British ornithologists have discovered a new species of ?vireo in Colombia,
and have managed to arrange purchase of at least one of its two known sites as
preserves. Now they are seeking corporate sponsor(s) for the species, who will
help establish an endowment (L70,000, US $105,000) to manage the preserve. In
exchange, they offer to name the new species for the corporation who donates
the most. If you happen to be in contact with an organization who might like
to be so immortalized, see Nature 368(28 April 1994):781 for more details.
A crazy - but good - idea! Nice to think it might not go extinct immediately
after its discovery.

Paul DeBenedictis
SUNY Health Science at Syracuse

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Date: Thu, 5 May 1994 12:08:00 PDT
From: Joe Morlan <Joe.Morlan at F17.N125.Z1.FIDONET.ORG>
Subject: Re: Warbler Chips (A bla

..
Speaking of the latter, I believe Jim Rising asked when
California Towhees sing. (His message may have been on rec.birds
rather than birdchat). Anyway he was wondering why he did not
hear any singing on his trip to Southern California.

It turns out that male California Towhees apparently sing only
when they are unmated. Once a pair-bond is established the male
stops singing. The California Towhee is quite sedentary, and I
suspect that pairs remain together for long periods, if not for
life. This may explain the rarity of the California Towhee song.

--Joe Morlan, Albany, CA
Joe.Morlan at f28.n125.z1.fidonet.org.

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Date: Fri, 6 May 1994 21:27:40 MST
From: "Jeff Price, NBS" <pricej at MAIL.FWS.GOV>
Subject: Eared Quetzal?

In a recently published book "ICBP Red Book for the Americas?" an
argument was made for Eared Trogon (Euptilotus neoxenus) to be called
Eared Quetzal.

Besides looking more like the quetzals than the trogons the color of the
eggs (blue) is the same as the quetzals but differs from the white eggs
of the trogons. Eggs of the Eared Trogon were described after the nest
tree in the Huachucas blew down several years ago. BTW, they did nest
successfully in the Huachucas last year.

Jeff Price
PriceJ at mail.fws.gov
National Biological Survey
Jamestown, ND

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