The new split of Winter Wren was also based on vocal differences. This made
me think about American Crow and Northwestern Crow. I am merely a amateur
birder, who looks up to professional ornithologists with academic standing,
however I never have understood the reasoning behind the crow controversy.
Even a large "American Crow" has many calls different from its Eastern or
Midwest cousins. Given, the crow tribe is know for its many different calls
and even I can tell, if a crow mob has a hawk or an owl pinned down. Many
crows here in Federal Way and along Puget Sound are barely the size of a
Boat-tailed Grackle and still they are "American Crows". I know that DNA and
inter-breeding are large factors, but based on vocalization, crows should
have been split a long time ago and yes - I do believe that we have
"Northwestern Crows" inland here in the Pacific Northwest! Just thinking
aloud.....

Good Birding!

Hans Feddern
Twin Lakes/Federal Way, WA.
thefedderns at gmail.com
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