Jerry, my neighborhood in Anchorage is at sea level and we have
Boreal Chickadees. Boreal Owls are also found in the flatlands
around here. So Boreal doesn't have to mean associated with
higher elevations. It's just that higher elevations tend to have the
same temperatures and plant communities as higher *latitudes*
and will often have the same fauna.

I've often wondered why they didn't use the word "Northern"
as they do on so many other birds. But then I wonder why they
use the word "Northern" when there is no "southern" counter-
part.

Chris Maack
Anchorage, AK
CMaack at compuserve.com
>
I will try and word this another way. Are there Boreal Chickadees at sea
level? If not, does Boreal refer to a certaim alittude and therfore
Chickadees at that altitude are called Boreal Chickadees.

Can you have a Boreal forest at Sea level, or Alpine or sub-Alpine
altitude?
I have heard people say they were in a Boreal forest--where were they? Up
high, down low? Or anyplace that Bores are real. :-)) Is this getting
boreing or what?

Jerry Converse
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