Hi folks,

Just got the August 1996 issue (Vol. 98 No. 3) of the Condor, a =
quarterly journal of avian biology published by the Cooper =
Ornithological Society. Here's the contents, for those interested...

Jon. Anderson=20
Olympia, Washington
festuca at olywa.net


Molecular Assessment of the Taxonomic Status of Cox's Sandpiper. Les =
Christidis, Kizanne Davies, Michael Westerman, Peter D. Christian and =
Richard Schodde. pp 459-463. This taxon (Calidris paramelanotos) =
apparently a hybrid between Pectoral and Curlew Sandpipers.

Patterns of Nest Usurpation: When Should Species Converge on Nest =
Niches? Catherine Lindell. pp 464-471. Author compiled examples of =
nest usurpation from literature to examine patterns regarding species =
and nest sites that tend to be usurped (cavities and enclosed nests), =
those species likely to be usurpers (particular groups, including =
introduced groups like House Sparrow and Starling), and the habitats in =
which usurpation occurs (moderately open habitats in =
tropical/subtropical zones).

Tannin and Protein in the Diet of a Food-Hoarding Granivore, the Western =
Scrub-Jay. David C Fleck and Diana F Tomback. pp 474-482. Plant =
tannins are known to impede vertebrate protein digestion. Study of =
artificial diet; jays lost mass on low protein diets and lost the most =
mass on low protein, high-tannin diets.

Initial Changes in Habitat and Abundance of Cavity-Nesting Birds and the =
Northern Parula Following Hurricane Andrew. A. Robin Torres and Paul L =
Leberg. pp 483-490. In Atchafalaya basin of Louisiana, density of =
cavity nesters not associated with storm damage (abundance of cavities =
unchanged). Parula warbler abundance declined with increase in =
hurricane damage (and resulting density of understory vegetation). =
Parula decline may be due to loss of canopy foraging habitat or of =
Spanish Moss (primary nesting site).

Diurnal, Intraseasonal, and Intersexual Variation in Foraging Behavior =
of the Common Yellowthroat. John P Kelly and Chris Wood. pp 491-500. =
Study from Olema Marsh, Marin County, Calif. investigated foraging and =
habitat selection; birds preferred arroyo willow (Salix lasiolepis) =
habitats for foraging throughout the breeding season.

Food Intake, Weight Changes and Egg Production in Captive Red Grouse =
Before and During Laying: Effects of the Parasitic Nematode =
Trichostrongylus tenuis. R J Delahay and R Moss. pp 501-511. Lab =
study: Hens infected with worms lost more weight when laying and were =
lighter than other birds - could affect quality of incubation and =
maternal care of chicks.

Nutritional Implications of Molt in Male Canvasbacks: Variation in =
Nutrient Reserves and Digestive Tract Morphology. Jonathan E Thompson =
and Ronald D Drobney. pp 512-526. Birds collected at Beaverhill Lake =
in central Alberta to investigate 'body condition'; because =
postreproductive molts were extended over 6 months, birds had relatively =
low daily nutritional demands that could be met by dietary intake.

Genetic Differentiation, Geographic Variation and Hybridization in Gulls =
of the Larus glaucescens-occidentalis Complex. Douglas A Bell. pp =
527-546. Michael Smith already gave us a good summary about this =
article: "It's a very detailed examination of specimens of =
Glaucous-winged and Western Gulls (and all the hybrids between) =
collected from Buldir I. (in the Aleutians) to Los Coronados I. in Baja =
California. Several physical and genetic characters are examined, and =
the author discusses the current status of the hybrid zone and the =
post-glacial history of these two species. A fascinating read." The =
hybrid zone (from Juan de Fuca Strait to Coos Bay) appears to have =
expanded in recent years, yet its midpoint near Grays Harbor has =
remained stable. (Can someone explain why these two forms are =
considered separate species? - JA)

Genetic Differentiation and Taxonomy in the House Wren Species Group. =
Robb T Brumfield and A P Capparella. pp 547-556. Authors recommend =
re-elevating the three groups (aedon - Northern House Wren; =
brunneicollis - Brown-throated Wren; musculus - Southern House Wren) to =
specific status.

Organization of Agonistic Vocalizations in Black-Chinned Hummingbirds. =
Kathryn M Rusch, Carolyn L Pytte and Millicent S Ficken. pp 557-566. =
Description of vocalizations of black-chins; species demonstrates a =
level of vocal complexity comparable to songs of many passerines.

Long-term Changes in Songs and Song Dialect Boundaries of Puget Sound =
White-Crowned Sparrows. Glen Chilton and M Ross Lein. pp 567-580. =
3,200 Songs of 276 male White-crowns were recorded in 46 localities in =
British Columbia and Washington. Descriptions of dialects and =
comparisons between Baptista's studies in the 1970s and the authors' =
data from 1993-94. Some dialect boundaries had shifted, dialects from =
the 70s were not found in the 90s, and new dialects were discovered.

Body Length and Wing Length Provide Univariate Estimates of Overall Body =
Size in the Merlin. Christer G Wiklund. pp 581-588. Measurements from =
Padjelanta and Stora Sjofallet Natl Parks in Sweden.

Nest Site Fidelity in Female Wild Turkey: Potential Causes and =
Reproductive Consequences. Alexander V Badyaev and John D Faust. pp =
589-594. 69% of surviving females in the Arkansas Ozarks returned to =
breed on their previous breeding areas. Increased social status and =
experience may account for correlation between habitat quality and =
breeding site fidelity.

The Composition and Foraging Ecology of Mixed-Species Flocks in Pine =
Forests of Hispaniola. Steven C Latta and Joseph M Wunderle Jr. pp =
595-607. In the Cordillera Central of the Dominican Rep., 180 =
mixed-species flocks were observed; 46 spp. occurring in at least one =
flock; 11 spp regularly present. Black-crowned Palm Tanager often =
served as the nuclear species.

Acoustic Signal Amplitude Patterns: A Computer Simulation Investigation =
of the Acoustic Adaptation Hypothesis. Timothy J Brown and Paul =
Handford. pp 608-623. Hypothesis predicts that vocalizations for long =
range communication should produce amplitude modulation (AM) =
characteristics such that temporal patterning is minimally degraded; =
i.e.,, trills in open habitats and whistles in closed habitats. =
Simulations support the hypothesis.

Breeding Biology of the Madagascar Buzzard in the Rain Forest of the =
Masoala Peninsula. James Berkelman. pp 624-627. 1992-93 observations =
of 8 nesting pairs, describes nest reoccupancy, breeding density, nest =
dispersion, breeding season, productivity, nesting success, and breeding =
behavior. Species appears to be thriving on Masoala Pen. in NE =
Madagascar.

Diving Ability of Blue Petrels and Thin-Billed Prions. Olivier Chastel =
and Joel Bried. pp 627-629. Mean Maximum dive depths during =
chick-rearing period at Kerguelen Islands was 4.4 +/- 1.8 meters for the =
Blue Petrel and 5.5 +/- 1.4m for the Thin-Billed Prion. These species =
are poorly suited for diving, having low wing loading, and feed mainly =
by surface seizing or dipping.

New Host for a Specialized Brood Parasite, the Screaming Cowbird. =
Myriam E Mermoz and Juan C Reboreda. pp 630-632. While some species of =
Cowbirds (like the Brown-headed and Shiny Cowbirds, which use more than =
200 different host species each) the Screaming Cowbird is considered a =
specialist that parasitizes only one species - the Bay-winged Cowbird. =
Authors report use of the Brown-and-Yellow Marshbird as a host of the =
Screaming Cowbird in an area where the Bay-winged Cowbird is present. =
Report from Buenos Aires province, Argentina.

Seasonal, Diel, and Spatial Dispersion Patterns of Golden Eagle Autumn =
Migration in Southwestern Montana. Kristian Shawn Omland and Stephen W =
Hoffman. pp 633-636. In Bridger Range, near Bozeman, Sightings of =
immature eagles peaked earlier in season than those of adults; 2 Oct =
rather than 7 Oct. Immatures were more frequently sighted than adults =
in the morning and evening, adults were more abundant during the =
afternoon. =20

Status Signalling in Dark-eyed Juncos: Perceived Status of Other Birds =
Affects Dominance Interactions. Michael J Grasso, Udo M Savalli and =
Ronald L Mumme. pp 636-639. Pennsylvania study: Dominant birds had =
plumage lightened (water-soluble white shoe polish) and subordinate =
birds had plumage darkened (India ink solution); very evident that =
dominance was reversed.

Interspecific Aggression by Yellow Warblers in a Sun Coffee Plantation. =
Russell Greenberg, Robert Reitsma, and Andrea Cruz Angon. pp 640-642. =
Aggressive behavior described in plantations in Tucuru', Guatemala in =
1995.

Variable Expression of Sexually Mosaic Plumage in Female Lesser =
Kestrels. Jose L Tella, Jose A Donazar and Fernando Hiraldo. pp =
643-644. Two birds captured in NE Spain (Los Monegros); one had the =
left side of the head like that of a male (gray) and the right side like =
that of a female (striped brown), and had a left wing like that of =
yearling male and a grayish central retrix. The other had the same =
coloration as the first, but male coloration was emphasized - to the =
point that it resembled a yearling male on one side and a female on the =
other. Both birds' measurements were similar to other females from the =
area.

Video Documentation of a Brown-headed Cowbird Nestling Ejecting an =
Indigo Bunting Nestling from the Nest. Donald C Dearborn. pp 645-649. =
Video from Thomas Baskett Wildlife Research Area, Missouri. Can be =
viewed at http://server1.biosci.missouri.edu/dearborn/cowbird.html

Satellite Tracking of Southern Buller's Albatrosses from the Snares, New =
Zealand. P M Sagar and H Weimerskirch. pp 649-652. Foraging movements =
determined for 6 marked birds during late incubation; concerns about =
mortalities caused by trawl and longline fisheries in vicinity.

Black Brant from Alaska Staging and Wintering in Japan. Dirk V Derksen, =
Karen S Bollinger, David H Ward, James S Sedinger and Yoshihiko =
Miyabayashi. pp 653-657. 35,000 Birds marked with plastic =
alpha-numeric coded tarsus bands in Yukon-Kuskokwim and Colville River =
deltas and Teshekpuk Lake in 1986-94; 9 observed on Hokkaido and Honshu.

The Stability of the Oriole Hybrid Zone in Western Kansas. James D =
Rising. pp 658-663. Sees no evidence of change in either the center of =
zone or in its width, supporting stable zone hypothesis. Notes =
Bullock's Oriole tolerate higher temperatures than do Baltimore Orioles.

Book Reviews:

R Wayne Campbell gave Dennis Paulson's "Shorebirds of the Pacific =
Northwest" high praise.

Joseph R Jehl, Jr. and Ned K Johnson's "A Century of Avifaunal Change in =
Western North America" (Proceedings of the 1993 centennial meeting of =
the Cooper Ornithological Society - Studies in Avian Biology No. 15) got =
a review from Dennis Paulson, the Distinguished Skeptic himself, as an =
important reference that should be in everyone's library. =20

Other reviews included Andrew Kratter's review of R.A. Paynter's =
"Nearctic Passerine Migrants in South America", Richard Conner's review =
of H. Winkler, DA Christie and D Nurney's "Woodpeckers, a Guide to the =
Woodpeckers of the World", Nicholas Gotelli's review of James H Brown's =
"Macroecology", and R Haven Wiley's review of CK Catchpole and PJB =
Slater's "Bird Song, Biological Themes and Variations".

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