Subject: Western Fly
Date: Jun 27 18:10:19 2004
From: SGMlod at aol.com - SGMlod at aol.com


Greetings

I must agree and disagree with Gene.

I think Western Fly is one species. The discussion would be lengthy and not
as hard-evidenced based as I'd like, so I'll skip the precise reasons why I
believe such. But part of my feeling is due to Canning's work.

However, I don't see any reason to suppose that the Western Flys are not
sympatric in the Blues. Johnston has no DNA evidence of Cordilleran from WA. His
assumption that they occur in parts of e. WA was exactly that, an assumption.
Why can't careful field observations bring such into question?

Many closely related species/subspecies occur sympatrically. Consider Laz and
Indigo Bunting, Balt and Bullock's Oriole, Myrtle and Audubon's Warbler. Whay
not PSFL and Cordilleran in the Blues?

Kevin Aanerud and I have quite a bit of experience with these taxa out of WA,
as well as in (and I know that Gene and Mike do, too). The responses to
tapes, and the distinctness of vocalizations on Coppei Creek give me little doubt
that both taxa breed along Coppei Creek. We did find at least one bird that
gave both taxon's vocalizations. Hybrid? Quite possible. Then again, Johnson
claims that Cordilleran can give both call notes, but PSFL can only give the more
slurred call (by the way, the distinction in call note is a more slurred vs. a
more two-parted call-- not upslurred or downslurred). So, hearing a bird give
both call notes doesn't fall outside the range of Cordilleran, or so it is
said. In any case, we were able to find birds that called (and sang) like
typical western WA PSFL as well as birds that would easily pass for Cordilleran in
Colorado. Hard to imaging both taxa aren't present in the Blues. And, as
further support, the birds that sang like one species, called like that species.

And one must be careful with the distinction between the songs of these
species. Both have a well separated portion to the song. Applying that difference
(useful for call notes) is not appropriate in singing birds.

Ugggg. Yet interesting at the same time. Coppei Creek and surrounding areas
are fabulous birding spots. Next June, go up there with some tapes and a
recorder and torture yourself. We enjoyed it immensely. One of the few times a
birder in North America has the chance of truly contributing to ornithological
knowledge.

Cheers
Steven Mlodinow
Everett WA