Hello All,

I've been looking at the fantastic photos of the male grouse posted by
Ruth and Patrick Sullivan and Khanh Tran with interest, since Winthrop
was described as being close to an area of overlap between Dusky and
Sooty Grouse (indicated in the paper that helped influence the AOU's
decision to split the two populations- referenced below). The birds
depicted in the photos show mostly Dusky Grouse characteristics - plum
colored bare skin on side of male?s neck and lacking prominent
tubercules, feathers surrounding this bare area broadly white, and tail
composed of 20 rectrices of relatively equal length - these characters
are easy to see in at least one of the pictures posted online. The
observers also noted the vocalizations were very low and did not carry
very far.

However, it looks like the bird photographed by Khanh Tran and the
aggressive bird photographed by the Sullivan's (possibly the same bird
since it was located near where Khanh Tran photographed the displaying
male) may have Sooty Grouse genes- the bird in these images all have a
somewhat indistinct broad terminal tail band- the shade of gray is not
as pale as what would be expected for Sooty and is only one or two
shades paler than the rest of the tail. But it is definitely broader
than the typical Dusky Grouse populations in WA. I'm curious to hear if
others think this is an indication of hybridization...I recall seeing a
posting on Tweeters that mentions intermediate specimens but not what
these birds looked like. Most of the Dusky Grouse observed near Winthrop
have been described as having nearly completely dark gray (almost black)
tails with only the extreme tips of the rectrices a pale gray - typical
of the northern populations of Dusky Grouse.

The photos where you can see the band are located at:
http://www.pbase.com/godwit/image/77695744
http://www.pbase.com/godwit/image/77695781
http://www.pbase.com/spruce_grouse/image/77725049

All of the Sullivan's photos of the Dusky Grouse are at:
http://www.pbase.com/godwit/dusky_grouse_photos

And all of Khanh Tran's photos plus some excellent shots of Franklin's
(Spruce) Grouse are at:
http://www.pbase.com/spruce_grouse/recent_

Interestingly, Dusky Grouse from the southern Rockies have a broad gray
terminal band on the rectrices similar to Sooty Grouse (some of these
birds, especially those from southern Colorado and New Mexico were also
genetically distinct- the authors of the paper suggested that this group
would benefit from further study).

Rumors are also afloat that the Franklin's group of Spruce Grouse is
also worthy of species status. Besides plumage and genetic differences,
Franklin's Grouse has a display fight that includes two wing claps,
which the nominate Spruce Grouse males do not do.

Big thanks to Ruth and Patrick Sullivan and Khanh Tran for taking and
posting the pictures.

G. F. Barrowclough, J. G. Groth, L. A. Mertz, R. J. Gutierrez 2004.
Phylogeographic structure, gene flow and species status in blue grouse
(/Dendragapus obscurus/). Molecular Ecol. 13:1911-1922.

Good Birding, Alan

--
Alan J. Knue
bluejay at surfbirder.com

Seattle, WA, USA