Subject: Re: Townsend's/Black-throated Gray Warblers
Date: Mar 15 00:40:46 1998
From: Jack Bowling - jbowling at direct.ca


** Reply to note from Sandy M.


> I read with a little concern about the potential for confusion between the
> songs of the Black-throated Grey Warbler and the Townsend's Warbler. You see
> I do a bird survey every year, and I do most of it by ear as the canopy is
> so dense and I only have a short time at each stop. I'm not allowed to pish
> them in. So I figure I'd should get to know the calls better. Does anyone
> have recordings of the two species which are local to Vancouver Island, or
> at least the Pacific Nothwest?

Hi, Sandy. Firstly, just about every part of this globe has one or two species whose
songs are too close to call sometimes. In your part of the world it is the Townsend's
and the Black-throated Grays; in mine it is Dark-eyed Juncos and Chipping Sparrows;
in the narrow zone of contact in n.e. BC, it is MacGillivray's and Mourning Warblers.
I figure that on my Breeding Bird Surveys around the P.G. area, I may screw up one
or two "fast juncos" or "slow Chippies". It goes with the territory. Statistically, it
will not make a lot of difference if the mistakes are few. Sorry, I can't help with the
tapes. Perhaps someone more local can respond.

- Jack

Jack Bowling
RR1-S14-C41
Prince George, BC
Canada
V2N 2H8
phone: (250) 963-7837
fax: (250) 963-7801
jbowling at direct.ca