I agree with Michael regarding habitat preferences for the two species,
based on the BBS surveys I've participated in for the Yakima River Canyon
over the last three years. The route starts in Selah, an open farming
area. We have recorded WEKI there; this year (6/8) a singing bird was on a
power substation that was paved and probably an acre in size. All EAKI
were recorded well into the canyon where it's riparian. Both were recorded
together (within 1/4 mile of each other) in riparian areas, probably more
so in areas where where decent-sized Ponderosas occurred.

BTW, has anyone brought up the possibilty that these birds enjoy power
poles and electrical substations because they might sound like *really
big* Kingbirds?

David Buckley----------------------------------------------------------------
lsdb at u.washington.edu
West Seattle, USA


On Sat, 10 Jun 1995, M. Smith wrote:

> I think it's neat how in many places in E. Washington
> you can drive along and see both species within a quarter-mile of each
> other. Seems to me that Easterns are more commonly found near riparian
> habitat and Westerns in drier areas (*I`m not saying that you'd never find
> it in reverse, just this seems to be the majority*). Seems to me Easterns
> evolved to live in open areas where deciduous trees were dominant (the
> East), and Westerns evolved to live in open areas where conifers are
> dominant (the West). So where they come together, only nesting habitat is
> partitioned, leaving Easterns near spots with deciduous trees (rivers,
> lakes, golf courses, etc.) and Westerns at drier spots supporting
> conifers. Seems like feeding habitat doesn't matter, and you can find
> both kingbirds around any open area, often together.
>
> Does anyone know of papers supporting or contradicting this (hopefully the
> former)?
>
> -------------
> Michael R. Smith
> Univ. of Washington, Seattle
> whimbrel at u.washington.edu
> http://salmo.cqs.washington.edu/~wagap/mike.html
>
>