic subspecies (American [Hawaiian] Coot Fulica americana alai, Black-necked [Hawaiian] Stilt Himantopus mexicanus knudseni, and Common [Hawaiian] Moorhen Gallinula chloropus sandvicensis), and one indigenous species (Black-crowned Night-Heron Nycticorax nycticorax hoactli) (Wilson and Evans 1890–1899, Rothschild 1893–1900, Henshaw 1902, Perkins 1903). The rail is now extinct. The moorhen, although present on other islands, has been extirpated from Hawaii. The coot, moorhen and duck are classified as endangered by the State of Hawaii and the Federal government (USFWS 1983). One other endangered endemic water bird, the stilt, was apparently absent from the island from 1896 to as recently as the early 1960s (Walker 1962, Banko 1979, Paton and Scott 1985). Research is currently being conducted on the Hawaiian Duck by the Hawaiian Division of Forestry and Wildlife (HDFW), as information on this species is limited (Jon Giffin pers. comm.). Surveys of the wetlands of Hawaii conducted over the past 20 years by the HDFW have provided baseline data on the population trends of the coot and stilt (unpubl. data on file, Dept. of Land and Natural Resources, HDFW). The purpose of this paper is to summarize existing knowledge of these two endemic water birds on the island of Hawaii.

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    LADISLAV R. HANKA (Author)

    NOTES: RECENT ALTITUDINAL RANGE EXPANSION BY THE BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD IN COLORADO

    During a 2-year study of brood parasitism by the Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) in 1977 and 1978 in Colorado, I noted substantial differences in the cowbirds' range from that described in the earlier literature.

    Although the Brown-headed Cowbird is among the bird species described by the first naturalists in Colorado (Bailey and Niedrach 1965, Marsh 1968), virtually all observations of cowbirds at high altitudes are recent. Bailey and Niedrach (1965) described the Brown-headed Cowbird as a resident of the foothills, ranging up to 2134 m. Davis (1969) described cowbirds as common at lower elevations in western Colorado. Only Cooke (1897) mentioned cowbirds breeding up to 2440 m, but he considered them to be confined primarily to lower elevations. Warren (1980) was cited by Sclater (1912) as having observed cowbirds in Routt and Grand counties. However, Warren’s expedition was for the purpose of mammal collecting and no locations of bird sightings were published. Sclater (1912) also considered the Brown-headed Cowbird to be a bird of the plains and foothills.

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    KEVIN L. ELLIS, JAMES HASKINS (Author)

    NOTES: UNUSUAL NEST SITE FOR GREATER SANDHILL CRANES IN COLORADO

    In Colorado, the Greater Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis tabida) historically nested in high mountain parks (to 2896 m) over much of the western portion of the state (Sclater 1912, Bailey and Niedrach 1965). Currently it nests only in Jackson and Routt counties (Walkinshaw 1973, Bieniasz 1978, Ellis and Haskins 1982) in areas of open parkland with willow (Salix spp.) lined drainages and sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) covered ridges. These parklands are surrounded by Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides) with mixed Lodgepole Pine (Pinus contorta) and Subalpine Fir (Abies lasiocarpa). All previous confirmed Greater Sandhill Crane nests (n = 104) in Colorado have been in water or very closely associated with water (Ellis and Haskins 1982). This note describes a nest located during 1982 in habitat not previously reported for Greater Sandhill Cranes in Colorado.

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    JON WINTER (Author)

    NOTES: PARTIAL ALBINISM IN A MELANISTIC MEW GULL

    On 18 February 1979, at Moss Landing, Monterey Co., California, I observed for 5 minutes and photographed (Figure 1) a predominately melanistic gull that had pure white feathering scattered over the body and wings. I identified the bird as a sub-adult Mew Gull (Larus canus) on the basis of size, head and bill shape, and voice. Compared to nearby California Gulls (L. californicus), it was distinctly smaller and had a more rounded forehead and smaller bill. The high pitched call characteristic of this species was heard two or three times. The leg color was pink, which is typical of Mew Gulls in their first year. I did not note the bill color.

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    PAUL LEHMAN (Author)

    IDENTIFICATION NOTES: CALLS OF ALDER AND WILLOW FLYCATCHERS

    The Identification Paper Committee continues to encourage the submission of brief notes on yet-to-be-resolved identification problems. The following note on the calls of two very similar Empidonax flycatchers is an example of such a note. It is not intended to be the final word, but will encourage, we hope, further investigation.

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    PHILIP UNITT (Author)

    IDENTIFICATION NOTES: PLUMAGE WEAR IN VIREO BELLII

    In this note I respond to and expand on some of the ideas presented by Stallcup (1984) in his “identification quiz” on Bell’s Vireo. The bird depicted in the quiz was photographed at San Blas, Nayarit, in December 1975. The published black-and-white print is a reproduction of an original color slide, which Bruce Webb and Tim Manolis kindly loaned me.