>> Once the NW Crow was isolated from the American, but we are now
>> seeing a mixing of genes between the populations with perhaps a rather
>> broad cline now in place. Populations showing intergradation of the NW Crow
>> may well extent south to northern Caifornia.
>>
>
>I can't speak for all Oregon birders, but most feel that Northwestern Crow
>does not exist as a separate species. The above paragraph sounds reasonable.
>For the same reason (probably) the demise of Thayer's/Kumlien's/Iceland Gull.
>We'll probably be having this discussion about Western/Glaucous-winged Gull
>in 30 years.
>
>In the 1970s the term "Yachats Crow" (pronounced: ya-hots) was coined for
>the Brewer's Blackbird-sized crows of the central Oregon coast, near the
>town of Yachats in Lincoln County. Perhaps this was most noticeable, because
>the birds just inland, in Eugene, are larger than many crows northward toward
>Portland. This doesn't seem to be a trend from small birds north to larger
>birds south; rather there are "pockets" of smaller birds on the central
>Oregon coast, and, I understand, also in northern California as well.
>
>I think that live-trapping of crows on Northwestern beaches and coastal areas
>from southern Alaska to northern California would be a worthwhile project.
>While you're (not me!) at it, you might do the same for Western/Glaucous-
>winged Gulls. They are both scavengers, sharing the same range and habitat,
>and apparently combining previously separated forms.


Northwestern Crow- the conspecific that wouldn't go away
There has already been lots of work done on the "caurinis" issue. Johnston
wrote extensively on this in Biosystematics of American Crows. Aside from the
pockets described by Greg there seems to be a very good size cline from
Alaska to Southern California. Johnston concluded nearly 30 years ago that
there was no good reason to call NW a species.
I have been collecting roadkill here in Clatsop County for years and have
reached the following conclusions:
1. Clatsop county gets big valley crows and little coastal crows that forage
on the same mudflats confusing the itinerate listers.
2.None of these little crows have tarsi short enough to qualify as anything but
subadult or female coastal "hesperis".
3. People can convince themselves of just about anything.

I don't expect NW Crow to go away anytime soon, however and will continue to
smile politely and point toward British Columbia when people ask be where the
Northwestern Crows are.

**************************************************************
Mike Patterson
mpatters at ednet1.osl.or.gov
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