Hi Tweets

Monday, October 2nd will be the first monthly meeting of the Washington Ornithological Society (WOS) for the 2006-2007 year. Join us for an intriguing evening. The speaker will be: Renee Ha, PH.D. The phylogenetic status of three North American crow species based on mtDNA control region sequences.

While the Northwestern Crow is considered a separate species from the more common American Crow, Corvus brachyrhynchos, as are the Fish Crows, Corvus ossifragus, of the southeastern United States, many professional ornithologists believe that Northwestern Crows are a subspecies, at most, of the American Crow. Admittedly, it is difficult to tell them apart in the field as the Northwestern Crow is characterized by having a slightly smaller body, distinct vocal differences, and a predilection for intertidal foraging. We have conducted a study analyzing a sequence of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region of 100 samples, including several species of crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos, C. caurinus, C. corone, C. ossifragus, C. splendens) and several outgroups. The results suggest that there may be more differences between the Northwestern and American Crows than there are between the American and the Fish Crow. If this pattern holds in further analyses, this may result in a reclassification of crows in the U.S. Renee is a lecturer in the Psychology Department, University of Washington. Her degree is in psychology (animal behavior) and her thesis was Social and Ecological Influences on Foraging Decisions by Beach-Foraging Northwestern Crows, Corvus caurinus.

This meeting will be an opportunity to meet some of the new officers of WOS, including Vice President Gene Hunn and Director Jack Stephens. Catch up with your friends after a busy summer of birding.

Monthly Membership Meetings are held the first Monday of the month (except for July, August, & September). They are held at the Center for Urban Horticulture (CUH) on the University of Washington campus, 3501 NE 41st St., Seattle, and are open to all. The social begins at 7:00 p.m. and the program starts at 7:30 p.m.

Take the SR 520 Montlake exit (toward the Univ. of Washington). This will curve to the east and become NE 45th St. Just past University Village watch for a five way intersection. Turn right (south) on Mary Gates Memorial Dr. to the entrance (on the right) to the CUH.

Brian H. Bell
almost Past President of WOS
Woodinville WA
bellasoc at isomedia dot com