>But this brings me to Eastern and Western Kingbirds, perhaps you -
>or the omniscient Dennis - can enlighten me as to these two critters.
>
>Down at Malheur, I normally see Eastern Kingbirds hanging out in the
>willow thickets that border roads through the refuge marshes. Often
>perched at the top, occasionally engaged in what would appear to
>be territorial disputes. Got some great looks at a three-way
>squabble just last week.
>
>Normally there aren't any taller willows or cottonwoods around,
>much less powerline crossbars, so I assume they nest in these
>willows. They arrive a bit later than Western Kingbirds, and
>must normally nest a bit later than them as westerns are often
>on the nest when I'm there, but I've not seen easterns on the
>nest (I'm always there the week before and after Mem. Day due
>to teaching an Elderhostel class the week before).
>
>You mention Eastern Kingbirds nesting on powerline crossbars,
>which is much like where I often find Western Kingbird nests:
>there, or the tops of transformers, or fairly high up in taller
>willows or cottonwoods 'round the plantation manor house.
>
>Perhaps if I got my butt out there in mid-June I'd see for myself
>where these Easterns that hang out in low willows by the marsh
>nest. They do seem to be setting up territories, though, so I
>suspect right along the roadway. In these areas you generally
>don't find Westerns. They seem to have fairly distinct
>preferences and I'm curious as to what they are.

I don't know about omniscient, but I do know one or two things about
kingbirds. Western Kingbirds are definitely characteristic of dry, open
areas, while Eastern Kingbirds are devoted to the waterside and very
typically nest in willows, often at a rather low height but almost always
over the water, where they are about as well protected from predation as a
Western is high on its crossbar. Most avian predators don't stand a chance
against a pair of kingbirds! Their habitat types abut sufficiently often
so that the species can be seen from the same place at many localities. An
EAKI nest on a utility pole crossbar is a real surprise to me.

Easterns are late arrivers because they winter in the Amazon basin, while
WEKIs winter in western Mexico.

>Lots of bobolink, too, this year - what's the status of bobolink
>in eastern WA? They're scattered spottily across eastern Oregon
>where there's marshy meadow (usually in hay).
>
>- Don Baccus, Portland OR <donb at rational.com>

BOBOs (it really is fun to use these acronyms) are scattered spottily
across eastern Washington, mostly in the northern third from the Okanogan
valley east, pretty much always in hay meadows. Also a good population at
Toppenish in Yakima County.

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