Hi tweets,

I never meant for a second to have anyone think I really thought chickadees
and juncos might hybridize, but someone apparently did, so I'm putting out
this message to correct *that* false impression.

Also, it was pointed out to me that feathers may grow in white after they
were plucked, so it's possible a white-tailed chickadee might have had its
tail feathers pulled out by a predator and then regrown. Indeed I agree
that's possible. I'll have to see what happens to the Black-capped in my
yard this fall, when tail molt occurs.

I'm at least somewhat inclined to believe this phenomenon represents
albinistic genes, as I've had chickadees with varying amounts of white in
their plumage in my yard for the 8 years I've lived at this place,
including at least two with largely white outer tail feathers (this is what
gave me the fanciful idea about hybrids with juncos). Thus I'm inclined to
believe the white-tailed Black-capped Chickadees are partial albinos.
Obviously I can't say about the Chestnut-backed, seen only once.

Dennis Paulson, Director phone 253-756-3798
Slater Museum of Natural History fax 253-756-3352
University of Puget Sound e-mail dpaulson at ups.edu
Tacoma, WA 98416
http://www.ups.edu/biology/museum/museum.html