Subject: Re: American Black Duck; Flickers
Date: Nov 21 18:20:19 1994
From: Eugene Hunn - hunn at u.washington.edu


Hi,

We also have our "established" introduced Black Duck populations, at
Everett/Marysville, perhaps numbering a few dozens and breeding free
(with very limited interbreeding) for over 20 years. I presume Seattle
area sightings are from this population.

Gene Hunn.

On Mon, 21 Nov 1994, Gates, Bryan wrote:

>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> FORWARDED FROM: Gates, Bryan
> FROM: Gates, Bryan
> DATE: 21/11/94 14:59
> TO: Katie Sauter
>
> CC:
> SUBJECT: American Black Duck; Flickers
> PRIORITY:
> ATTACHMENTS:
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> It would be interesting if we could trace the origin of your Black Duck.
> There is a small "flock" near Chemainus on Vancouver Island that has been
> breeding at an open private lake for a dozen years or more. Occasionally one
> or two will move out and appear in other parts of S. Vancouver Island. Some
> birders count them as an entry on their lists since they have been breeding
> unrestrained for 10 or more years. They may be "wild", but I assume they are
> supplemented to some extent with food at this private lake/lodge. But who
> knows, yours could be an eastern vagrant.
>
> Oct. and Nov. are good months for a movement of Northern Flickers onto and
> through S. Vancouver Island and the BC/Washington mainland coast.
> This movement often results in sightings of pure red-shafts, pure yellow-
> shafts and every degree of intergradation between the two races (i.e. birds
> showing degrees of reddish-orange, and quite a few with "red" shafts but
> with red whisker AND red nape..I saw one yesterday). I've even seen one with
> whisker stripes that were half red and half black. Godfrey (Birds of Canada,
> 1986) recognizes 4 subspecies in Canada, 3 of which breed in BC, including
> Colaptes auratus borealis (yellow-shafted), which breeds in Alaska, Yukon,
> NE British Columbia and across n. Canada. I assume it is this subspecies
> that overlaps with C. a. cafer (the coastal red-shafted race), produces
> the intergrades and migrates to SW BC and NW Wash. Watch for them and
> please let me know if you find some interesting combinations.
>
> Bryan R. Gates
> 3085 Uplands Rd.
> Victoria, BC
> (604) 598-7789 or at Victoria Rare Bird Alert (604) 592-3381
> bgates at assessment.env.gov.bc.ca
>