Subject: Re: Invitation to our mystery bird
Date: Jan 16 16:12:11 1997
From: Mike Patterson - mpatters at orednet.org




It should be possible (in theory) to obtain a sample of blood (I don't
dare suggest we "sacrifice" NC's bird) and extract the appropriate genetic
markers. From these it would be possible to determine parentage. A really
cool Nova special was able to use genetic marker to prove (and disprove)
relationship to the Sundance Kid. If these marker can be used to obtain
these fine tuned relationships, it should be no problem establish hybrid
relationships at the Genus level.

As to GW x West etc. Gulls (Northern Pink-footed Gull complex), get yourself
a copy of _Condor_ August 1996 [98(3):527-45]. It discusses the methodology
for establishing degree of parentage. One of the most interesting conclusions
is that the middle of the hybrid cline between Western to the south and GW
to the north is pretty much dead-on the Columbia Estuary/Willapa Bay. Right
about where Alan Richards and I do most of our gull watching (aren't we lucky?)


>From: scott931 at uidaho.edu (Patrick Scott)
>
>wrote:
>
>My question is: with hybrids such as this (Or any bird, I suppose, which
>defies ID by observation), how does one find out for sure
>what species the bird is? I realize this may be basic ornithology, but
>I'm interested in finding out what methods exist to identify a bird with
>great confidence. If you feel it's better not repeated or exists somewhere
>in a FAQ, please respond to myself only.
>
>Thanks!
>
>- - - - -
>
>I also have been curious about this -- if one has
>the bird in-hand, is there some kind of DNA analysis,
>or what? that happens -- I vaguely remember reading
>about birds wh/ were xx% Glaucous-winged, or some
>such -- is this really measurable, or was this some
>sort of stochastic guesswork?
>
>Alan Richards / alanr at orednet.org
>=============================================================
>
>--
>
>
>

--
*********************************** I was of three minds
* Mike Patterson, Astoria, OR * like a tree
* mpatters at orednet.org * in which there are three blackbirds.
*http://www.pacifier.com/~mpatters* -Wallace Stevens