Subject: [Tweeters] NW vs AM Crow
Date: Dec 23 16:12:50 2009
From: scompton1251 at charter.net - scompton1251 at charter.net


Washington birders,

A most perplexing question, especially to someone from the southeast who has yet to see a "countable" Northwestern Crow. I have observed Crows closely in Seattle several times and have the distinct impression that they are smaller and more compact than the typical American and Fish Crows around here. They really seem different. I await with interest further investigation. Meanwhile, I'll head north of Seattle to see a safely countable NW Crow. Darwin would have loved this one.

Steve Compton
Greenville,SC
---- notcalm at comcast.net wrote:
> Bob and others,
>
>
> I found an unusually small crow on the beach at Hoquiam in mid -September, 2009. I have observed Crows and Ravens in a wide variety of settings for the past several decades, including adults and juveniles (AMCR- each year they successfully nest 50- 100 feet from our home and feed, learn to fly and bathe on our deck- first bath is truly a beautiful thing to watch) on our property for many years. This one was obviously and distinctly different: clearly smaller. It had the "correct " and expected proportions in relation to the AMCR. I concluded that it was the first obvious NW CR I had seen. Of course it may have been an unusually small ( -2 SD for size/ weight) American Crow.
> I will photograph the next one I see and send it to the group. I would encourage others to do so as well.
>
>
> Best,
> Dan Reiff, PhD
> Mercer Island
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Bob Norton" <norton36 at olypen.com>
> To: "Jon Leland" <jon_leland at yahoo.com>, tweeters at u.washington.edu
> Sent: Tuesday, December 22, 2009 9:00:27 PM GMT -08:00 US/Canada Pacific
> Subject: Re: [Tweeters] NW vs AM Crow
>
>
> The people who examine crows at the University of Washington say there are no Northwestern Crows in Washington. They have not been able to find any Crows in Washington with the correct measurements. North of the Frasier River in British Columbia they are all Northwesterns except for one area in Alaska where the American Crows get to the salt water.
> If anyone else knows otherwise, please expound and quote your sources.
> Bob Norton
> norton36 at olypen.com
> Joyce (near Port Angeles), WA
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Jon Leland
> To: tweeters at u.washington.edu
> Sent: Monday, December 21, 2009 1:04 PM
> Subject: [Tweeters] NW vs AM Crow
>
>
>
> Hi all:
>
> For those you listers, I am curious how you handle ID and tracking for American vs Northwestern Crow. The resources I have consulted suggest that it is impossible to tell the difference other than range. Do you just count it as NW Crow when youre on the Pacific Coast and AM crow the rest of the time? I use eBird to track my sightings, and am a little amused that they even offer "American/NW Crow hybrid" as a common species.
>
> Regards
> Jon Leland
> Seattle WA
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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