Martin Muller wrote:
> Sorry to bother the whole list, again. I can not seem to keep my records on
> who is looking for what information straight. I forget who was/is looking
> for belted kingfisher (Ceryle alcyon) data.

And I thought I had become a nuisance for continually prompting tweeters for
kingfisher info!
I am still serving as a repository for kingfisher sightings from Washington. I
try to watch tweeters posts carefully for any mention of kingfishers in daily
reports. Several people continue to send sighting info directly to me, either
via email or snail mail. Thanks to all.

WOSNews 55 carried my first article on kingfishers. This piece carried two
primary messages: 1) Sexing Belted Kingfishers is not as easy as I once thought
it to be (males, at an early age, show a partial rufous band that can make them
difficult to distinguish from females); and 2) Several observers in North
America have noticed a skewed male:female ratio in wintering kingfisher
populations.

The article Martin mentions...

> Kelly, Jeffrey F. 1998. Latitudinal variation in sex ratios of belted
> kingfishers. Journal of Field Ornithology 69(3): 386-390.

...is a case in point. About 90% of kingfishers Jeff saw during winter in Fort
Collins were males. Jeff also contacted CBC compilers around the United States
and asked them to keep track of male/female kingfishers. The results lend
credence to the idea that females migrate further than males, but reviewers
would not allow Jeff to step to the conclusion that this meant "differential
migration" for the sexes.

I asked Jeff how he dealt with the complicating factor of young males showing
rufous and essentially he said he didn't worry much about it. He was more
concerned (as I was last year when I began this project) that observers
remember it's the female with the rufous band and not the male (adult).

If wintering kingfishers are identified as "males", they likely lack any
rufous, as most observers do not know about the male juvenal plumage situation.
So the male bias may actually be an adult male bias.

Continued vigilance on the part of tweeters could help provide a clearer
picture of the habits of Washington kingfishers; if you don't mind sharing your
data, I don't mind compiling it. I'll do my best to report what the data show.

WOSNews notes: If any WOS member has not received # 55, mailed more than a
month ago, your membership may have fallen victim to a paperwork snafu. Check
in with the treasurer.

Anyone else interested in receiving a copy of WOSNews 55, with kingfishers,
curlews, and storm-petrels, can send their request and $2 to WOS, PO Box 31783,
Seattle WA 98103.

--
Scott Richardson
Olympia, Washington
salix at halcyon.com