Subject: ID by ear ? not .....
Date: May 22 11:40:08 1999
From: S. Downes - sdownes at u.washington.edu


Tweets,
Two comments. First a big ditto on Andy's comments, on the HETO's the
songs to me are not distinct enough from either pure TOWA's or HEWA's that
I would need a visual on a bird in the hybrid zone to call it a sure TOWA
or HEWA and not a HETO. The call notes are even worse. Scott Pearson did
his PhD at the UW about 2 years ago examining the HETO zone in Washington,
I don't have the reference but it had some very good insights. Those of
you who do go to WOS meetings may remember that he presented at I think
Feb or March meeting 1997.
On the comment about heard birds ID I think its extremely reliable and
sometimes the only way to ID species. Cases like HETO's or other trouble
complexes are not the norm they are the exception. On the average point
count or survey in a coniferous forest, I *might* see 10-15% of the birds
I detect. Many of these birds are impossible to see in such settings
unless you get lucky. Another example is imagine on big days, birdathons
or Migratory counts if you had to spend your time seeing very bird. You
would cut your total by over 50% in most cases. Every serious birder does
his or her best to learn the calls and songs of birds before they get to
involved into birding, you just can't afford not to.

Scott Downes
sdownes at u.washington.edu
Seattle WA

"Birds don't read bird books. (That's why they are seen doing things they
are not supposed to do)." -Mary Wood