In response to David's post, we have now had Merlins representative of both the Black and Taiga races breeding here in western WA. In fact, there are several records of the two phenotypes breeding together.

In eastern WA, the pale race, Richardson's Merlin, shows up near Spokane and we banded a migrant at Entiat Ridge near Leavenworth a few years ago. That was the westernmost record for WA that I had seen although I recall that Steve Herman observed what looked like a migrant Richardson's many years ago at Bowerman Basin near Hoquiam. I think others have been reported as well although I have never seen one on the west side.

All three races are known to breed together in SE BC.

Bud Anderson
Falcon Research Group
Box 248
Bow, WA 98232 USA
(360) 757-1911 (office)
(206) 962-7838 (cell)
bud at frg.org