Ed and Tweeters,

Two subspecies of White-crowned Sparrows winter in western Washington:
the Puget Sound White-crown (Zonotrichia leucophrys pugetensis), which
is the subspecies that breeds throughout western Washington, and the
Gambel's White-crown (Z.l. gambeli), which breeds from northern Alaska
and the Yukon south to southern B.C., and rarely in the Washington
Cascades.

In the Vancouver area of B.C. (and presumably in northwestern
Washington), about 90% of the wintering White-crowns are Gambel's.
However, farther south in western Washington, I suspect that an
increasing percentage of winter White-crowns are the Puget Sound form
(even though most of these head far south for the winter).
White-crowns are much commoner in winter east of the Cascades
(especially in Yakima, Benton, Franklin & Walla Walla Counties), and
nearly all of these are Gambel's.

The Gambel's and Puget Sound subspecies are tricky to separate by
visual field marks, but it is possible to separate them, at least some
of the time. However, their songs are dramatically different and
easily recognizable. Since White-crowns sing at least occasionally in
the winter, my judgement that Gambel's is the predominant wintering
form around Vancouver is based partly on the frequency with which I
hear Gambel's singing in winter flocks (and the rarity with which I
hear Puget Sound White-crowns).

I hope this helps!

Wayne C. Weber
Kamloops and Delta, BC
contopus at shaw.ca


----- Original Message -----
From: Linda Barnes/Ed Swan <swanbarn at concentric.net>
To: <Tweeters at u.washington.edu>
Sent: Friday, April 05, 2002 6:57 AM
Subject: Sub-species of Winter White-crowned Sparrows?


Does anyone know what sub-species of White-crowned Sparrow winter in
Western Washington?

Ed Swan
Vashon Island
(206) 463-7976