I've been puzzling recently over Slate-colored Juncos, probably because one
is a regular guest at my feeder this winter.

Have there been any studies, or scientific guestimates, of the frequency of
Slate-colored occurrences here in Washington? I believe some time in the
past I heard someone speculate that maybe one junco in 200-300 is a
Slate-colored; does that ring true?

The individual visiting my feeder has a trace of brown on the back; I
presume that reflects some hybridization with our Oregon race juncos?

One interesting thought that occurred to me, as I recounted the ten or so
Slate-coloreds I have seen here in Washington, was that I have never
identified a female of this race. I presume that is a testimony to my poor
observation skills, and to the similarity of these females to pale female
Oregon Juncos - but have others noted female Slate-coloreds here?

Dave Nunnallee
dnun461 at ecy.wa.gov
Bellevue, WA