Date: Tue, 23 Jan 96 12:46:51 PST
Al had pondered and decided that it would be unlikely that White-throated
and Golden-crowned Sparrows would hybridize because of the ecologically
separated breeding grounds. I concur with this judgement: White-throats
are lowland early-to -mid succesional habitat specialists while
Golden-crowns are almost exclusively sub-alpine Krumholtz/scrub willow
zone specialists, at least in B.C. Even in Fort Nelson in northeast B.C.
there is still a healthy altitudinal separation between the two species,
although around Liard Hotsprings on the Alaska Highway it is likely not
much more than 300 metres. Perhaps in the southwestern Northwest
Territories or southeastern Yukon where the sub-alpine descends to lower
elevations it would be more of a possibility.

- Jack

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jcbowling at mindlink.bc.ca
Jack Bowling
Prince George, BC
Canada