Subject: Re: OCWA ssp.
Date: Nov 18 15:10:05 1998
From: Russell Rogers - rrogers at halcyon.com


Grettings,

I agree with Jack. The costal race, _V.c. lutescens_ should be quite easy
to tell apart from the two interior races and should be limited to areas
mostly west of the Cascades. Max stated that they were going most by the
grayish color on the back and head, I would think that more importantly,
you might want to look at the color of the underside. _V.c. lutesens_
should be very yello and the other two should be dull greenish. My
experiance with these in the hand is mostly limited to _V.c. lutescens_. I
have only banded one of the others here in western Washington, which I
identifed as _V.c. orestera_ (captured mid May at McChord AFB). I have
seen _V.c. lutesens in eastern Washington in the fall (one bird at Tiffiny
Mt. in August 1997). Jewett et al., as well as other sources, say that
some birds of either race should be exspected either side of the Cascades
during migration, but the breeding ranges of them should be pretty well
defined.

Russell

Russell Rogers
rrogers at halcyon.com


On Wed, 18 Nov 1998, Bowling,Jack [PYR] wrote:

> Max - Having had experience with most of the OCWA races in BC and Yukon, I
> cannot fathom how banders could be picking up _lutescens_ OCWA in the
> Rockies. Certainly we P.G.ers have never seen anything remotely close to one
> - only gray-headed interior races.
>
> I certainly hope that the interior banders are not mistaking hatch year
> Tennessee Warblers for OCWA. Young Tenns are *very* yellow all over and
> could easily be mistaken for lutescent OCWA unless the telltale white
> undertail coverts of TEWA are noted. OCWA have yellow undertail coverts in
> all plumages (and a different bill shape). You may want to check this out
> with your master banders.
>
> - Jack Bowling
> writing from Dease Lake, BC
>