Tweeters,

This e-mail raises a question about Northwestern Crow: Is Northwestern Crow
a separate species or a subspecies of American Crow? National Geographic
states that many experts consider it to be a subspecies of American Crow.
Does anyone know of research that can answer that question? My
understanding is the grand poohbaws of Washington consider it a subspecies.
Of course, at birdathon time it is considered a separate species for its
monetary value.

If it is a separate species, how far north do we need to go to be fairly
confident that the smallish crow we are looking at is a Northwestern? Where
to American Crows fade out and give way to nearly-pure Northwesterns?

Denny Granstrand
Yakima, WA


>>Hello,
>>
>>I spent last weekend on the west side of the Olympic peninsula at Tahola
>>Beach on the Quinault Indian Reservation. I saw many crows in the coastal
>>forest along the beach. Is it safe to assume that these were Northwestern
>>Crows or is there a range overlap in or near this area?
>>Thanks,
>>
>>Gerrit Vyn
>>GVYN at vanstar.com
>>
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>

osprey at nwinfo dot net