>My wife and I will be attending a Climate conference in Seattle from
>Oct. 20-29. As I will have time for some day trips from Seattle, I would
>very much appreciate any information on good sites for finding the following
>species and subspecies

>8. Fox Sparrow (_unalaschcensis_ group) Sooty or "chocolate" group
>9. Fox Sparrow (_megarhynchus_ group) Thick-billed Group**
>
>** I assume that subspecies within the _megarhynchus_ group are not normally
>found in Washington, but primarily in California.
>However, as I understand from Zink's paper on the
>Fox Sparrow complex, some individuals of the _olivacea_ subspecies near Yakima,
>Washington show genetic characteristics of both the _megarhynchus_ group
>and the _schistacea_ (Slate-coloured) group.
>
>Steven Feldstein

For press of time, I'll let one of the many other knowledgeable tweeters
answer your species requests. In terms of Fox Sparrows, by the time you
get here, all that will be present are wintering populations. Virtually
all are of the "Sooty" type, including several subspecies; they are quite
common. I have never seen a "Slaty" type here in winter, although Michael
Price reported last year that some wintered in Vancouver. P. i. olivacea
breeds on the east side of the Cascades and east in Washington, and all or
virtually all withdraw from the state in winter. "Thick-billed" should be
reserved for the California-breeding subspecies.

Rarely we have wintering individuals of the "Rusty" type, presumably all
Passerella iliaca zaboria from Alaska and Yukon.

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