Notwithstanding what our esteemed neighbors to the south and north have
written, the Hermit/Townsend's hybrid is probably 99% restricted to
Washington state, indeed our "most unique" avian entity.

Actually, as soon as I wrote this, I realized that we *do* have endemic (=
occurring nowhere else) SUBSPECIES. Lagopus leucurus rainierensis, our
White-tailed Ptarmigan, and Eremophila alpestris alpina, our
montane-breeding Horned Lark, are both restricted to Washington.
Furthermore, the coastal Ruffed Grouse Bonasa umbellus castanea is also
restricted to the state. I think that's all.

It turns out the six-letter acronym for the Washington White-tailed
Ptarmigan, WAWTPT, appears to be the same as the Nooksack word meaning
"tasty bird ghost in winter."

Dennis Paulson, Director phone: (206) 756-3798
Slater Museum of Natural History fax: (206) 756-3352
University of Puget Sound e-mail: dpaulson at ups.edu
Tacoma, WA 98416