Vol. 10, No. 2 , 1979 WESTERN BIRDS Qjrnlfriv [rntniiil of Weiierri Farid Qrtiirhijlngntt WWi fa* John s, Luther I 'trt-Pmidii i& l cmicr ft, WihJ /> nj Licr^-’ Phil SduwfifT ,^f XofPSiftrp ‘ Murgtfrri Sehjrlh-F >'■ lyPrjTT. PliUI-1 J -ivihlui .'ipti'itit pfufrifi Vtfnrftfrr Linda Dr lam >. tshmtm L*ureis£i- £ ftmirmrl Jmnne A t y p David! f Dr^amr. Snephcn V Lavra on, John S Luiirf + Guy M c r Rijchkrd W SaJlcujl, TrtctKc k Wa!|L jujin Wiiz^nuii /CdpiVT- Alim M C!rrkt(5 h win if kJitn* NjiI i rp A Mumi* $1 Jlimm#.* killartt Amirn.. v, Akm HaMririgp-. William Ft ftrhle. Andffw |. Un^n, Laurence C Bhiftird > Cbjiraiani, Jmnnr A. Ctuirv, David F. DfSeintf, Rirbaid Hjitkioii, _|c*cph Crrt-njic-ij:, jWph K. Jrbl, Jr.. Ned K JohTTr«au p Vpr^RiaF.J^hiniMru llriH,i Kf**d. Charlm & Siepbcn A. Liyrnnn, John S t inlirr Urn Murmlh Ilium J Mi.'CalfEriy Gin M hiTih'tbv Mym* Hairy 5 NttkK Thermal L RMrlitiTA Sirphen M Rusied* Othr r K . Sctrtt, P EJjvuI 5 Lo i e K i ■ hat * I W SnillLup. bsvid fti'rliug. G vburnwiav Cktarfet Tmrtj Tcirfrec ft, Wahl, kiiland H Wuurr. BlUCc Wvhb. Dalr A. Zimmntiuiih: Layptcl and tiyiTf i It* ij^-ti j i h Virpiite fl>, JhIuiwh IVtcmbcffhip di rt», I ITT individuals on 4 inirkmionm including pub*cripttnn to VFjff fijrdi FaLrun, SlUUtS- Lite 51 $0 : Supporting, S2Q LtnnuLt.ly j . ConfinTt kiting. 3- Hi annually; Re^Lftr, $7 ,50 Duew uni cbntribmidltl are La.\ deductible tu Lbe extern: idloweiLf by lim Hack lsjiiho are IVlllsbk a£ 54 for Volume i t Number* 2, % i»tf 4 j, 1970). 5b fjQt Volume 2 (197T 3, is per volume for Volumes % MiPOugh 7. H-rtri for Volume d i 1977 "j and -^ubwqueni volume*. Membership due*, change* uf itldieFi. undelivoribi^ copie* and onlm for lM£k kSFUM uf CaHfnmm MMs/W&im flftrrii should be ffni m Phil Schaeffer, 37b Greenwood Rom). Trbursm. Califc'rFrnb. 94V Make i-|?et ks payable h- WesT.-rfl Field Ombholri^j'hM,. Srdd rare bird report* fnf California to John S. I.ut>pet n Ekil^^t; i?f AlAfttefc SS5 Adtntfic AVenUie, Alnmcda, CA 9+501 , Cdif. Hind* Ii lO^^iO. For Aruonk ^nd reprFrtstm Rcfecrt A, WttHtniin +61? L Areaibs Lfnr, PhtwHiiK * A X 850 1 S Fdr Culuradci, .end re pom tu CFO Hfcurds Uummilici, Denver Wwwiuu of Nil- ural History CJsf >■ Pirfc, Denver; Cil For flfvtiun, ttemirepn-rls m Clrtemi Birik. P O. Strjc 3 Off 2 . Fu^iie, i llL 974 ta i E*ubltshcd— Dn^iifibiCi [ ( I^T# WESTERN BtRDS ADVFRT1 Si NO RATES AND SPECIFICATIONS FttU Fage 4 i, ft- V4 incbc5- $fid per Issue S^Qi? per ycai Half Page 4 \ 5-|j!fcl mebe* $4Q pep hn* |3 3Ei pel •, c»r Quarter Fjgir 4 a LI) i:6 irw lie* 5 ID per i.s,sue Si 10 per vveu Offwt printiric, one column per page, 4 iiiehei wMe, Glossy, black and while pteps are a^txitliible: half lour: kiuss cut: I5| I me. Phwf>-rcadv copy it fEqueM, if thH is not pci^Kible, ext tm ebarics for qfptaeli lni win be made a* ; $15 full page, SIC liMlf page, $5 tptaner pagiL Send espy with remittance to Phil Sdiacffcr, 3?b Greenwood Beauh Road. Dburon, Caliiormfl Male abccki payable to We^iertT lie Id DrnilhciJonut A jf£ik cotnmiK^orT ii idfiywcd for agende*. WESTERN BIRDS Volume 10, Number 2, 1979 A SEABIRD DIE-OFF ON THE WASHINGTON COAST IN MID-WINTER 1976 BILL HARRINGTON-TWEIT, 900 N. Wilson, Olympia, Washington 98506 During the last week of February and the first two days of March 1976, large numbers of dead seabirds, particularly Northern Fulmars fFul- marus glacialis ) , Black-legged Kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla) and Common Murres (Uria aalge), washed up on the Pacific coast beaches of Washing- ton and northern Oregon. Lesser numbers of fulmars and kittiwakes were recorded on beaches south into southern California (DeSante 1976). This event received considerable news coverage and the concern of biologists, naturalists and others. METHODS Eleven beached bird censuses were received from observers who walked sections of beach of known distance, who were competent at identifying beached bird specimens and who submitted reliable data on oiling. The censuses covered 22 km of beach, representing 7.3% of the coast line. Sunrise Beach, Clatsop Co., the only Oregon beach covered, was censused on 6 March 1 976. In Washington, six censuses were taken along Grays Harbor Co. beaches, 2-6 March. Three of these were in the Westport area; the others were taken at Ocean Shores, Pacific Beach and Grenville Bay. The beach at North Cove, Pacific Co., was censused on 6 March. Two censuses were taken at Kalaloch, Jefferson Co., 6 and 7 March, and one on 7 March at Beach Trail No. 6, Olympic National Park, Clallam Co. On 6 March I picked up 7 1 birds from a 1 .6 km stretch of beach south of the Westport jetty. On 9 March these carcasses were autopsied. Each was checked for fat deposits, stomach contents and for oil or parasites in the digestive tract. The livers were retained for pesticide analysis, and the left wings of all fulmars were retained for molt analysis. I used a two-criteria analysis of variance to test differences of relative percentage of species involved and percent of each species affected by oil. Fulmar weights were analyzed using the non-parametric rank-sum test. All significant relationships were tested at the 95% level. Western Birds 10: 49-56, 1979 49 SEABIRD DIE-OFF RESULTS MAGNITUDE OF MORTALITY Counts averaged 42.5 dead birds per km (range 17-93) over the 1 1 beaches censused. This figure is much higher than the mean number of carcasses per km (x=8.5; range=l .3 to 28. 1) calculated from censuses in the Grays Harbor region during the months of January through March over a five year period, 1974-1978 (Hamngton-Tweitunpubl. data). Two beach censuses taken in the Grays Harbor region during mid February 1976 resulted in values of 6.3 and 6.6 carcasses per km (Jack Smith pers. comm.). The number of birds killed in this die-off is unknown. Coulson et al. (1968) and Hopejones et al. (1970) speculated that only 20 to 25% of the individuals dying offshore wash in to the beach, even when the mortality occurs fairly close (within 20 km) to shore. Birds that were part of this die- off continued washing up on the beaches in much reduced numbers through 10 March (David DeSante pers. comm.). SPECIES AFFECTED Most of the dead birds found were Northern Fulmars. They averaged 63% of the carcasses recovered, significantly higher than any other species (Table 1). Kittiwakes and murres averaged 16% and 10% on the beach censuses; their numbers were never significantly different from each other. Table 2 shows the number of carcasses tallied for all species observed. Of these, only the White-winged Scoter (Melanitta deglandi) was found in large enough numbers (22) to be considered in any detail. Table 3 shows data on the incidence of oiling for the major species. Northern Fulmar Oil was found on the plumage of 43% of the fulmars examined. Terence Wahl (pers. comm.) noted on his censuses of northern beaches, where the highest percentages of oiled fulmars were recorded, that the pattern of oiling on many fulmars suggested they were dead when oiled. Patches of oil adhered to the uppersides, with tiny spots all over the plumage, indicating that they floated through oil upside down. Since virtually no oiling was evident among the large sample of Oregon birds, this figure is likely an overestimation of oiling mortality. All fulmars autopsied were finishing wing molt. Of the 35 wings examined, 80% had fresh primaries and the remainder were growing the outer 2 or 3 primaries; 69% had replaced over half their secondaries, 86% had fresh tertiaries and 71% had retained less than a third of their old wing coverts. Light phased birds constituted 4% of the sample. I was unable to find any mention of a molt at this season in literature. There was a significant sexual dimorphism in weight. Males were heavier (x=609.25 gm, s=±77.9, range=485 to 727 gm, n= 1 6) than females (5^=479.1 gm, s=±50.0, range=395 to 582 gm, n=29). Average post- 50 SEABIRD DIE-OFF breeding weight for males of this subspecies (F. g. rodgersii) is 67 1 .3 gm; this value seems to be unknown for females as is prebreeding weight for either sex (Palmer 1 962). No fat deposits were noted on any of the birds. Ol the 33 stomachs examined, 6 1 % held either squid beaks or lenses. A few held as many as five beaks. Other items included variously colored plastic chips (irregular rectangles approximately 5 mm on a side and 1 mm thick), found in 39% of the stomachs, pebbles of approximately the same size, feathers and small pieces of bone. Only two stomachs contained oil or internal parasites. More females than males were in the autopsied sample (females=54.7%, males=30.2% and 15.1% were un- known, n— 35). All of the females had developing ovaries. A few fulmars were apparently wrecked inland during the die-off. On 29 Feburary a live fulmar was found in Montesano, Grays Harbor Co., about 40 km inland (Jack Smith pers. comm.). In addition, I found a long-dead fulmar on 1 7 April at Elma, Grays Harbor Co. (about 56 km inland), which I assume was blowm inland in late February. Five fulmars were seen from shore at the mouth of Grays Harbor on 28 February (Glen and Wanda Hoge pers. comm.), along with three other species of tubenoses: 30 Sooty Shearwaters (Puffinus griseus), 1 Mottled (Scaled) Petrel (Pterodroma inexpectata) and 6 Fork-tailed Storm-Petrels ( Oceano - droma furcata) . Tubenoses of any species are very rarely observed in winter from shore in Washington. Black-legged Kittiwake Kittiwake numbers fluctuated greatly between censuses (note the very high standard deviation in Table 1), as did the percentage of oiling observed (Table 3). At least some appeared to have been oiled after death; the value of 66% (Table 3) is thus a high estimate of oil-caused mortality. Autopsy data were inconclusive as the sample size was too small. The only data on age and molt were recorded on the. Oregon beach where Harry Nehls (pers. comm.) found that of 31 birds, 9.7% were first winter, 74.2% were second winter and the remaining 16.1% were adults. Most of the birds were replacing outer primaries; the remainder had completed molt. Common Murre Murre carcasses were evenly distributed along the coast. A high percentage (95%) were oiled (Table 3); this is significantly higher than for any other species analyzed except White-winged Scoter. A minority (33.8%) of the 74 murres checked were still in winter plumage; the majority had finished the prenuptial molt. I have no useful autopsy data on these birds. Other species Aside from the 22 badly oiled White-winged Scoters, only small numbers of other species were found. The numbers recorded for each 51 SEABIRD DIE-OFF Table 1 . Mean, standard deviation and range of the percentages of fulmars, kittiwakes and murres recorded on 1 1 beach censuses taken on the northern Oregon and Washington coast in early March 1976 following a seabird die-off. % NORTHERN FULMAR Mean (x) 63.0 Standard deviation (s) ±20.4 Range 83.5-10.2 % BLACK LEGGED KITTIWAKE 16.4 ±20.3 69.2-0 % COMMON MURRE 10.1 ±6.9 22.2-3.7 Table 2. Summary of carcasses found on 1 1 beach censuses taken on the northern Oregon and Washington coast in early March 1976 following a seabird die-off. Total number includes individuals for which presence or absence of oil was not recorded. SPECIES Oiled Unoiled Total Arctic Loon (Gama arctica) 1 2 3 Red-necked Grebe (Podiceps grisegena) 1 1 Western Grebe (Aechmophorus ocddentalis) 4 9 13 Northern Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis) 157 263 570 Mottled (Scaled) Petrel (Pterodroma inexpectata ) 1 1 2 Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel (Oceanodroma furcata) Leach’s Storm-Petrel (0. leucorhoa) 1 2 1 Storm-Petrel (sp.) 1 1 White-winged Scoter (Melanitta deglandi) 22 22 Surf Scoter (M. perspiallata) 1 2 3 Duck (sp.) 1 1 Glaucous-winged Gull (Larus glaucescens) 1 1 2 Western Gull (L ocddentalis) 2 2 Mew Gull (L. canus) 4 1 5 Larus sp. 6 1 7 Black-legged Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla ) 64 22 105 Common Murre ( Uria aalge) 85 5 90 Cassin’s Auklet (Ptychoramphus aleuticus) 4 4 Rhinocerous Auklet (Cerorhinca monocerataj 5 5 Tufted Puffin (Lunda arrhata) 4 4 Unidentified birds 8 13 Table 3. Mean, standard deviation and range for the percentage of individuals with oil on their plumage of fulmars, scoters, kittiwakes and murres found on 1 1 beach censuses taken on the northern Oregon and Washington coast in early March 1976 following a seabird die-off. BLACK- WHITE- NORTHERN LEGGED COMMON WINGED FULMAR KITTIWAKE MURRE SCOTER Mean (x) 43.2 66.0 95.3 90.0 Standard deviation (s) ±35.8 ±35.5 ±10.1 ±31.6 Range 52 100-10 100-0 100-72.7 100-0 SEABIRD DIE-OFF are listed in Table 2. As explained for fulmars and kittiwakes, it appeared that not all were oiled when alive. The majority, especially the loon, grebes and gulls, were probably not involved in the die-off, as they are found in comparable numbers on winter beached bird censuses (Harrington-Tweit unpubl. data). PESTICIDE LEVELS Eight livers were saved for pesticide analysis. The four fulmar livers had DDE levels ranging from 0.50 to 3.2 ppm (all measurements are wet weight). DDE levels for the two murres were 4.4 and 5.0 ppm, for the Arctic Loon ( Gavia arctica) 1.1 ppm, and the Western Grebe (Aechmo- phorus occidentalis) 3.4 ppm. PCBs were present in all specimens with the highest level, 19.0 ppm, in the grebe and the lowest, 2.0 ppm, in a fulmar. There is no indication that pesticide residues are physiologically harmful at these levels (Steve Herman pers. comm.). For information on concentrations found in other seabirds in the north Pacific see Rise- brough et al. (1967, 1968) and Fisher (1973); see Bogan and Bourne (1972) for information relating to Adantic seabirds. ENVIRONMENTAL DATA Consistently strong onshore winds occurred throughout February and were strongest late in the month. The wind blew southwesterly on 7 1.4% of the days at an average 30 km/h. Daily wind velocity during the last week of February averaged 38.3 km/h (range 29 to 47 km/h) predominantly from the southwest (National Weather Sendee data, U.S. Coast Guard reporting station, Westport, Grays Harbor Co., WA). These strong winds differed from the usual February weather. Values for February averaged over a 5-year period (1953 to 1958) at Hoquaim, Grays Harbor Co., indicate that winds are southwesterly (including WSW and SSW) 20.3% of the days at a velocity of 26.2 km/h (Pacific Northwest River Basins Commission 1968). Sea surface temperatures over the continental shelf off the Washing- ton coast average 9°C during January and February (calculated for the years 1961-1974). In early January 1976 the sea surface temperature in this area was 9°C, until a mass of colder water started pushing south along the coast. This 8°C water reached the mouth of the Columbia River by the end of January, and was bounded on the west by warmer water at the edge of the shelf. This situation remained unchanged until late February, when the colder water pushed further west (data from Southwest Fisheries Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA). However, this summary may not be entirely accurate. David G. Ainley (pers. comm.) found that off central California there was a brief period of higher sea surface temperatures in late February which was not reflected in the NOAA data. 53 SEABIRD DIE-OFF On 2 March two observers from the Ecological Services Division, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, flew the coastline from llwaco, Pacific Co., Washington, north to LaPush, Clallam Co. They reported fairly heavy, broken patches of crude oil within a mile of shore from llwaco to Copalis, Grays Harbor Co. (Gary Shaw pers. comm.). North of Copalis the patches were fewer and smaller. I found very few traces of oil on the beach during the three censuses I conducted in the Westport area on 6 March. The amount of oil further offshore at this time is unknown. DISCUSSION Periods of high seabird mortality, often in conjunction with storms, have been reported fewer than 10 times in the last 80 winters along the Washington coast (Harrington-Tweit in prep.). But winter storms with wind velocities of 80 to 110 km/h are reported almost every winter in this area (U.S. Department of Agriculture 1972). Obviously not every winter gale triggers a die-off of the magnitude reported here. Seabirds that winter on the north Pacific must be able to cope with high winds. Therefore other factors, possibly in conjunction with winter storms, must be involved in the die-offs. These could be environmental pollutants, food suppy and/or a bird’s physiological state. In this instance, mortality of fulmars and at least half that of kittiwakes w r as not due to oil. The White-winged Scoter and alcid mortality is definitely attributable to oil. The effect of pesticide residues present in these birds was probably negligible. All of the fulmars and kittiwakes had either just completed or were undergoing a molt; female fulmars, possibly some kittiwakes and most male fulmars were also developing into breeding condition. Sea surface temperatures can be used as a crude indicator of food availability. Both the kittiwakes and the fulmar are cold water feeders (Ainley 1976); they should not have been affected by the sea surface temperatures reported, if accurate, during this time. Ainley established that the brief period of higher surface temperatures, not shown by the N OAA data, coincided with the die-off (pers. comm.). Researchers at the Moss Landing Marine Laboratories found that captured prey species diversity' declined during the die-off, and that a majority of the carcasses examined had empty stomachs (Lynne Krasnow pers. comm.). From this Ainley inferred that the warming spell reduced the amount of food available to fulmars and kittiwakes, causing the die-off. Similar circum- stances may have prevailed off Oregon and Washington. As Kinsky (1968) points out, seabird mortality can occur very selectively, affecting only some of the species or populations found offshore at the time. He observed discrepancies between the size and species composition of the known offshore population and the sample of birds wrecked by a severe cyclone. Most of the discrepancies hinged upon whether or not a population or species was molting at the time of 54 SEABIRD DIE-OFF the wreck. Mortality was selective in this die-off. Both Sooty and Short- tailed shearwaters (Puffinus griseus and P. tenuirostris) occur offshore in winter (Ainlev 1976, Wahl 1975), and Glaucous-winged and Herring gulls (Larus glaucescens and L. argentatus ) are common offshore (Sanger 1973), yet none of these were involved in the die-off. Both physical and behavioral differences could account for the selectivity. Kittiwakes and fulmars were molting and many individuals were entering breeding condition. Wintering shearwaters are all non- breeding individuals and are not in molt at this time (Palmer 1962). Adult gulls may be entering breeding condition in February, but there should be no gulls in molt at this time (Dwight 1925). Fulmars and kittiwakes are both surface feeders, whereas Sooty Shearwaters are capable of diving under the surface (Terence Wahl pers. comm.), and gulls are able to feed in the littoral zone and inland when they cannot find surface food in the pelagic zone. It is still quite unclear how these behavioral and physiological differences interact with environmental conditions to produce selective mortality. The species affected by oiling present a different problem. Oiled grebes and diving ducks, two groups usually affected by coastal oil spills (Small et al. 1972), were relatively scarce. Instead, most of the birds affected were offshore species, the alcids. The oil observed onshore on 2 March had little affect on the birds in this zone; certainly very few appeared on the beaches. Oil was apparently spilled or dumped in late February in an area used primarily by murres. The consistent onshore winds may have served to blow more carcasses ashore than would have otherwise appeared on the beaches. This factor makes it difficult to assess the number of birds affected, but it was obviously substantial. The high number of oiled White-winged Scoters compared to other inshore feeders is another case of selective mortality, currently inexplicable. SUMMARY Results of 1 1 beached bird censuses taken on the coast of northern Oregon and Washington after a seabird die-off in late February 1976 are summarized. Northern Fulmar, Black-legged Kittiwake and Common Murre w ? ere the most numerous species found. Several other seabirds that winter offshore were not involved. Some behavioral and physiologi- cal differences that could account for the selective mortality are discussed. Murre mortality was caused by oiling; the source of the oil is unknown. Beached bird counts averaged 42.5 per kilometer, of which 63% were fulmars, 16% were kittiwakes and 10% were murres. Data obtained from autopsying fulmar carcasses provided information on completion of a primary molt at this season, a sexual dimorphism in weight and occurrence of plastic particles in the digestive tract. Pesticide residue levels are summarized for four species of seabirds found dead on the beaches. 55 SEABIRD DIE-OFF ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This paper is the result of many people’s input and help. I am indebted to Harry Nehls, Jack Smith and Terence Wahl for censusing beaches and contributing comments, ideas and support. Dave DeSante did a later census and sent supplemental information. Dave Ainley, Alyn Duxbury, Glen and Wanda Hoge, Lynne Krasnow, Gary Shaw and Jay Watson provided environmental data and observations. John Bulger, Dave Hayward, Katie and Kirk LaGory, Mark Rutherford and others at The Evergreen State College helped autopsy carcasses, making a tedious, malodorous job less unpleasant. Steve Herman procured funds for the pesticide analysis; John Peard did the lab work. Dave Ainley, John Bulger, Bob Sluss and Terence Wahl read and criticized drafts of this paper. LITERATURE CITED Ainley, D G. 1976. The occurrence of seabirds in the coastal region of California. West. Birds 7:33-68. Bogan, J. A. and W. R. P. Bourne. 1972. Organochlorine levels in Atlantic seabirds. Nature 240:358. Coulson,J. C., G. R. Potts, I. R. Deans and S. M. Fraser. 1968. Exceptional mortality of Shags and other seabirds caused by paralytic shellfish poisoning. Brit. Birds 61:381-404. DeSante, D. 1976. The changing seasons. Am. Birds 30:677-689. Dwight, J. 1925. The gulls (Laridae) of the world; their plumages, moults, variations, relationships and distribution. Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 52:63-408. Fisher, H. I. 1973. Pollutants in North Pacific albatrosses. Pac. Sci. 27:220-225. HopeJones, P., G. Howells, E. I. S. Rees andj. Wilson. 1970. Effect of ‘Hamilton Trader’ oil on birds in the Irish Sea in May 1969. Brit. Birds 63:97-1 10. Kinsky, F. C. 1968. An unusual seabird mortality in the southern North Island (New Zealand) April, 1968. Notornis 15:143-155. Pacific Northwest River Basins Commission, Meteorology Committee. 1968. Clima- tological handbook, Columbia basin states, vol. 3. Vancouver, Washington. Palmer, R. 1962. Handbook of North American birds, vol. 1. Yale Univ. Press, New Haven. Risebrough, R. W., D. B. Menzel, D. J. Martin, Jr. and H. S. Olcott. 1967. DDT residues in Pacific sea birds: marine food chains. Nature 216:589-590. Risebrough, R. W., P. Rieche, D. B. Peakall, S. G. Herman and M. N. Kirven. 1968. Polychlorinated biphenyls in the global ecosystem. Nature 220:1098-1102. Sanger, G. 1973. Pelagic records of Glaucous-winged and Herring gulls in the north Pacific Ocean. Auk 90:384-393. Small, J., D. G. Ainley and H. Strong. 1972. Notes on birds killed in the 1971 San Francisco oil spill. Calif. Birds 3:25-32. U. S. Department of Agriculture. 1972. Washington climate for these counties: Clallam, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, Pacific, Wahkiakum. Cooperative Extension Service, Wash, State Univ., Pullman. Wahl, T. R. 1975. Seabirds in Washington’s offshore zone. West. Birds 6:117-134. Accepted 23 March 1979 56 COLORADO FIELD ORNITHOLOGISTS OFFICIAL RECORDS COMMITTEE REPORT 1976-1977 Robert Andrews, do Curator of Zoological Collections, Denver Museum of Natural History, City Park, Denver, Colorado 80205 This report contains the results of the work done by the Colorado Field Ornithologists Official Records Committee in 1976 and 1977. All records reviewed appear below with the ORC file number and names of observers who submitted documentation. Activities of the ORC from its inception in May 1972 until 1976 have been reported by Reddall( 1973a, b, c, 1974a, b, 1975, 1976a, b). The list of Colorado birds as recognized by the ORC stands at 427 species. The ORC currently consists of six members: Robert Andrews (Chairman), David Griffiths, Edward Hollowed, Harold Holt, Peter Moulton and Richard Stransky. All ORC records are deposited in the Department of Zoological Collections, Denver Museum of Natural History. The ORC desires documentation for the following species (in addition to any species unrecorded from Colorado): Red-throated Loon, Red-necked Grebe, Brown Pelican, Olivaceous Cormorant, Anhinga, Little Blue Heron, Reddish Egret, Louisiana Heron, Wood Stork, Glossy Ibis, Roseate Spoonbill, Trumpeter Swan, Brant, European Wigeon, Harlequin Duck, Common Eider, Black Scoter, Swallow-tailed Kite, Red- shouldered Hawk, Gyrfalcon, Whooping Crane (except San Luis Valley), King Rail, Yellow Rail, Common Gallinule, American Woodcock, Eskimo Curlew, Sharp-tailed Sand- piper, Short-billed Dowitcher, Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Hudsoman Godwit, Ruff, Red Phalarope, Pomarine Jaeger, Parasitic Jaeger, Long-tailed Taeger, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Thayer’s Gull, Laughing Gull, Little Gull, Ivory Gull, Black- legged Kittiwake, Caspian Tern, Ancient Murrelet, White-winged Dove, Groove- billed Ani, Barred Owl, Spotted Owl, Boreal Owl, Whip-poor-will, Lesser Nighthawk, Anna’s Hummingbird, Rivoli’s Hummingbird, Blue-throated Hum- mingbird, Olivaceous Flycatcher, Black Phoebe, Alder Flycatcher, Eastern Wood Pewee, Vermilion Flycatcher, Purple Martin (east slope only). Short-billed Marsh Wren, Long-billed Thrasher, Bendire’s Thrasher, Gray-cheeked Thrush, Sprague’s Pipit, Phainopepla, White-eyed Vireo, Yellow-throated Vireo, Swain- son’s Warbler, Blue-winged Warbler, Lucy’s Warbler, Cape May Warbler, Hermit Warbler, Cerulean Warbler, Yellow- throated Warbler, Pine Warbler, Prairie Warbler, Louisiana Waterthrush, Kentucky Warbler, Connecticut Warbler, Cana- da Warbler, Painted Redstart, Eastern Meadowlark (except at Red Lion State Wildlife Area), Scott’s Oriole, Great-tailed Grackle (except San Luis Valley), Hepatic Tanager, Painted Bunting, Le Conte’s Sparrow, Sharp-tailed Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Smith’s Longspur. Western Birds 10: 57-70, 1979 57 COLORADO RECORDS PART I - SPECIES ADDED TO THE COLORADO LIST KING RAIL (Rallus elegans) . One (N- 17-68) attheC.F. & I. Lakes near Pueblo, Pueblo Co. 12Jun-3Jul 1976 (DAG, RA, NM, PM, photos byJS, VT) (Figure 1). For complete details see Griffiths (1976). SHARP-TAILED SANDPIPER (Calidris acuminata). One immature (N-19-62) at Prince Lake No. II, 1 mile N of Lafayette, Boulder Co. 26 Oct-7 Nov 1975 (BW, JC, RA, HH, AM, JR, photos by HH, BW). Webb and Conry (1979) present details. RUFF ( Philomachus pugnax ). One individual, possibly an immature male (N- 19-7 7) 1.5 miles NE of Prospect Res., Weld Co. 30 May-5 Jun 1976 (JR, RA, MOS, photos by WL). LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL (Larus fuscus) . One adult (N-23-75) Lake Sangraco, Adams Co. 12 Dec-1 Jan 1977 (BW, RA, JR, WWB, photos by DMNH, HH). For details see Webb and Conry (1978). GROOVE-BILLED AN I (Crotophaga sulcirostris) . One(N-26-72) Bonny Reservoir State Recreation Area, Yuma Co. 3 Oct 1976 (PG, MM, BW, photos by BW). For complete details see Webb (1976). (Webb presents an account and photograph of one observed west of Pueblo Res., Pueblo Co. 6 Jul 1975 by Jim Dennis, the first record from Colorado chronologically.) PART II - REPORTED SPECIES NOT ADDED TO THE COLORADO LIST BARNACLE GOOSE (Branta leucopsis). Two (N-8-69) Frying Pan River at Elk Willow Campground near Basalt, Eagle Co. 26-27 Oct 1975. Photo on file. Apparendy imported into the area and released. WHITE-TAILED HAWK (Buteo albicaudatus) . One (N-10-71) Lakewood, Jefferson Co. 12 May 1976. BLACK RAIL (Later alius jamaicensis) . One (N- 17-65) Red Lion State Wildlife Area, Logan Co. 20 Apr 1976. One (N- 17-76) near Ridgway, Ouray Co. 27 Sept 1976. RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD ( Archilochus colubris). One (N-31-67) Bonny Reservoir State Recreation Area, Yuma Co. 5-6 May 1976. PART III -SPECIES DELETED FROM THE COLORADO LIST BLACK BRANT (Branta nigricans). Removed due to the taxonomic decision of the AOU (1976). MEXICAN DUCK (Anas diazi) and MO 11 LED DUCK ( Anas fulvigula). These species are deleted because the specimens from Colorado (DMNH 353, 20557 , 24392, 25374, 33794) have been examined byjohn R. Hubbard of the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish and determined not to be valid examples of these species (Betsy Webb pers. comm.). RUFFED GROUSE (Bonasa umbellus). All ORC material was examined by Clait E. Braun of the Colorado Division of Wildlife, who considered none of the reports to be acceptable, and the ORC concurs. ICELAND GULL ( Larus glaucoides). Deleted because the Colorado specimen (DMNH 18886) has been determined to be a Thayer’s Gull (L thayeri) by Roxanne Layboume of the National Museum of Natural History (Betsy Webb pers. comm.). 58 COLORADO RECORDS PART IV- REPORTS OF RARE SPECIES The following is a summary of the 152 records received and processed by the ORC in 1976 and 1977. Some species included are no longer on the list of species for which the ORC solicits documentation. CLASS A RECORDS - Records in which the submitted documentation supports the stated identification. ARCTIC LOON (Gavia arctica). Two (1-76-16) Prewitt Res., Washington Co. 16 Nov 1975 (SB). One ( 1 -76-105) Sloan’s Lake, Denver Co. 22-2S Oct 1976 (VR). There are 23 records for Colorado, and the species is now considered a regular and expected fall migrant. RED-THROATED LOON (G. stellata). One (1-76-106) Sloan’s Lake, Denver Co. 27 Oct 1976 (VR, RA, JRC, JR). Fourth state record. GREEN HERON (Butorides striatus) . One (5-76-21) Durango, La Plata Co. 19jan-26 Apr 1976 (RWS). First winter report. LITTLE BLUE HERON (Florida caendea). One (5-77-21) near bridge over Yampa R. on Highway 318 nearMaybell, Moffat Co. 23 May 1973 (MS). Two (5-76-56) 4 miles N ofjunction of 1-76 and Kersey Road, Weld Co. 31 May 1976 (HH-photos on file). One (5-77-38) Beebe Draw Gun Club at LaSalle, Weld Co. 26 Apr, 20 May 1977 (WPG). One (5-77-55) McCoy, Eagle Co. 15-16 May 1977 (ME). There are now 15 state records. CATTLE EGRET (Bubidcus ibis). One(5-76-l 14) Boulder Res., Boulder Co. 31 Oct 1976 (ET). There are now 25 state records. LOUISIANA HERON (Hydranassa tricolor). One (5-77-39) Masters, Weld Co. 22-31 May 1977 (GM). One(5-77-48) Pueblo Res., Pueblo Co. 30 May 1977 (CK). One(5-77- 47) Wellington, Larimer Co. 31 May 1977 (MJ). Sixth-eighth state records. ROSS’ GOOSE ( Chen rossii). One (8-76-11) Valmont Res., Boulder Co. 20-21 Dec 1975 (BK, PJ). There are now 28 state records. EUROPEAN WIGEON (Anas penelope). One male (8-76-34) Barr Lake State Park, Adams Co. 3 Apr 1976 (RA). Seventh state record (all but one are from early April- early May). HARLEQUIN DUCK ( Histrionicus histrionicus) . One female or immature (8-76-108) Barr Lake State Park, Adams Co. 24 Oct 1976 (RA, TS). Sixth state record (1st since 1940). WHITE-WINGED SCOTER (Melanitta deglandi). Three females or immatures (8-77- 15) Totton Res., near Cortez, Montezuma Co. 23 Oct 1976 (RWS). There is only one published record from the west slope: five on Mesa L., Mesa Co. in Oct 1912 (Bailey and Niedrach 1965, Davis 1969). SURF SCOTER (M. perspicillata) . One male (8-76-84) Marston Res., Jefferson Co. 14 May 1976 (VT). Twenty-ninth state record. BLACK SCOTER ( M . nigra). Three females or immatures (8-76-100) Cherry Creek Res., Arapahoe Co. 12 Oct 1976 (JR, VR). Two females or immatures (8-76-95) Valmont Res., Boulder, Boulder Co. 23 Oct 1976 (JR). Two females or immatures (8- 76-110) Cloverleaf Res., Boulder Co. 5-6 Nov 1976 (JR, TV). Eleventh-thirteenth state records. RED-SHOULDERED HAWK ( Buteo lineatus). One adult (10-76-22) Bonny Res., YumaCo. 15 Feb 1976 (MM) (only mid-winter record in Colorado). One adult (10-76- 47) Bonny Res., YumaCo. 5 May 1976 (JR). One immature (10-76-97) Barr Lake State Park, Adams Co. 27 Sep 1976 (RA). One adult (10-77-73) on Highway 14 at Weld- Larimer Co. line 2 Sep 1977 (BM). Webb (1978) has reviewed the status of this bird in Colorado. 59 COLORADO RECORDS PIPING PLOVER ( Charadrius melodus ) . Two ( 1 8-77-20) Bonny Res., Yuma Co. 23 Apr 1977 (MJ, MM, JP, JS). Twenty-third state record. SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER (Limnodromus griseus ) . One(19-76-8) Boulder, Boul- der Co. 4 Oct 1975 (RA). Four { 19-77-6) Union Res., Weld Co. 23-24 May 1976 (PM, BW). One (19-76-89) Jackson Res., Morgan Co. 6 Sept 1976 (JR). Sixth-eighth state records. BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER (Tryngites subruficollis) , One (19-76-102) Barr Lake, Adams Co. 22-24 Aug 1976 (RA, DAG). One ( 19-77-67) Jackson Res., Morgan Co. 4 Sep 1977 (RA,JR). One(19-77-20) CherryCreek Res., Arapahoe Co. 7 Sep 1977 (TM). Fourteenth- sixteenth state records (all but three are from late August and early September). HUDSONIAN GODWIT (Limosa haemastica ) . One (19-76-49) Red Lion State Wildlife Area, Logan Co. 8 May 1976 (JR). One (19-76-57) Red Lion State Wildlife Area, Logan Co. 30-31 May 1976 (HH, WL, photos on file-HH). Seventh and eighth state records (all but one in spring, mostly in late May). RED PHALAROPE (Phalaropus fultcanus). One (21-76-91) Barr Lake, Adams Co. 1 1- 13 Sep 1976 (RA, JR). Eighth state record. Half of all state records are from 1975 and 1976. JAEGER SP. (Stercorarius sp.J. Because most observations of jaegers in Colorado involve immatures, which are often very difficult to identify even by someone with considerable field experience, it is felt that under most circumstances inland observers simply do not have the necessary expertise or resources to identify most immature jaegers. Therefore, as a general rule, records of immature jaegers will be treated as jaeger sp. One (22-76-28) Cherry Creek Res., Arapahoe Co. 27 Feb 1976 (MOS). One (22-76-92) Barr Lake, Adams Co. 11 Sep 1976 (RA). One (22-76-96) Barr Lake, Adams Co. 17-25 Sep 1976 (RA), One(22-76-l 13) Bonny Res., YumaCo. 6 Nov 1976 (MM). One (22-76-1 17) Prewitt Res., Washington Co. 24 Nov 1976 (JR). One (22- 76-123) Marston Res., Jefferson Co. 11 Dec 1976 (TG). One (22-77-65) Union Res., Weld Co. 4 Sep 1977 (RA, JR). There are now 31 records of jaegers (including all species and all plumages) from Colorado. PARASITIC JAEGER (S. parasiticus). One adult (22-77-67) Cherry Creek Res., Arapahoe Co. 3 Aug 1977 (TM). One adult (22-77-59) Union Res., Weld Co. 13-14 Aug 1977 (RA, MM, PM). One adult (22-77-7 1) Chatfield Res., Douglas Co. 17 Sep 1977 (HK). THAYER’S GULL (Larus thayeri). One immature (23-76-7) Centennial Park, Engle- wood, Arapahoe Co. 20 Dec 1 975 (JR). One immature (23-76-29) Cherry Creek Res., Arapahoe Co. 22 Feb-7 Mar 1976 (JR). One immature (23-76-116) Prewitt Res., Washington Co. 24 Nov 1976 (JR). One adult (23-76- 130) Lake Sangraco, Adams Co. 13 Dec 1976 (RA). One immature (23-77-70) Cherry Creek Res., Arapahoe Co, 5 Feb 1977 (JR). One subadult (23-77-13) Cherry Creek Res., Arapahoe Co. 5-25 Mar 1977 (JR). There are now 22 records from Colorado. LAUGHINGGULL (L. atricilla). Two winter adults (23-76-4) Union Res., Weld Co. 1 Nov 1975 (RA, JR). One adult (23-76-79) C. F. & I. Lakes, Pueblo Co. 7 Jun 1976 (DAG). One winter adult (23-76-1 12) Union Res., Weld Co. 23 Oct 1976 (JR). One adult (23-77-19) Cherry Creek Res., Arapahoe Co. 17 Apr 1977 (TM). There are now 14 state records, and the species is recorded annually, mostly in spring. LITTLE GULL (L minutus). One adult (23-76-48)Jumbo Res., Logan Co. 8 May 1976 (JR). Three immatures (23-76-62, 23-77-5, 23-77-60) Union Res., Weld Co. 15 May-27 Jun 1976 (RA, PM, JR, CW, photos on file-PM). Second and third state records. BLACK-LEGGED KITT1WAKE (Rissa tridactyla). One immature (23-76-1 18) Union Res., Weld Co. 27 Nov 1976 (JR). Seventh state record; four of the seven are fall records. WHITE-WINGED DOVE (Zenaida asiatica). One (25-77-37) 20 miles W of Grover, Weld Co. 3 May 1977 (SA, RP, VHR, VS). Eighth state record. 60 COLORADO RECORDS SPOTTED OWL (Strix occidentals) . One (28-76-90) 1 mile W of Silverthorne, Summit Co. 5 Sep 1976 (HK, UK). Thirteenth state record. SWIFT SP. (Chaetura sp.j. One (30-77-4) Ridgway, Ouray Co. 26 Sep 1976 (JRG, HK). Fourth record of a Chaetura swift from western Colorado (Davis 1969); none have been identified to species. BLUE-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD (Lampomis demenciae). Five females or im- matures (31-76-1) 7 miles N of Durango, La Plata Co. 7 Sep 1975 (EF, RWS). Fifth state record. COMMON FLICKER (Colaptes auratus) . One intergrade (33-77-3) Grand Junction, Mesa Co. 2-20 Jan 1977 (HA). Davis (1969) records only one Yellow-shafted or intergrade flicker from western Colorado (Grand Junction- 17 Dec 1966). RED-HEADED WOODPECKER (Melanerpes erythrocephalus) . One immature (33-76- 124) 2 miles S of Breen, La Plata Co. 19-28 Oct 1976 (DS). One immature at Hotchkiss, Delta Co. from 8 Dec 1973-9 Jan 1974; this is only the third published record from western Colorado (Davis 1969), the other two being from Grand Co. in 1877 and Routt Co. in 1908. LADDER-BACKED WOODPECKER (Picoides scalaris) . One female (33-76-30) Colo- rado Springs, El Paso Co. 12-19 Feb 1976 (DB-photo on file). Rather rare in El Paso Co. One male (33-76-36) Boulder, Boulder Co. 27 Mar 1976 (HPC). There appears to be only one other record from the Platte R. drainage in Colorado: one at Red Rocks, Jefferson Co. 20 Sep 1964 (Bailey and Niedrach 1965, Holt 1975). EASTERN PHOEBE ( Sayomis phoebe) . One (34-76-16) Boulder, Boulder Co. 21 Dec 1975 (CJ). Apparently the only report in Colorado between 1 Oct and 1 1 Mar (Bailey and Niedrach 1965, Holt 1975). VERMILION FLYCATCHER (Pyrocephalus rubinus) . One female (3 4- 7 6- 19) Pastorius Res,, La Plata Co. 20 Sep 1975 (AN). One female (34-77-18) Lajunta, Otero Co. 23 Mar 1977 (BT). Sixteenth and seventeenth state records (most are in spring or fall). PURPLE MARTIN (Progne subis). One male (36-76-41) Barr Lake, Adams Co. 29 Apr 1976 (RA). One female (36-76-55) 16 miles SW of Ft. Morgan, Morgan Co. 25 May 1976 (JCR). Eighth and ninth east slope records. PYGMY NUTHATCH (Sitta pygmaea). One (39-76-103) Barr Lake, Adams Co. 4 Sep 1976 (RA), Second plains record, the first being two at Barr Lake 18-25 Sep 1960. HOUSE WREN (Troglodytes aedon). One (42-76-125) Littleton, Arapahoe Co. 20 Dec 1975 (RA). Only two other winter reports from Colorado: one inJefFerson Co. 19 Feb 1900 and one in Arapahoe Co. 28 Dec 1934 (Bailey and Niedrach 1965). SHORT-BILLED MARSH WREN (Cistothorus platensis) . One (42-76-39) Bonny Res., Yuma Co. 6-7 May 1976 (JR). One (42-76-81) Jumbo Res., Logan Co. 16 May 1976 (NM). One (42-77-17) C. F. & I. Lakes, Pueblo Co. 26 Mar 1977 (AB, EB). Eleventh- thirteenth state records, the majority being spring records from the northeastern part of the state. CANYON WREN (Catherpes mexicanus) . One (42-76-104) Barr Lake, Adams Co. 22 Aug 1976 (RA). There appear to be no other records from a plains locality (Bailey and Niedrach 1965). CURVE-BILLED THRASHER (Toxostoma curvirostre) . One (42-76-80) 2 miles N of Silverthorne, Summit Co. 30 Apr-7 May 1976 (LB-photo on file). One (42-76-54) Bonny Res., Yuma Co. 1 8 May 1976 (HG, SW). Third and fourth records from outside the Arkansas River valley, the former being the first mountain record. VARIED THRUSH (Ixoreus naevius). One male (44-77-16) Ridges Basin Rd. near Bodo Wildlife Area, La Plata Co. 21 Nov 1976 (RWS). Neither Bailey and Niedrach (1965) nor Davis (1969) mentions any west slope record of this species. GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSH (Catharus minimus). One (44-76-73) Boulder, Boulder Co. 13 May 1976 (WL). One (44-76-67) Barr Lake, Adams Co. 16 May 1976 (RA). One (44-76-72) Crow Valley Park, Weld Co. 16 May 1976 (WL). One (44-76-85) Boulder, 61 COLORADO RECORDS Boulder Co. 16 May 1976 (FH). One (44-76-58) Cherry Creek Res., Arapahoe Co. 17 May 1976 (MOS). One (44-76-75) Jumbo Res., Logan Co. 29 May 1976 (WL). Eleventh-sixteenth state records (virtually all in May). SPRAGUE’S PIPIT (Anthus spragueii). Two (46-76-51) Lake Estes, Larimer Co. 28 Apr 1976 (WR). One (46-76-107) Table Mtn., Boulder Co. 23 Aug 1976 (FH). Tenth and eleventh state records. WHITE-EYED VIREO (Vireo griseus). One (51-76-44) Two Buttes Res., Baca Co. 1 May 1976 (RA, NM). Fourth state record (three in May, one in September). YELLOW-THROATED VIREO (V flavifrons). One (51-77-64) Colorado Springs, El Paso Co. 24 Aug 1977 (WH). Tenth state record (first fall record, all others late April- late May). PHILADELPHIA VIREO (V philadelphicus) . One(51-76-86) Boulder, Boulder Co. 25 May 1976 (FH). Nineteenth state record (14 are fall records). PROTHONOTARY WARBLER (Protonctaria citrea). One male (52-76-43) Boulder, Boulder Co, 8-12 May 1976 (PE, RA, NM, photo on file-NM). One or two males (52- 77-27) Ft. Collins, Larimer Co. 7 May 1977 (SHB, DH, WLH, DV), Sixteenth and seventeenth state records (of which 14 are in spring, 12 in May). WORM-EATING WARBLER (Helmitheros vermivorus) . One (52-76-45) Boulder, Boul- der Co. 8 May 1976 (MM,JS, photo onfile-JS), One (52-76-79) Boulder, Boulder Co. 20 May 1976 (RV). Twenty-fifth and twenty-sixth state records (all but five are spring, late April-mid-May). GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER (Vermivora chrysoptera) . One male (52-77-22) Barr Lake, Adams Co. 7-9 May 1977 (RA, WL). One male (52-77-33) Boulder, Boulder Co. 14 May 1977 (PJ). Nineteenth and twentieth records (16 are spring records, mostly mid- and late May). BLUE-WINGED WARBLER (V ptnus). One (52-76-40) Two Buttes Res., Baca Co. 5- 7 May 1976(PJ,JR). One male(52-76-77) Barr Lake, Adams Co. 6Jun 1976(RA). Sixth and seventh state records (all spring). CAPE MAY WARBLER (Dendroica tigrina). One male (52-76-42) Boulder, Boulder Co. 10-12 May 1976 (RA, PM, JR, NM, photo on file- PM). One female or immature (52-76-109) Boulder, Boulder Co. 31 Oct 1976 (RA). Second fall record for Colorado, the first being at Waterton, Jefferson Co. 20-23 Nov 1974. One male (52-77-32) Moraine Park Campground, Rocky Mountain National Park, Larimer Co. 6 May 1977 (PH). One male (52-77-28) Lower Dixon Res., Larimer Co. 7 May 1977 (DL). One male (52-77-50) Endovalley, Rocky Mountain National Park, Larimer Co. 12-13 Jun 1977 (KB, FK, SWo), with complete details provided by Bass (1977). Ninth-thirteenth state records (all but two in spring). HERMIT WARBLER (D. occidental^) . One male (52-76-68) Boulder, Boulder Co. 20 May 1976 (RV). Second state record. YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER (D. dominica). One male (52-77-24) Bonny Res., Yuma Co. 15 May 1977 (WL, MM, PM, photos on file-WL). Ninth state record. PINE WARBLER (D. pinus). One male (52-76-98) Pingree Park near Rustic, Larimer Co. 11 Jul 1976 (TB). Ninth state record. First summer record; all others are from September-December with one May record. PRAIRIE WARBLER (D, discolor) . One male (52-76-7 1) Bonny Res., Yuma Co. 15-16 May 1976 (photos on file-PM, JS). Fourth state record (all mid-May to early June). LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH (Seiurus motacilla). One (52-77-23) Bonny Res., Yuma Co. 14 May 1977 (WL, MM). Second state record. CANADA WARBLER (Wilsonia canadensis). One male (52-76-2) Boulder, Boulder Co. 13-16 Oct 1975 (JR). One male (52-76-66) Colorado Springs, El Paso Co. 26 May 1976 (CC). Thirteenth and fourteenth state records (nine spring, five fall). EASTERN MEADOWLARK ( Stumella magna ). Six (54-76-53) Red Lion State Wildlife Area, Logan Co. 8-9 May 1976 (JR). One (52-76-76) Red Lion, Logan Co. 30 May 1976 (WL). The only acceptable Colorado records come from this single locality. 62 COLORADO RECORDS SCOTT’S ORIOLE (Icterus parisorum). One male (52-77-49) Unaweep Canyon, Mesa Co. 21 May 1977 (PJ). Fifth state record (all spring). GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE (Quiscalus mexicanus). Five males and three females (54- 76-88) Monte Vista, Rio Grande Co. 12Jun 1 976 (JR). The small population at this site has been present since 1973, as reported by Stepney (1975). Four records are from other localities in Colorado (Gunnison, La Plata and Pueblo Cos.). SCARLET TANAGER (Piranga olivacea). One male (55-76-115) Boulder, Boulder Co. 16 Jun 1976 (photo on file-FH). One male (55-77-53) Poudre Canyon, Larimer Co. 19 Jun 1977 (photo on file-EDB). Thirty-nine state records (all but ten are spring, mid-May to mid-June), SUMMER TANAGER (P. rubra). One male (55-76-50) Animas Valley near Durango, La Plata Co. 7 May 1976 (GC). Thirty-eighth state record (all but five in spring). PURPLE FINCH (Carpodacus purpureus) . One female or immature (56-76-25) Boul- der, Boulder Co. 6 Dec 1975 (JR). One female or immature (56-76-24) Ft. Collins, Larimer Co. 20 Dec 1975, banded 1 1 Jan 1976, retrapped and photographed 16 Feb 1976 (photos on file-RR). One female or immature (56-76-32) Boulder, Boulder Co. 29 Feb 1976 (JR). One adult male (56-77-9) Evergreen, Jefferson Co. 2 May 1976 (WWB). Two females or immatures (56-76-101) Boulder, Boulder Co. 18 Oct 1976 (VR). Two females orimmatures (56-76-1 11) Barr Lake, Adams Co. 30 Oct 1976 (RA). One female or immature (56-77-12) Dry Creek Res., El Paso Co. 2 Jan 1977 (DAG). One female or immature (56-77- 10) Bonny Res., YumaCo. 22-29Jan 1977 (MM, PM, JS). Twenty-five state records; the species is recorded every winter. BAIRD’S SPARROW (Ammodramus bairdii). One male (56-76-52) Red Lion State Wildlife Area, Logan Co. 8-9 May 1976 (JR). LE CONTE’S SPARROW (Ammospiza leconteii). One (56-77-29) Dry Creek Res. near Wellington, Larimer Co. 7 May 1977 (EH, JWS, photos on file-JWS). Second state record. CONTRIBUTORS Helen E. Allen (HA), Robert Andrews (RA), Stewart Adams (SA), Dominic A. Bartol, Jr. (DB), Kenneth H. Bass (KB), Adam Blatnick (AB), Edward Blatnick (EB), Elyse Deffke Bliss (EDB), Linda Boden (LB), Theodore P. Bodner (TB), Sophia Bogan (SB), Stephen H. Bouffard (SHB), Winston William Brockner(WWB), Roben Buttery (RB), Honeywood P. Carter (HPC), Charles L. Campbell (CC), Gloria J. Childress (GC), Jeanne A. Corny (JC), John R. Cooper (JRC), Camille Cummings (CCu), Patricia Echelmeyer (PE), Margaret Ewing (ME), Elva Fox (EF), Thomas A. Gatz (TG), Peter Gent (PG), Ivan Getting (IG), Libby Goodwin (LG), Warner P. Gorenzel (WPG), Herman J. Griese (HG), Dave A. Griffiths (DAG), J. R. Guadagno (JRG), Wendy L. Haas (WLH), Freeman F, Hall (FH), Jeanne A. Halsey (JH), Paula L. Hansley (PH), Dale Hein (DH), Edward Hollowed (EH), Harold R. Holt (HH), W. G. Hurd (WH), Mark Janos (MJ), Christina Jones (CJ), Paul R. Julian (PJ), Hugh E. Kingery (HK), Urling Kingery (UK), Frances J. Kobetic (FK), Barry Knapp (BK), Chris Knight (CK), David Laliberte (DL), William A. Lybarger (WL), Thompson Marsh (TM), Ken Mesch (KM), Gary Miller (GM), Brian A. Millsap (BM), Narca A. Moore (NM), Michael Moulton (MM), Peter Moulton (PM), Alan Nelson (AN), Karen Nickey(KN), Richard E. Pillmore (RP), Julie Pinkham (JP), Jack Reddall (JR), Warner Reeser (WR), Vincent H. Reid (VHR), Van Remsen(VR), Joseph C. Rigli(JCR), Ronald A. Ryder (RR), Virgil E. Scott (VS), Susan Seeds (SS), Thomas G. Shane (TS), Mildred O. Snyder (MOS), John W. Solberg(JWS), Diana Stransky(DS), Richard W. Stransky(RWS),JuddSundine(JS), Michael R. Szymczak (MS), Edward L. Thompson (ET), Babette F. Tully (BT), Van A. Truan (VT), Ridi Van Zandt (RV), Thomas E. Van Zandt (TV), Donna Vinal (DV), Bruce E. Webb (BW), Craig Williams (CW), Sartor O. Williams (SW), Sandy Wohlgemuth (SWo). 63 COLORADO RECORDS CLASS B RECORDS - Records in which the submitted documentation indicates a misidentification was made or the submitted documentation is too brief. LITTLE BLUE HERON (Florida caerulea) . One (5-77-57) Union Res., Weld Co. 9 Aug 1977. TRUMPETER SWAN (Olor buccinator). One (8-76-55) Boulder, Boulder Co. 10-28 Apr 1976. RED-SHOULDERED HAWK (Buteo lineatus). One (10-76-74) Crook, Logan Co, 30 May 1976. OSPREY (Pandion haliaetus) . One (11-76-14) Waterton, Douglas Co. 3 Jan 1976. COMMON GALLINULE (Gallinula chloropus) . One(l7-76-82) Union Res., Weld Co. 30 May or 6 Jun 1976. SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER (Limnodromus griseus) , Nine (19-77-68) Cherry Creek Res., Arapahoe Co. 1 Sep 1977. BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER (Tryngites svbruficollis) . One (19-77-36) Wray, Yuma Co. 1 May 1977. Photos on file. THAYER’S GULL (Larus thayen). One (23-76-64) C. F. & L Lakes, Pueblo Co. 1 Nov 1975. Photos on file. One (23-76-23) Boulder, Boulder Co. 22 Dec 1975. LAUGHING GULL (L. atricilla). One (23-76-87) Two Buttes Res., Baca Co. 16 May 1976. Three (23-76-127) Lake Henry, Crowley Co. 5 Sep 1976. RIVOLI’S HUMMINGBIRD (Eugenes fulgens) . One (31-76-65) Evergreen, Jefferson Co. 19 July 1975. SPRAGUE’S PIPIT (Anthus spragueii) . One (46-76-38) Masonville, Larimer Co. 27 Mar 1976. WILSON’S WARBLER (Wilsorua pusilla) . One (52-76-15) Boulder, Boulder Co. early Dec 1975-early Jan 1976. VESPER SPARROW ( Pooecetes gramineus). Three (56-76-17) Boulder, Boulder Co. 21 Dec 1975. PART V - SPECIMENS The ORC does not normally deal with specimen reports. However, to make ORC reports complete regarding recent unusual bird records, notable recent, little- known or unpublished specimens will be included. DMNH-Denver Museum of Natural History. HARLEQUIN DUCK (Histrionicus histnonicus) . Parkes and Nelson (1976) reported a previously unrecorded Colorado specimen (and the only definite breeding record): a downy young collected on Vallecito Creek, La Plata Co. by A. W. Anthony 15Jul 1883 (Carnegie Museum of Natural History 21786). BROAD-WINGED HAWK (Buteo platypterus) . One female (DMNH 36714) found dead on Highway 285 1.5 miles west of Grant, Park Co. 3 Sep 1977 by Harold Holt. Only three other Colorado specimens, and very few records of any kind from the mountains. RED PHALAROPE (Phalaropus fulicarius). One male (DMNH 36147) collected live at Barr Lake State Park, Adams Co. 16 Sep 1975 by Denver Zoo personnel (led by Edward Schmidt, Curator of Birds). It died in captivity several days later. Second Colorado specimen. BOREAL OWL (Aegolius funereus). One male (DMNH 36064) collected near Estes Park, Larimer Co. 1 Apr 1970 byAllegraCollister. One (DMNH 36698) found dead at Evergreen, Jefferson Co. 2 Feb 1978 by Sylvia Brockner. There are apparently only three other Colorado specimens. 64 Figure 1. King Rail (Rallus elegans) , C. F. & I. Lakes, Pueblo Co., Colorado, Blue Jay x Steller’s Jay (Cyanocitta cristata x C. stelleri) hybrid, Boulder, 12 June-3 July 1976. First State record. Boulder Co., Colorado, 26 January 1972. Photo by Van A Truan photo by Narco Moore COLORADO RECORDS Prairie Warbler / Dendroica discolor /, Chautauqua Park, Boulder, Boulder Co., Colo- rado, 30-31 Mav 1975. Second state record. (Reddall 1 9 7 6 b : 9 4 1 Photo b\ Steve Larson Kentuckv Warbler (Opororms formosus /... banded at Lvkin’s Gulch. Boulder Co.. Colorado, 6 Mav 197 5. Fourth state record. (Reddall 1 9 7 6 b : 9 4 Photo by l 'em Walker 66 COLORADO RECORDS Louisiana Heron i Hydranassa tricolor Barr Lake and Mile High Duck Club, Adams Co., Colorado, 25Julv-l August 1971. Third state record. (Reddall 1 9 7 6 b : 8 6 1 Photo by Harold R. Holt Spotted Owl i Strix occidentalism , Rockv Mountain Arsenal, Adams Co., Colorado, 3-5 June 1975. Twelfth state record. Rockv Mountain Arsenal, approximately 50-55 km from mountains, is 95%+ grassland with few trees. Owl was in a tree bv the front window of the arsenal office building. (Reddall J 9 7 6b: 93 ) Photo by Randal L. Fairbanks 67 COLORADO RECORDS Caspian Tern (Sterna caspia j, Lake Henry, Crowley Co., Colorado, 27-28 Mav 1974. First state record. (Reddall 1976b:83) 68 Photos by Stan W. Oswald COLORADO RECORDS SAW- WHET OWL (A. acadicus). One juvenile (DMNH t-335) found dead in Denver Co. 25Jun 1976 by Mrs. V. L. Johnson. One (DMNH 1978-62) found dead near Castle Rock, Douglas Co. 15 Dec 1977 by Sally Cockrum. There are about 20 Colorado specimens. CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD (Stellula calliope) . One immature male (DMNH 36 146) collected in Arapahoe Co. 1 6 Aug 1 9.56 by Robert J . N iedrach. This bird is in addition to another individual collected at the same time (DMNH 36455) and previously reported by Bailey and Niedrach (1965). ALDER FLYCATCHER (Empidonax alnorum). One female (DMNH 36456) collected Wray, Yuma Co. 26 May 1906 by Will C. Ferril. One female (DMNH 36455) collected Holly, Prowers Co. 1 Jun 1908 by H. G. Smith. Apparently the only Colorado records. Both identified by Allan R. Phillips. GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER (Vermivora chrysoptera) . One male (at Indiana Uni- versity) collected in 1881 in Colorado (possibly Elbert Co.) by Frank M. Drew. Reported by Kowalski (1978). Only Colorado specimen. BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER (Dendroica fusca). One male (DMNH 36144) found dead at Green Mountain, Lakewood, Jefferson Co. 3 Jun 1975 byjohn Kenning. First Colorado specimen. NORTHERN ORIOLE (Icterus galbula). One male “Bullock’s” (DMNH 36165) found dead in Denver Co. 1 Jan 1976 by Frances Arterburn. First winter record. SUMMER TANAGER (Piranga rubra). One first-year male (DMNH 36423) Golden, Jefferson Co., first seen 23 Apr 1976 and found dead 1 May 1976 by Mrs. Jerry Cebula. Fourth Colorado specimen. The following notable specimens, formerly in the collection of Western State College at Gunnison, Colorado, have now been deposited in the collection of the Denver Museum of Natural H istory, and are given with their DMNH catalog numbers. All are from Gunnison, Gunnison Co. Most have previously been mentioned by Bailey and Niedrach ( 1965 ). SNOWY PLOVER (Charadrius alexandrinus) . One (36722) May 1966 by D. Radovich. VERMILION FLYCATCHER (Pyrocephalus rubinus) . Onefemale(3672l) 18 Nov 1952 by A. S. Hyde. NORTHERN PARULA (Parula americana). One male (36717) 24 May 1952 by A. S. Hyde. One male (36724) 24 May 1977 by T. T. Hariss. DICKCISSEL (Spiza americana). One (36718) 18 Sep 1956 by A. S. Hyde. GRASSHOPPER SPARROW fAmmodramus savannarum ) . One(36723) 15 Oct 1953 by A. S. Hyde. LE CONTE’S SPARROW (Ammosptza leconteii). One (36720) 6 May 1952 by A. S. Hyde. SHARP-TAILED SPARROW (Ammospiza caudacuta) . One (36719) 24 Oct 1952 by A. S. Hyde. AC KN O WLE D GME NTS I would like to thank the many Colorado birders who have contribut- ed reports of unusual birds contained herein, and I encourage them to continue to do so. I would also like to thank the following persons: Betsy Webb for her assistance in putting together the specimen section and for permission to include these records; Laurence Binford for examining the documentation of the Lesser Black- backed Gull; Alan Craig and Van 69 COLORADO RECORDS Remsen, who commented on an earlier draft of this report; and Bruce Webb for his comments on a later draft. Finally, many thanks must go to Jack Reddall, Chairman from May 1972 until October 1977. His tremendous efforts led to the establishment of the ORC and the accumulation of an extensive and well-organized body of information. LITERATURE CITED American Ornithologists Union. 1976. Thirty-third supplement to the American Ornithologists Union check-list of North American birds. Auk 93:875-879. Bailey, A. E. and R. J. Niedrach. 1965. Birds of Colorado. 2 vol. Denver Mus. Nat. Hist., Denver. Bass, K. H. 1977. Cape May Warbler at Rocky Mountain National Park. C. F. O. Journal 31:14-15. Davis, W. A. 1969. Birds in western Colorado. Colorado Field Ornithologists. Griffiths, D. A. 1976, King Rail -first Colorado record. C. F. O. Journal 28:17. Holt, H, R. 1975. Status and migration data of birds of the Denver area. Pages 99-124 in J. A. Lane and H. R. Holt. A birder’s guide to eastern Colorado. L & P Press, Denver, Colorado. Kowalski, M. P. 1978. Golden-winged Warbler - discovery of a specimen from Colorado. C. F. O. Journal 32:25. Parkes, K. C. and C. H. Nelson. 1976. A definite Colorado breeding record for the Harlequin Duck. Auk 93:846-847. Reddall, J. 1973a. Reports from the CFO Official Records Committee. Colorado Field Ornithol. 15:9-15. Reddall, J. 1973b. Repons from the CFO Official Records Committee. Colorado Field Ornithol. 16:19-26. Reddall, J. 1973c. Reports from the CFO Official Records Committee. Colorado Field Ornithol. 18:9-22. Reddall, J. 1974a. Repons from the CFO Official Records Committee. Colorado Field Ornithol. 19:11-41. Reddall, J. 1974b. Reports from the CFO Official Records Committee. Colorado Field Ornithol. 21/22:28-34. Reddall, J. 1975. Reports from the CFO Official Records Committee. Colorado Field Ornithol. 23:17-34. Reddall, I. 1976a. CFO Official Records Committee 1975 report. C. F. O. Journal 21S-22, Reddall, J. 1976b, Colorado Field Ornithologists Official Records Committee report 1972 through 1975. West. Birds 7:81-97. Stepney, P. H. R. 1975. First recorded breeding of the Great-tailed Grackle in Colorado. Condor 77:208-210. Webb, B. E. 1976. A Groove-billed Ani in northeastern Colorado, West. Birds 7:153- 154. Webb, B. E. 1978. The occurrences of the Red-shouldered Hawk in Colorado. C. F. O. Journal 32:19-21. Webb, B. E. and J. A. Conry. 1978. First record of a Lesser Black-backed Gull in Colorado. West. Birds 9:171-173. Webb, B. E. andj. A. Conry. 1979. A Sharp-tailed Sandpiper in Colorado, with notes on plumage and behavior. West. Birds in press. Accepted 22 February 1979 70 FIELD IDENTIFICATION OF THE HAWAIIAN CREEPER ON THE ISLAND OF HAWAII J. MICHAEL SCOTT, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Post Office Box 44, Hawaii National Park, Hawaii 96718 SHEILA CONANT, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Department of General Science, 2450 Campus Road, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822 H. DOUGLAS PRATT, Museum of Zoology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70893 The Hawaii race of the Hawaiian Creeper (Loxops maculatus mam) has recently been classified as endangered (USFWS 1975). As recently as 1972, so little was known about the bird’s distribution and abundance that Berger (1 972: 137), in summarizing existing knowledge, was unable to state whether the species was uncommon or on the verge of extinction. Underlying the lack of information on this bird’s status is the inability of many observers to consistently and correctly distinguish it from the abundant Hawaii race of the Amakihi (Loxops virens virens). Field identification of these two species is problematic on the islands of Oahu (Shallenberger and Pratt 1978) and Hawaii. The similarity of these two birds on the island of Hawaii has been previously mentioned by Henshaw (1902), Munro (1944) and Peterson (1961), but adequate field characters still have not been well documented. Because the creeper is classed as endangered and because identifications have often been uncertain, we herein identify and document the behavioral and mor- phological characters that have proved useful in identifying the Hawaii Creeper. METHODS We examined museum specimens of L. v. virens and L. maculatus mana. The colors of the throat, forehead, belly, nape, side, back and cheek were critically compared. The songs and calls of these species as well as those of the Akepa (L. c. coccineus) were recorded using a Dan Gibson parabolic microphone and cassette recorders. Audiospectro- grams were made using Spectral Dynamics Model No. SD301-C, Retd Time Analyzer with an analysis range of 0- 1 0,000 Hz and a band width of 120 Hz. We carefully observed Hawaii Creepers in the field for extended periods of time and characterized those features most useful in distinguishing them from Amakihi and other species similar in sound or appearance. During observations of birds thought to be creepers, we recorded the bases on which we made our identification. We noted whether songs, calls or movements initially caught our attention. The character that first indicated that the bird was a creeper was recorded as one of the following: call, song, foraging behavior, superciliary stripe, 71 Western Birds 10: 71-80, 1979 Plate 1, The Hawaii Creeper and three species that could be confused with it, the Amakihi, L v virens (adult male, adult female and immature); the Hawaii Akepa, L. c. coccineus (female); and thejapanese White-eye (Zosterops japonicus) are shown for quick comparison of morphological features that can be used to distinguish between them HAWAII CREEPER bill shape, or eye patch. Finally, we recorded the character that confirmed the identification of a creeper or indicated that the bird was another species. Characters used to make this final identification included, in addition to those mentioned above, the color of lores and presence of an eye- ring. When an auditory cue initially suggested that a bird was a creeper, visual cues were sought to confirm the identification. Nomenclature follows that of Berger (1972) with changes to meet rulings by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature (1964 and 1974). APPEARANCE AND BEHAVIOR The Hawaii Creeper is a rather small bird 11-13 cm in length. Adults are not sexually dimorphic in color but immatures can be distinguished by the presence of a pale superciliary line. Both are drab gray-green birds. Other small green birds likely to be confused with creepers on the island of Hawaii include the above-mentioned Amakihi, female and immature Akepa, and the exotic Japanese White-eye (Zosterops japonicus; Plate 1 andTable 1). Thejapanese White-eye is easily distinguished by its bright yellow throat and upper breast as well as the prominent white eye- ring. The female Akepa is drab gray-green with no dark patches in the face and a pale superciliary line. The conical, straw-yellow bill and relatively long, notched tail are diagnostic. The highly variable Amakihi is more difficult to distinguish and is dealt with in detail below. General Coloration. Hawaii Creepers are a drab olive green above, with little of the yellowish coloration seen in many Amakihis. Below they are dull whi tish washed with olive green on the flanks and breast. The throat is always white and contrasts with the greenish tones of the breast in adults. Immatures are much paler below, with less contrast between throat and breast. Further, young creepers usually show a prominent yellowish- white superciliary line. The Amakihi can be just as drab in color as the Hawaii Creeper, but never has a contrasting white throat. Unfortunately, this character is often difficult to see in the field. Facial Features . The distribution of black in the faces of Hawaii Creepers and Amakihis gives them distinctive facial expressions that, once noticed, become very useful in forming a search image. The black lores of the Amakihi give it a masked appearance. The adult creeper possesses a broad mask of black or dark gray that extends to behind the eye. We called this an “eye patch.” The effect is to enhance the apparent size of the eye and give the bird a wide-eyed or black eye appearance. Both Amakihis and immature Hawaii Creepers have superciliary lines, but that of the creeper is broader, bolder and appears yellowish-white rather than yellow as is usually the case in the Amakihi. Leg Color. The tarsi of the Hawaii Creeper appear dark brown whereas those of the Amakihi are black. This character is evident only in good light at close range. 73 Table 1. Characters that can be used to distinguish Hawaii Creepers from Amakihis, Hawaii Akepas, and Japanese White eyes. HAWAII CREEPER ua £ > -s W ea I w tal 'c H .£ I T3 S ■£ w 5 on r T ) • *• H-k z = < u cu ** < ° Z qj ■*—* o c be c 3 u. ca J= % 5P £ jz «" Cl. -C 03 s- z_£ ca 3 c/i 3 QJ bC O QJ _ > p boS £ .3 « 03 k PC u *- 1/1 33 be C — ■ bJD C vs ' ^ u ^ u ^ 5 5 £ rf s g ■= 2^ C c *- c rt ^ nd > O CTS JJ 3 .2 nd > QJ u 3 >1 ca J3 .bo ca i-, *— < co < Oh ua bd < Z ■5 qj 3 ca 3 bO QJ u L. O O hJ o £ H n Hg 1/5 g- O f O QJ 3 Z £ rt n o “ S be 3 3 O o >, 3 O •- * Sa t/5 be ^ qj c be-- 2? ^ ° 5 o f-H tx, CL^ QJ u 3 w CZ o CL w J3 be "C CL 3 &■ QJ > £ ca Li ca CJ O cj -3 > be ; 'fa J2 b Qj CO < < QJ 3 O o 3 O E -v 3 O -a -s ca z i- QJ £ o box 0 .1 1 h ^ q j & R3 = be e c ta 3 .5 u, c/J ° c — QJ QJ rt Sf3 3 .2 cr QJ "8 ^ fc £ 3 n ■S 3 ^ rt &3 rt u J3 c<_ co o i n m b PS S -c CU 5 CL 5 fd ■ ^ X ¥ I o b 3 od QJ > O E td aj o 2 qj CO J2 b be 3 'So u. ,P u QJ O 3 rt J3 2 QJ 5 3 11 ; cS ™ u -3 o 3 O QJ CO U tL 02 QJ !_ 3 t/i O OL 02 74 HAWAII CREEPER Bill. The Hawaii Creeper’s bill is only slightly decurved and is brownish white throughout except for a dusky tinge along the culmen. It appears pale at a distance and never looks bluish at the base. The more strongly decurved bill of the Amakihi looks black at a distance, but at close range exhibits a pale blue area at the base of the lower mandible. Adult male Amakihis have significantly longer beaks than either adult females or immatures of either sex (van Riper 1978). Curvature is also most pronounced in adult males. Foraging Behavior. The Hawaii Creeper’s slow movements while gleaning insects on large branches and trunks of trees have been considered important in distinguishing the species from similar birds (Henshaw 1902, Peterson 1961). We have found this character to be unreliable, however, if relied upon to the exclusion of other features especially for brief sightings. Infrequently the Amakihi and Japanese White-eye forage creeper-like on large limbs or trunks. Their move- ments are usually quicker and jerkier, and these species move between foraging substrates more frequently than do creepers. When moving upward on a vertical substrate the Amakihi and white-eye flick their wings more and, unlike the creeper, usually move to the smaller branches or foliage. Any bird that consistently creeps over trunks and branches for long periods is very likely the Hawaii Creeper. Recent comparative studies of the foraging behavior of some Hawaii island forest birds allow generalizations about the foraging substrates and positions of the Amakihi, Akepa, creeper, and white-eye {Conant in prep). The Hawaii Akepa usually forages in the upper canopy within a meter of its outer edge. The Amakihi forages in the lower and middle canopy, and in the perimeter of the canopy, but is frequently found in the m iddle crown area. Both of these species are usually found on twiglets and on the foliage, while the Hawaii Creeper is found foraging on the larger branches of the crown interior at the middle and upper levels. Finally, the Japanese White-eye forages at the perimeter of the lower and middle canopy. Although the above characterizations are useful, none of these observed “preferences” for foraging areas within the habitat provides sufficient basis to Finalize a Field identification. VOCALIZATIONS Songs. The song of the Hawaii Creeper is a quavering, descending trill, frequently very soft and easily missed in the field. Perkins (1903), an acute observer with extensive field experience in Hawaii, never heard a creeper sing. We have heard the song on numerous occasions from December through August. The song most easily confused with the creeper’s is that of the Akepa. However, the Akepa’s song is loose and 75 HAWAII CREEPER 76 Figure 1. Songs of three similar drepanideds from the island of Hawaii. HAWAII CREEPER lackadaisical and is not so stereotyped, often changing pattern from one song to the next. The song of the Amakihi is a slower and choppier trill, with the individual notes more distinct than in either the Akepa’s or the creeper’s song {Figure 1). Calls. The usual call of the Hawaii Creeper is a quiet sweet, easily missed among louder calls and songs. Family groups of creepers, however, produce a loud, distinctive chatter of wheezy notes in short series: whit-whit . . . wfu-whi-whit etc. (Figure 2), resembling calls of the Pygmy Nuthatch (Sitta pygmaea) ofwesternNorth America. Such family- group calls are frequently heard in the spring and early summer when fledged young are still following parents. The Amakihi possesses a variety of calls, many resembling those of other species. The call most frequently given is a single raspy zhee or sweek that will remind birders from North America of the call of the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea). Other calls include an inquisitive upslurred queet and various short chirps and tweets. A calling Amakihi will often give a variety of calls in a single bout of vocalization, whereas Hawaii Creepers usually repeat the same call monotonously. The Akepa’s call is a high-pitched, two- note, whistled cheedlee, not likely to be confused with the calls of the Hawaii Creeper but similar to some Amakihi calls (Figure 3). IDENTIFICATION PROCESS A birder’s initial identification of a bird in the field is not always correct. The percentage of times this first impression proves accurate will vary with the observer’s familiarity with the species in question, how well the bird was heard or seen, and the person’s degree of concentration at the time of the observation. Discussions with individuals who had initially misidentified birds as creepers revealed that the Amakihi most often caused confusion. Recognizing these problems, Scott documented those features that 1) attracted his attention to a bird; 2) suggested that it 8 - 4 — J J .j y j yx x kHz S*c T Figure 2. An approximately 3-second segment of chattering notes of a Hawaii Creeper accompanying a small, presumably family, group. The chatter continued in like manner for some minutes. Recorded 3 May 1977 on west slope of Hualalai, ca. 1600 m. 77 HAWAII CREEPER was a creeper; and 3) confirmed or denied the initial identification (Table 2). Of the 72 birds initially identified as creepers, 53 (73.6%) were verified as being Hawaii Creepers and 22.2% were identified as some other species. Of the latter, 12 (16.7%) were found to be Amakihis, 3 (4.2%) Japanese White-eyes, 1 (1.4%) an Akepa, and 3 (4.2%) unknown. For creeper identifications that subsequently proved to be correct, the character that first suggested that the bird was a creeper was foraging behavior in 54.7% of the cases and call in 30.2%. Other features such as song, superciliary line or bill shape were used far less frequently at this stage of identification (Table 2). The feature most often used to confirm the identification of a Hawaii Creeper was bill shape (64.2%), but throat color, facial features, foraging behavior, song and calls were also used. Foraging behavior was used to identify 14 (87.5%) of the supposed Hawaii Creepers that turned out to be some other species. Bill shape was used in 9 (56.2%) of the mistaken identifications to establish the true identity of the bird. Song, facial features, throat coloration and presence of an eye-ring were used in other cases. 8 4 kHz HAWAII CREEPER - y -a h A * A Ijt- AKEPA 7 fa >v. kHz 1 S«c Figure 3. Call notes of three drepanidids from the island of Hawaii. Calls that are grouped were uttered in the time sequence shown. Single calls are arranged to facilitate comparisons, and were not uttered in the pattern shown. 78 HAWAII CREEPER Table 2. Characters used in identifying 72 birds that were initially identified as being Hawaiian Creepers. Three of these birds were never confirmed as to species. CREEPERS First Second Confirming N % N % N % Call 18 34.0 16 30.2 2 3.8 Song 7 13.2 8 15.1 4 7.6 Movement 28 52.8 0 -0- 0 -0- Foraging behavior 0 -0- 29 54.7 0 -0- Bill shape 0 -0- 0 -0- 34 64.2 Mask 0 -0- 0 -0- 0 -0- Throat color 0 -P- 0 -0- 8 15.1 Eye patch 0 -0- 0 -0- 5 9.4 Eye ring 0 -0- 0 -0- 0 -0- Total 53 53 53 OTHER SPECIES First Second Confirming N % N % N % Call 1 6.3 1 6.3 0 -0- Song 1 6.3 1 6.3 1 6.3 Movement 14 87.5 14 87.5 0 -0- Foraging behavior 0 -0- 0 -0- 0 -0- Bill shape 0 -0- 0 -0- 9 56.3 Mask 0 -0- 0 -0- 2 12.5 Throat color 0 -0- 0 -0- 1 6.3 Eye patch 0 -0- 0 -0- 0 -0- Eye ring 0 -0- 0 -0- 3 18.8 Total 16 16 16 79 HAWAII CREEPER DISCUSSION Clearly Peterson’s (1961) statement that“it is virtually safe to call any small greenish bird with no white eye-ring an Amakihi unless proven otherwise” is not valid. Field identifications of the Hawaii Creeper should involve as many characters as possible. If the throat cannot be seen, the distribution of black in the face or shape of the bill may be helpful. Behavioral cues, especially vocalizations, become more useful with increasing familiarity with the birds. Even veteran observers in Hawaji do not expect to positively identify every small, green bird they see, but we believe the criteria outlined here will greatly increase the number of such birds that can be identified to species. The reader should be cautioned that the subspecies of creeper on the other Hawaiian Islands differ widely among themselves in appearance and behavior and present special field problems of their own. We refer the interested observer to Shallenberger and Pratt (1978) for identifica- tion of the Oahu race. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Discussions with the members of the Hawaii Forest Bird Survey Teams from 1976 to 1978 were very helpful in determining those features which observers found useful in identifying creepers. Tonnie L. C. Casey and Charles van Riper were particularly helpful. C. John Ralph provided slides and prints of creepers and Amakihi which H. Douglas Pratt used in making the color plate. Tonnie L. C. Casey, Cameron B. Kepler and C. J. Ralph offered comments on earlier drafts of this paper. We wish to thankjames L. Gulledge for making the audiospectrograms. LITERATURE CITED Berger, A. J. 1972. Hawaiian birdlife, Univ. Press Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii. Henshaw, H. W. 1902. Complete list of the birds of the Hawaiian possessions with notes on their habits, Thos. G. Thrum. Honolulu. International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature 1964. International zoologi- cal nomenclature adopted by the XV International Congress of Zoology. Int. Trust Zool. Nomenclature, London. International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature. 1974. Amendments to the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature adopted since the XVI Interna- tional Congress of Zoology, Washington, 1963. Bull. Zool. Nomenclature 31:77- 89. Munro, G. C. 1944. Birds of Hawaii. Bridgeway Press, Rutland, Vermont, Peterson, R. T. 1961. A field guide to western birds. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston. Perkins, R. C. L. 1903. Vertebrata (Aves), Pages 368-465 in D. Sharp, ed. Fauna Hawaiiensis, vol. 1, part 4. Univ. Press, Cambridge, England. Shallenberger, R, J. and H. D. Pratt 1978. Recent observations and field identification of the Oahu Creeper (Loxops maculata maculata). Elepaio 38:135-140. U. S, Fish and Wildlife Service. 1975. Listing of endangered and threatened fauna. Federal Register 40:44149-44151. van Riper, C., Ill 1978. The breeding biology of the Amakihi (Loxops virens) and Palila (Psittirostra bailleui) on Mauna Kea, Hawaii. Unpubl. Ph.D. dissertation, Univ. Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii. 80 Accepted 14 January 1979 NOTES SOUTHERN RACE OF XANTUS’ MURRELET BREEDING ON SANTA BARBARA ISLAND, CALIFORNIA KATHY A, WINNETTand KELVIN G. MURRAY, Department of Biology, California State University, Northridge, California 91330 JOHN C. WINGFIELD, Department of Zoology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195 We report here the first breeding record of the southern race of Xantus’ Murrelet (Endomychura hypoleuca hypoleuca) north of the San Benitos Islands, central Baja California. Two well-marked subspecies of this small black and white alcid, differing in size and facial plumage, were first described by Green and Arnold (1939) and further investigated bvjehl and Bond (1975). The northern race (E, k. scrippsi) breeds from San Miguel Island off the California coast to the San Benitos Islands ofF Baja California; this form is characterized by an entirely dark facial pattern (Classes “3” and “4”, Jehl and Bond 1975:13) in which the white throat and face feathers do not extend all the way up to the eye. Murrelets of the southern race (E. h. hypoleuca) have whiter facial patterns (Classes “0” and “1”) “in which the white of the face extends up in front of (and occasionally over) the eye, and onto the ear coverts . . (J ehl and Bond 1975:15). Prior to this record, this subspecies had been known to breed only on Guadalupe and the San Benitos islands. On 30 April 1977 we found an incubating murrelet with white feathers extending over the eye (Class“0”) in a 15 cm diameter by 10 cm deep rock crevice on Santa Barbara Island. The site was located amid a colony of E. h. scrippsi about 50 m above the high water mark on a rocky cliff slope. An egg had been deposited in the site previous to 1 3 April but was eaten by a Deer Mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) before the second egg was deposited on 17 April. The bird incubated sporadically until it abandoned the nest on about 1 5 May. Subsequently the remaining egg was also eaten by mice. The same rock crevice was occupied in 1978 by a pair of murrelets consisting of one E. h. hypoleuca (Class “0”), thought to be the same bird which occupied the site in 1977, and a murrelet having a crescent shaped notch of white feathers extending in front of, but not over the eye. Based on our photographs of this murrelet, J. R. Jehl, Jr., S. 1. Bond and G. McCaskie feel that this bird is probably an intermediate type with respect to facial pattern. Definite subspecies identification is not possible without bill measurements (Jehl pers. comm.). Jehl and Bond (1975) describe a similar intermedi- ate facial pattern (Class “2”) as being characteristic of murrelets found on the San Benitos Islands; this condition may be the result of interbreeding in the two subspecies. The single, fertile egg produced by this pair on 28 April was abandoned on 23 May after a period of sporadic incubation. The egg’s weight (37 g) and coloration were comparable to E. h. scrippsi eggs examined on Santa Barbara Island the same year. Photographs of each member of the pair were deposited at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. Western Birds 10: 81-82, 1979 81 NOTES Several thousand Xantus’ Murrelets are present at Santa Barbara Island during the breeding season. Only 3 of the 330 murrelets examined since 1975 have had either “white” or intermediate facial patterns, the pair described above and one non- breeding E. k hypoleuca (Class “0”) captured 100 m offshore from the island on 26 May 1976. It seems likely that the pair became established somewhere other than at Santa Barbara Island, where there is an overwhelming majority of typical E. h. scrippsi. It will be interesting to determine whether immigration of southern forms continues at Santa Barbara Island, and if so, whether integrity of the two races is maintained. The Superintendent and staff of Channel Island National Monument kindly provided access to Santa Barbara Island. The research was supported in 1977 by Bureau of Land Management Contract no. AA-550-CT6-26 to the University of California, Santa Cruz and Irvine: K. Norris, G. L, Hunt, Jr. and B. LeBoeuf, Principal Investigators. George L. Hunt, Jr., Robert Pitman and Jim Dole provided useful comments on various drafts of the manuscript, and special thanks are also due to Joseph R. Jehl, Jr., Suzanne Bond and Guy McCaskie for helping to identify the intermediate type murrelet described in this paper. LITERATURE CITED Green, J. E. and L. W. Arnold. 1939. An unrecognized race of murrelet on the Pacific coast of North America. Condor 41:25-29. Jehl, J . R., Jr. and S. I. Bond. 1975. Morphological variation and species limits in murrelets of the genus Endomychura. San Diego Soc. Nat. Hist., Trans. 18(2):9-24. Accepted 12 May 1979 /?. fiyooCeuccc Sketch by Narca Moore 82 NOTES BREEDING OF ALLEN’S HUMMINGBIRD (SELASPHORUS SASIN SEDENTARIUS) ON THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA MAINLAND SHIRLEY WELLS*, San Pedro, California LUIS F. RAPTISTA, Moore Laboratory of Zoology, Occidental College, Los Angeles, California 90041 The Palos Verdes Peninsula, 36.7 km east of Santa Catalina Island, in Los Angeles Co., California, is in many ways a land-locked Channel Island, The flora on the peninsula includes many Channel Island endemics. Some avian species absent on the Channel Islands are also absent on Palos Verdes (Bradley, Western Birds, in press). Bradley (loc. cit.) also noted that the breeding Orange-crowned Warbler (Vermivora celata) on the peninsula is referable to the Channel Island subspecies sordida. We document herein the subspecific and breeding status of the Allen’s Hummingbird (Selasphorus sasin) on the peninsula as an additional contribution to the knowledge of the avifauna of this most interesting region. The nominate migratory subspecies of the Allen’s Hummingbird, S. s. sasin, breeds on the humid Pacific coast of California from the Oregon line south to Santa Barbara and Ventura counties (Grinnell and Miller, Pacific Coast Avifauna 27, 1944). The sedentary subspecies sedentarius has been known to breed only on some of the Channel Islands off the coast of southern California (Grinnell and Miller op. cit.). There are no previous breeding records for the Allen’s Hummingbird south of Ventura County. On 2 June 1966 Wells noticed two fledgling Allen’s Hummingbirds being fed by adults near San Pedro on the Palos Verdes Peninsula, Los Angeles, California (map in Wells et ah, Auk 95:537-549, 1978). On 3 June 1966, G. Shumway Suflel saw a female feeding a juvenile at Pt. Fermin Park, on the peninsula. On 10 January 1967 Wells and Suffel found the first nests and young on the Palos Verdes Peninsula. That year S. sasin was found to be a common breeding bird on the peninsula. Wells began a banding study of S. sasin in San Pedro on the Palos Verdes Peninsula in 1971. Marked birds held territories around feeders at her home throughout the year, revealing the sedentary nature of the population. Moreover, birds were found attending eggs and/or young all months of the year except for September and October. One bird was observed building on 29 October 1972 and young were subsequently observed in the nest in December. Morphometries of 13 males netted by Wells on the Palos Verdes Peninsula between 1 January 1971 and 7 August 1975 were compared with Channel Island sedentarius from the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, Berkeley, California. The resident population at Palos Verdes is clearly referable to the subspecies sedentarius (Table 1) in size and sedentary behavior. The founders probably colonized the mainland from nearby Santa Catalina Island. A voucher specimen (male, 85326) of sedentarius has been deposited in the Los Angeles County Museum, Los Angeles, California. Stiles (Condor 74:25-32, 1972) reported taking a young male sedentarius alongwith ten immature S. rufus from a feeding assemblage in the central part of the Santa Monica Mountains, some 66.6 km from the Palos Verdes Peninsula, in early August. Whereas this individual may be an odd vagrant, it may also indicate some postbreeding dispersal. Evidence of such dispersal should be looked for by other investigators. * Deceased 21 April 1977. Western Birds 10: 83-85, 1979 83 Table 1 . Morphometries of Allen’s Hummingbird subspecies. Selasphorus s. sasin and S. s. sedentarius. Values in parenthesis are means ± one standard deviation NOTES be j=, be ’ v £ £ £ be G £ E £ c qj E 3 u z i -n # CN CN o o +1 o -H CN -H Ol LO CO Tf CO CO CO " — " O) O) oO CO CO CO OO CN CN CN CO CO OO CO o uO i— < d o +1 -H -H OO CN CO d 00 1— 1 CO CO OO d o 00 CN d q © d d O o cO CM ■ — « v cS G E o •Si- C ft QJ -C .3 cO CN 00 o g *5 d +1 o -H +1 cO -C w u £ 05 S-H CG CO d CO OO CO QJ bJD u u > — ' " — - -3 OO OO q d Qj u 6 U CO 5 CO i i > C/5 oO o q JJ d CO OO CO OO CO C/5 u to OO O CN -3 -3 -C £ T3 1) M PS CL E o u C OJ X £ in -o 00 u PS CL o cj G qj -C o (S CO- PS J3 cS u w to G O E qj -o CO oo i_ O "D C o u oo CT) C o .5 **• E « i- o £ J ^ j U 3 C/1 >, .E jy c QJ CL 5/1 QJ T5 u CJ > s/5 o PS Cl G O •c Ji , qj £ 3 o o o o V C/5 JS QJ C/5 -o qj CN CO 5-3 d V d V G QJ u 0 "0 3 5 -G C cd 32 K Q c CL J-T Cl lS QJ c QJ jG w x C/5 .g -*>o ?3 -»-o 53 S/5 QJ -L-l 1 VI QJ VI 4— < C/5 V5 C E o T3 QJ SO So a SO 32 "S c3 W E o G «u £ c cx C/5 V- c> Vx O w O 1 -i— * 1 d: £ C G -S3 -S3 -S3 QJ QJ 4— < rS PS C/5 a; -Sh a G 0 G o QJ G CJ QJ Cl T3 5- -X “XL -K- * o P co s w CO CO Co z- CM cC 84 NOTES We thank Ned K. Johnson for loan of specimens under his care at the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University' of California, Berkeley, and Charles T. Collins and G. Shumway Suffel who read an earlier draft of this paper and gave helpful comments. G. Shumway Suffel also shared with us his unpublished field notes. Accepted 28 May 1979 ^creech Owl Sketch by Narca Moore 85 NOTES A SHARP-TAILED SANDPIPER IN COLORADO, WITH NOTES ON PLUMAGE AND BEHAVIOR BRUCE E. WEBB, Department of Environmental, Population and Organismic Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309 JEANNE A. CONRY, Department of Biology, University of Colorado, Denver, Colorado 80202 On 26 October 1 975 we discovered an immature Sharp-tailed Sandpiper ( Calidris acuminata) at Hiram Prince Lake II, a small pond 1 mile north of Lafayette, Boulder County, Colorado. It was observed foraging in a loose association with four Pectoral Sandpipers (C. melanotos). Nearby were eight Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) and four Long-billed Dowitchers (Limnodromus scolopaceus) . On 31 October we trapped and banded the Sharp-tailed and took a series of photographs, measurements and feather samples. Slide duplicates are on file at the Denver Museum of Natural History. Later that day we released it at the same pond, where it remained until 6 November 1975. During this 12-day period many other observers saw the bird. This is the only recorded occurrence of this species in Colorado. The plumage description detailed below is taken from notes made on 3 1 October while the bird was in hand. Table 1 summarizes useful field characteristics of Sharp- tailed and Pectoral sandpipers. UPPERPARTS: Crown feathers dark with rusty feather edging, giving the appearance of a rusty cap with narrow dark streaking. Well-defined white superciliary stripe finely streaked with dusky. Thin white eyering. Auriculars buffy, faintly streaked with brown, darkest below and posterior to eye, giving the appearance of a dark patch. Grey-buff in lores extending to upper mandible base. Nape cinnamon streaked with brown. Feather centers of scapulars and lower back blackish-brown, scapulars edged with buff, rust or white (creating two pale lines on each side of the upper back). Upper tail coverts blackish-brown with thin pale- cinnamon edging (Figure 1). UNDERPARTS: Chin and throat unstreaked white, blending into a warm ochraceous-buff breast “bib”. Ventral streaking confined to a faint “necklace” across the upper chest region and extending down the sides of the breast only, leaving the central lower breast region unstreaked (Figure 2, left). Belly dull white, upper flanks with heavy dusky shaft-streaking. In the field, the flank streaking was usually hidden by the wing. Under tail coverts with narrow dusky shaft-streaks. TAIL: All rectrices acuminate and dark with central pair longest, others progres- sively shorter to the outermost (Figure 2, right). Central rectrices edged with cinnamon-rust, remaining rectrices edged with buff to white (outermost). WING: Vanes of all remiges uniformly dusky. Shaft of outermost primary motded with dusky basally, becoming pale distally. Secondaries narrowly edged with white. Greater secondary coverts moderately tipped with white, providing a thin wingstripe (Figure 3). Tertials elongate with rusty edges. In the field, tertials drooped over the folded remiges. Underwing coverts and axillars extensively white-tipped. SOFT PARTS: Irises dark brown. Bill dark with indistinct pale base, slightly curved throughout. Legs drab greenish-yellow. 86 Western Birds 10: 86-91, 1979 NOTES Table 1. Comparative field characteristics of immature Sharp-tailed and Pectoral sandpipers. These characteristics are based primarily upon prolonged observation of the Boulder County Sharp-tailed and accompanying Pectoral sandpipers, and to a lesser extent upon subsequent observations of Pectoral Sandpipers and upon examination of specimens of both species. Italics indicate most reliable field marks. CHARACTERISTIC SHARP-TAILED SANDPIPER Calidris acuminata PECTORAL SANDPIPER Caluiris melanotos Body: size posture More robust than Pectorals, giving a “hunched-back” appearance. While walking, top of head often held lower than back. Trim, less stocky, giving appearance of a longer neck. Head held more upright. Facial appearance: Sharp contrast between rusty crown above white supercilium and dusky auricular patch below. Noticeable from consider- able distances. Crown usually brown (occasionally with some rusty edging). Pale super- cilium / crown area not sharply defined. Underparts: throat and chest Narrow streaking restricted to lower throat (“necklace”), sides of neck and sides only of “bib.” Mid and lower “bib" unstreaked warm cinnamon- buff. Lower border not sharply defined at a distance. Belly dull white. Entire chest (from lower throat to upper breast, i.e. “bib” area) usually strongly marked with dark shaft streaks. Lower edge of “bib" usually dark and well-defined. Belly dull white. Undertail coverts: Dull white with distinct narrow dusky shaft streak- ing. This feature usually not noticeable except when seen from behind when bird is in feeding tilt. Dull w r hite. Presence of streaking variable between individuals, most lack streaking, some streaked as in Sharp-tailed. Tail: Dark, central rectrix pointed, acuminate tips of outer reduces sometimes visible when the bird is preening its tail. Distal outline of tail not noticeably wedge-shaped in flight. Dark, central rectrix pointed, outer rectrices not acuminate. Distal outline of tail not noticeably biconcave in flight. Wing: length tertials In flight, when seen to- gether, wingspread notice- ably greater than Pectoral. Broadly edged with cinnamon-buff. Usually edged with gray- buff, but occasionally like Sharp- tailed. 87 NOTES Table 1 (Cont.) SHARP-TAILED SANDPIPER PECTORAL SANDPIPER CHARACTERISTIC Calidris acuminata Calidris melanotos Bill: length Slightly shorter than head length, as estimated from base of bill to nape, through the eye. Slightly longer than (or equal to) head length. shape Slight decurvature through- out, finer tipped than Pectorals. Slight decurvature through- out. color All dark, with faint pale area at base of mandible only. Variable, some as in Sharp- tailed, most with more extensive basal pale area in mandible. Legs: length Not noticeably longer than Pectoral, although stocky body gives a shorter appearance. color Greenish-yellow , more drab than Pectoral. Pale yellow. Call: Mellow, paired notes given in flight (“tchew-wt, tchew-wt”). Dry, usually single notes given in flight (“Kreeh,” or sometimes “Kreek-eh”). BEHAVIORAL COMPARISON Several behavioral differences that separated the Colorado Sharp-tailed from the accompanying Pectorals are listed below. These observations are pointed out in the hopes that other observers will test the reliability of the differences in subsequent sightings of Sharp-tailed and Pectoral sandpipers. POSTURE: When walking, the Sharp-tailed held its head at or below the level of its back, maintaining a forward-tilted appearance. Lowering its head seemed to be counterbalanced by depressing its tail to such an extent that a noticeable gap (approximately 1 .0-1.5 cm) existed between the tail tip below and the wing tips above This combination of body tilt and relatively large gap repeatedly enabled us to distinguish this bird from the Pectorals by silhouette. Pectorals maintained a more erect posture, usually holding the tail in line with the wingtips. VOICE: W'hen flushed, the Sharp-tailed gave a quick mellow couplet, “tchew-wt, tchew-wt” vaguely reminiscent of muted Semipalmated Plover ( Charadnus semi- palmatus) call notes. AGGRESSION: On two occasions a Pectoral closely approached the foraging Sharp-tailed and was chased away by the latter. In each incident, the Sharp-tailed lowered its head and made a quick dash with its lowered bill aimed at the approaching Pectoral. There was no physical contact, and after each interaction the Sharp-tailed immediately resumed foraging without further pursuit. 88 NOTES Figure 1. Immature Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (Calidris acuminata) , Hiram Prince Lake II, I mile north of Lafayette, Boulder Co., Colorado, 26 October-6 November 1975. Note color of scapulars, face, crown and breast. Figure 2. Immature Sharp-tailed Sandpiper ( C a lidns acuminata ) , Hiram Prince Lake II, 1 mile north of Lafayette, Boulder Co., Colorado, 26 October-6 November 1975. Left photo shows well-defined white superciliary and characteristic breast markings. Right photo shows acuminate tips of outer rectrices, streaked undenail coverts and wedge-shaped outline of tail. 89 NOTES Figure 3. Immature Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (Calidris acuminata), Hiram Prince Lake II, 1 mile north of Lafayette, Boulder Co., Colorado, 26 October-6 November 1975. Note wingbar and primary shaft color and extent of white along rump. 90 Photos by Bruce E. Webb NOTES FLOCK ASSOCIATES: Once when the four shorebird species at Hiram Prince Lake II were flushed simultaneously, the Sharp-tailed immediately joined and circled overhead in close association with the Pectorals. The dowitchers departed and the Killdeer settled on the opposite shoreline. On another occasion we relocated the Sharp-tailed, still associated with four Pectorals, on another small pond 2.5 miles northeast of Hiram Prince Lake II. FEEDING ZONE: The Sharp-tailed remained along the water’s edge or the immediately adjacent mudflat, often wandering considerable distances from the flock of Pectorals. The Pectorals remained relatively close together, occasionally feeding at the water’s edge. More often they foraged and rested in the zone of short vegetation farther from the water than the Sharp-tailed. Accepted 2 February 1979 Sketch by Tim Manolis 91 NOTES A DOTTEREL ON SOUTHEAST FARALLON ISLAND, CALIFORNIA PHILIP HENDERSON, Point Reyes Bird Observatory, 4990 Shoreline Highway, Stinson Beach, California 94970 Among the birds that came to Southeast Farallon Island in a spectacular migrational wave on 12 September 1974 was a Dotterel (Eudromias morinellus) . The number of shorebird species on the island had increased from 5 the previous day to 13, and the number of other migrant species from 14 to 59. The island, located 43 km west of San Francisco, California, is visited regularly in the spring and fall by migrant birds. The Dotterel remained until 20 September. It was observed by eight persons and was photographed (Figure 1 ). It spent its time on the dry flat parts of the island and was often seen in the company of migrant Killdeer ( Charadrius vociferus) . It was less skittish than the Killdeer and could be approached quite closely. Several times observers came within 5 to 10 m of it. When approached the Dotterel exhibited the “run-pause- run” behavior typical of other plovers. In flight it was very swift and emitted a repeated call note similar to the Black-bellied (Pluvialis squatarola) or Golden Plover (Pluvialis dominica). The quality of the call was like the other plovers’ but the note was simpler, lacking inflection. The plumage was apparently that of a juvenile nearing the end of its postjuvenal molt; the back feathers were black with white edges except for a few unmolted feathers that were black with rufous edges (see Dement’ ev et al. 1968). The Dotterel is a local breeder in the mountains of northern Europe and Asia. It winters in northwestern Africa, southern Tunisia, and the basin oftheMediterranean- particularlv in the eastern Mediterranean and eastward to Iraq and the Persian Gulf (Nethersole-Thompson 1973). Its status in North America has yet to be fully defined. Seventeen records (20 individuals) exist in northwestern Alaska, for late May through the third week of June (Gabrielson and Lincoln 1959, and several references therein; Gibson and Byrd 1972, 1974, 1975, 1976); and three records (3 individuals) forjuly (Gibson and Byrd 1972, 1976; Stone 1 900, in Gabrielson and Lincoln 1959). Included in the June records were two females in advanced breeding condition and sightings of pairs. The only fall record for Alaska is for a single bird seen in the Aleutians, 1 7 September 1977 (Gibson 1978). The Aleutians are several hundred kilometers south of the spring records. Brina Kessel (pers. comm.) considers the Dotterel to be an annual but rare summer visitant and apparent breeder in the mountainous regions of northwestern Alaska. Besides the Farallon bird there are only two other records of vagrant Dotterels for the eastern Pacific Ocean region, a female (age unspecified) collected at Westport on the coast of Washington, 3 September 1934 (Brown 1935), and an immature female collected on Kure Atoll, in the Hawaiian Leeward Islands, on 9 September 1964 (Clapp and Woodward 1968). Of these records, all three birds were in the company of other plovers: Killdeer on the North American continent and Golden Plovers in Hawaii. It is notable that all three records occurred in the first two weeks of September and within the latitude of the Dotterel’s correct winter range. The Aleutian bird may also represent a vagrant record. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Special thanks are due the many persons and organizations, who by their generous donations in support of PRBO’s Farallon Research Station, have made possible exciting observations such as the one reported here. I also wish to express my appreciation to Brina Kessel, University of Alaska, for information on the Alaskan status of the Dotterel and to Pieter Myers for permission to include his photograph of 92 Western Birds 10: 92-94, 1979 F.gure I. Dotterel tEudromms morwelhts) present on Southeast Farallon Island, California, 1 2-20 September 1 974. NOTES the bird. Guy McCaskie contributed comments on an early draft, and David Ainley was of considerable help throughout preparation of this report. This is Contribution 112 of Point Reyes Bird Observatory. LITERATURE CITED Brown, D. E. 1935. Dotterel in western Washington. Condor 37:82. Clapp, R. B. and P. W. Woodward. 1968. New records of birds from the Hawaiian Leeward Islands, Proc. U. S. Natl. Mus. 124(3640): 1-1 7. Dement’ ev, G. P., R. N. Meklenburtsev, A. M. Sudilovskaya and E. P. Sangenburg. 1968. Birds of the Soviet Union, vol. 3. (Transl. from Russian) Israel Program for Scientific Translations, Jerusalem. Gabrielson, L N. and F. C. Lincoln. 1959. The birds of Alaska. Stackpole Co., Harrisburg, PA, and Wildl. Manage. Inst., Washington, D.C. Gibson, D. D. 1978. The autumnal migration. Alaska region. Am. Birds 32:243-245. Gibson, D. D. and G. V. Byrd. 1972. The nesting season. Alaska region. Am. Birds 26:890-893. Gibson, D. D. and G. V. Byrd. 1974. The nesting season. Alaska region. Am. Birds 28:935-938. Gibson, D. D. and G. V. Byrd. 1975. The nesting season. Alaska region. Am. Birds 29:1018-1020. Gibson, D. D. and G. V. Byrd. 1976. The nesting season. Alaska region. Am. Birds 30:990-991. Nethersole-Thompson, D. 1973. The Dotterel. Collins, London. Pitelka, F. A. 1974. An avifaunal review for the Barrow region and north slope of arctic Alaska. Arctic Alp. Res. 6(2): 178. Accepted 2 September 1978 94 With this issue, we initiate a new and regular feature in Western Birds. Hopefully it will stimulate increased contribution of notes on field marks, photographs of poorly known or aberrant plumages, and other information worth sharing. Short notes on little-known field marks are particularly desirable, but should be backed by field experiences documenting the relative usefulness of these marks, and, if possible, examination of specimen collections. Notice and occasional summaries of articles appearing in other journals will also be included. We also wish to encourage interested and knowledgeable individuals to write full length identification papers on some of the knottier problem groups (see below). The format of this section may change considerably from issue to issue. To a large extent, contributions will reflect your interests. PRIORITY LIST. Authors are encouraged to submit papers and notes dealing with any species. Greatest need, however, is for identification papers dealing with certain groups. The Field Identification Paper Committee has drafted the following list of these groups: Loons (especially at a distance) North Pacific procellarids (a series of papers) Frigatebirds Boobies Holarctic swans Holarctic teal (females and eclipse males) Eagles, buteos, accipiters and large falcons (a series) Golden plovers (all species and races) Holarctic godwits Calidris sandpipers Jaegers and skuas Gulls of the northwestern Pacific (a series) Dark swifts (Vaux’s, Black and Chimney) Vocalizations of owls Hummingbirds Myiarchus flycatchers Empidonax flycatchers Contopus flycatchers Pipits (primarily Asiatic wanderers) Wingbarless vireos North American tanagers Grassland sparrows Spizella sparrows Longspurs A list of suggestions to contributors has also been prepared by the committee, and copies are available on request. Correspondence concerning notes, papers and other contributions on field identification should addressed to: Tim Manolis, EPO Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309. Photographs of unusual plumages (e.g., immatures, poorly known age classes and polymorphisms) or rarely photographed species should be sent to the Photography Editor: Stephen Laymen, 3290 Ackley Road, Lakeport, CA 95453. Western Birds 10: 95-96, 1979 95 YELLOW-BILLED LOON IDENTIFICATION A paper describing the first Yellow-billed Loon (Gavia adamsii) recorded in Switzerland has recently been published (M. Schwarz, Der Ornithologische Beo- bachter 75:213-226, 1978; in German with English summary). This paper presents an interesting discussion of field marks separating this species from the Common Loon (G. immer), and a number of photographs that are particularly useful in highlighting the back pattern and neck proportions, in various postures, of G. adamsii. Recent articles on the identification of large loons have appeared in Western Birds (Binford and Remsen, 5:1 1 1-126, 1974)and BritishBirds (Burn and Mather, 67:257-296, 1974). Sketch by Tim Manolis FEMALE “BLUE-WINGED” TEAL Field marks separating (admittedly at very close range!) female Blue-winged (Anas discors) and Cinnamon (A. cyanoptera) teals were recently discussed by D. I. M. Wallace (British Birds 70:290-294, 1977). Briefly summarizing that article, the face of the female Blue-winged Teal is more strongly patterned (clearer white at base of bill, bolder eye stripe) than the face of the female Cinnamon (see sketch). The browns of the head and underparts of the Cinnamon female are warmer and redder in tone, and the bill tends to appear more spatulate, like that of Northern Shoveler (A. clypeata). Something not brought out in the paper, but which should be noted here, is that hybridization between these teal species, and between each and the Northern Shoveler, has been documented and could complicate this picture. Field Identification Paper Committee : Tim Manolis, Chairman, Laurence C. Binford, Guy McCaskie, Richard Stallcup, Bruce Webb 96 WESTERN FIELD ORNITHOLOGISTS MEMBERSHIP LIST - 1978 ALABAMA Susan Allen Parker William G. Roe REGULAR Gary Rosenberg Howard M. Einspahr Starr Rounds Stowell Rounds ALASKA Dr. Stephen M. Russell Joan Simonds LIFE Steven M. Speich Pete Isleib Shirley S. Spider REGULAR Mrs. Walter R. Spofford Scott Terrill Daniel D. Gibson Dr. Carl S. Tomoff Robert Gill Bret Whitney Richard J. Gordon Dr. and Mrs. Robert A. Witzeman Jan Harrington Larry Mangan Dr. James M. Woolfenden Gerald A. Sanger Gordon Tans ARKANSAS John Trapp REGULAR Norman Lavers ARIZONA Charles Mills SUPPORTING Robert Smith CONTRIBUTING George Beringer Mrs. Leslie Jones Philip Walters REGULAR Mrs. H. C. Barker Jonathan M, Bealer John Bean Timothy Brush Virginia F. Cechmanek Ted Cordery Doug Danforth William A. Davis Mrs. David M. Demaree Howard A. Fogg Grace G. Gregg William Harrison Douglas B. Hay Betty Jones Kenn Kaufman Donald W. Lamm Mrs. Fred Longstreth Robert L. McKernan Dr. Carl S. Marvel Cary W. Meister Mr. Gale Monson Marian Norris Mrs. Ruth Ogden CALIFORNIA LIFE Harold E. Basey Dr. Laurence C. B inford Virginia F. Bruno Mrs. Brooke Clyde Alan M. Craig Mrs. Oliver C. Field Alice E. Fries Randy Hill Douglas Kerr John S. Luther Eugene and Akiko Makishima Alan B. Meyerfeld Dr. Richard H. Neuman Dr. and Mrs. David Smith James H. Snowden Jane C. Warriner SUPPORTING Warren S. Brav j Mrs. Albert Ghiorso Mr. and Mrs. E. E. Henning, Jr. Guy McCaskie Robert W. L. Potts CONTRIBUTING Albert E. Ackroyd Charles A. Anderson Frank Baldridge Bernice Barnes 97 Florence G. Bennett Austin Brewin Dr. Clyde Bergman Richard P. Bertoli Leo R. Best Neal Clark Nancy Crawford DaleJ. Delaney Jules Evens Kent Fickett Ann Follis Mr. & Mrs. E. G. Fremont Milton Gregory George O. Hale W. Edward Harper Ms. Linda C. Harris W. Heckmann Dorothy Kilfoil Elizabeth G. Kimball Gilbert W. King Dr. J. M. Langham Ronald R. LeValley Paul and Pam Lewis John Lindsay Clifford R. Lyons Ann Manolis Dr. Robert & Ann Marcus Joseph Misner Gerald G. Mugele Cordand Myers Mrs. James L. Oetzel Benjamin D. Parmeter Larry Perkins Cecil A. Poole Jack B. Power Marjorie L. Power Donald C. Reed Thomas L, Rodgers Lawrence Sansone III Dr. Luis Santaella William G. Shaw Cecil N. Smith Thomas and Barbara Southworth Nancy and Harold Spear Shumway Suffel Nathan C. Sweet, Jr. Mrs. Reese Hale Taylor Carl Thelander Gerald Tolman Mrs. Edna Vollmer Jack L. Wallace Margaret Watson Bob and Carol Yutzy Fred Ziegler REGULAR Mr. and Mrs. Harry Adamson Dr. David Ainley Daniel Airola Elmer Aldrich J. Garth Alton William Amundsen Mrs. Beth H. Anderson Daniel W. Anderson Mary Anderson Walter Anderson R. Jay Andree Natasha Antonovich Paul A meric h John R. Arnold Jon L. Atwood Keith Axelson Dr. Edgar H. Bailey Stephen F. Bailey Bryant Bainbridge Alan Baldridge Larry Ballard Seaver Ballard Mr. Ebbe Banstorp David Bates Robert Bames Cameron and Katherine Barrows John H Baumgardt Harold A. Baxter Dennis Beall Frank Becherer Mrs. Raffi Bedayn Edward C. Beedy William H. Berger Charles H. Bernstein Barbara Berton Louis Bevier Mr. and Mrs. Frank K. Beyer George F. Bing Robert E. Blackstone Clark Blake Tupper Blake Don Bleitz Bruce W. Bohmke A. J. Borodayko William Bousman Mr. and Mrs. Charles G. Bowen Robert I. Bowman Helen Boyd John Brack Jean Brandt Dr, R. L. Branson Dave Brennan A. Briggs 98 Kenneth T. Briggs N. Bruce Broadbooks Henry M. Brodkin Dr. and Mrs. Douglas Brotz George Bryce Mr. Cortney Buechert Elizabeth Burridge Mr. and Mrs, Glenn A. Burris Linda Belluomini Roy S. Cameron Kurt Campbell Steven Cardiff Roy B. Carlson Theodore Chandik Douglas Cheeseman, Jr. Clarence Chrisp Cathy C. Cibit Alvin J. Clark Herbert Clarke Sadie Coats Mrs. Sloan Coats James L. Coatsworth Howard L. Cogswell Gerald Collier Dr. Charles T. Collins Kathy Colmar Mrs. Mildred Comar Herold Connon Mr. and Mrs. Robert Copper Christopher Coulon John Cowan Richard L. Cunningham Art Cupples Michael J. Cussen Valeria DaCosta Loring Dales Dr. John Davis Linda S. Delaney David F. DeSante Bruce E. Deuel Ms. Denise Devine Fred Dexter Flip Dibner Elizabeth Dickey William Dillinger Donna Dittmann Linda Dixon Shirley L. Doole Dave Dunaway Jonathan Dunn Victoria M. Dziadosz Mrs. J. Lloyd Eaton Claude G. Edwards, Jr. Brian Egger Raymond Ekstrom Stan W. Elems Bruce G. Elliott Willis K. Elliott Doug Emery Sidney England Chris Englert C. R. Epley Richard Erickson Ronald Escano Michael U. Evans William T. Everett James B. Fairchild Mrs. Laurel Feigenbaum Mrs. Stephenie S. Ferguson Hal Ferris Linda Fontes Stanley G. Ford Steven Forsell Joel and Barbara Fowler Marilyn Fowler Dr. Kathleen E. Franzreb Mike Fredette Tom Frillman Virgil Frizzell Jeffrey Froke Mrs. Hubert Fry Gary N. Fugle H. R. Gable David Gaines Earl H. Gann Kimball Garrett Richard Gehman Steve Gellman Ronald Genung R. H. Gerstenberg Ms. Clara Golden Sharon Goldwasser Douglas E. Gomke Phil Gordon Rod Goss Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Gould, Jr Wade Graham Steve Granholm Gilbert S. Grant Dr. Edward Greaves Ms. Helen Green William E. Grenfell, Jr. Dr. John Gustafson D. A. Guthrie Jeffrey D. Hackel Dr. Gerald Haigh Elwood Hain James Hale Walt Halland B, P. Hand Anne-Lise Hansen Mrs. Beth Hansen Michael and Doreen Harer David L. Harlow Mrs. Deyea V. Harper Roger D. Harris Sydney P. Harrison Tony Harrow Ms. Lois Harter John and Helen Hartman Dorothy A. Harvey Tom Harvey Ruth Hawksley Andrew Haynes William W. Haynor Fred Heath Fred Heidi Gloria Heller Roger C. Helm Valdemar Hempel Philip Henderson Diana Herron Dr. John G. Hewston Glenda Hightower Thomas D. Hinshaw Robert W. Hirt Dr. Jim Hitchcock James Hodgson Don Hoechlin R. W. Hoellwarth Norman D. Hogg Craig Hohenberger Norman E. Holgersen Howard Honig Joel H. Hornstein Kenneth Howard William A. Howard Vernon Howe Ralph Hudgins George Hugenberg, Jr. Hillary Hulen George L. Hunt, Jr. Julia Ingham Elizabeth Ingles Marguerite Jabinson Carl A. Janson Dr. Joseph R. Jehl, Jr. Leroy L. Jensen Richard Jimenez Robert C. Johnsen David Johnson David H. Johnson Dorothy Johnson Dr. Eric V. Johnson Jerome A. Johnson Larry Johnson Ned K, Johnson Richard F. Johnson Rixon A. Johnson Ronald Johnson Virginia Johnson Cindy Jones Jean S. Jones Lee Jones William P. Jones Carlos W. Jordan Donald Jordan Brian Joseph Susan Kaiser Vincent P. Kehoe Mrs. Margaret T. Keith Mary Kelley Nina Kelly Shirley Jane Sc Michael Kelly Kenneth Kertell Howard Kessler Gary Key Lloyd Kiff Jean Kimmich David King, Jr. Dr. C. Kinsell Dr. Jack L. Kinsey Barbara Klasson Jacqueline Knisley Walt Koenig Ms. Dell Lacy Karen C. Lamp Alvin M. Lapp Peter LaTourrette William and Donna Laudenslayer Robert H. Laws Stephen A. Laymon Matthew Leddy Roger J. Lederer Tom E. Lee Paul Lehman William G. Lehmann W. H. Lenarz Philip Lenna Clarann Levakis David B. Lewis Robert A. Lewis Jim and Sue Liskovec Dr. Steven E. Liston Robert Lockett Mr. and Mrs. Eric T. Lodge 100 Dr. Albert E. Long Phillip Lubina Susanne Luther James Lynch Lela F. MacCracken John A. MacDonald Brian J. McCaffery Mrs. Katherine McCann Steve McCormick Marjorie H. McCulley Mrs. Louise J. McCullough E. P. McElhany Joseph McGee Bev McIntosh Donald T. McLaughlin Mr. and Mrs. Morton McMichael Fred Machetanz Paul Mack Mrs. L. G. Maclise Dr. Gerald Maisel Mrs. Laurette Maisel Robert Mallette Marie L. Mans Mrs. Barbara Margolis Frances Mariposa Miss Gloria Markowitz Barbara Massey Mrs. Helen Matelson William W. Mather Jim Matzinger Mr. and Mrs. George A. Mealy T. Nelson Metcalf Dr. L. Richard Mewaldt T. E. Meyer Sharon Milder Gregg Miller Martha K. Miller Charles Mirandon Mabel E. Mires Dale Mitchell Lorraine Moeller Ms, Lydia Momotuk Alan Moore David Moore Narca Moore Joseph Morlan James R. Morris, Jr. Ms. Martha Morrow Jonathan Mulcare Steve Mulligan Daniel P. Murphy Paul Neal Rick Near Eric and Marilyn Nelson Mr. and Mrs. L. O. Nelson Don Neubacher Mike Newcomer Dr. Walter Nichols Grace A. Nixon Larry Norris Mrs. Virginia M. Norris Christine Nyhan Mr. R. E. O’Brien John O’Connell Robert O’Donnell Gary Page Wayne A. Palsson Arvil L. Parker Carla Parsons Ms. Kav Partelow j Sally Pearce Les and Mel Perry George Peyton Richard Philibosian Robert P, Phillips R. L. Pitman Anne Plachta Dr. Agnes Plate Clayton J. Pollard Dave Povey Mrs. Helen M. Pratt T. S. Prescott Robert Joe Prickett Mr. and Mrs. Jack Proffitt William M. Pursell John Quick Robert Ramer Sylvia J. Ranney William Reese Stephen Reeve Charles A. Reneau Diane Renshaw David Rice Ms. Elsie Richey Mrs. Jean Richmond Robert J. Richmond Mindy Richter Dr. Roger W. Ridley Lyman V. Ritter Robert Roadcap Michael Robbins Don Roberson Norman C. Roberts Ms. Debi Robinson Ms. W. Rockman Robert Rodrigues Pamela Roe Ivana Roland Kristin Roper Mrs. Harold Rosegay Martha E. Rosenquist Peter and Adena Rosmarin Peter M. Ross James L. Rosso Paul Roush Allen Royer Bob Rutemoeller Dr, and Mrs. Donald C. Samson Andrew Sanders J. Michael Sanders Phillip R. Sayre Phil & Margaret Schaeffer Alfred Schmitz Donald E. Schmoldt Mrs. Rae Schmuck William R. Schock Bradford K. Schram Don A. Schroeder Gertrude Schuckert Stuart Schulz Ivan R. Schwab Michael Scriven Milton L. Seibert Marianne R. Shepard John W. Shipman Dave Shuford Ms. Pamela A. Sibley Vicki Silvas-Young Karen L. Slemmer Arnold Small Dr. Kenneth C. Smith Tom W. Smith Paul E. Smythe Mrs, Jean-Marie Spoelman Paul Springer Malcolm J. Sproul Richard W. Stallcup Donald S. Starks J. S. Steller Thomas Steller Lynne Stenzel Frederick B. Stimson, III Don Stiver Rosemary P. Stock William J. Stone Nick Story Dr. Ellen G. Strauss Mrs. Marie Sweadner Sylvia Sykora John E. Taft Ian C. Tait Dean W. Taylor John Thaw Dr. and Mrs. S. F. Thomas William H. Thomson Ric Thowless E. Wayne Tillay C. Robert Tittle Dorothy Tobkin Ruth Troetschler Ms. Barbara Trowbridge L. L. Tuttle Robert Tweit William Breck Tyler Dr. M. D. Udvardy Philip Unitt G. N. Van Essen Kent Van Vuren Daniel Varoujean George W. Venatta Jared Verner William R. von Bergen, Jr. Judith L. Wagner George W. Waldie Penny Walker Kenneth Warner Charles Washburn Marion Waterhouse Wesley W. Weathers Janeece Webb Richard E. Webster Mr. W. W. Weddendorf Michael Weinstein Janet Wessel Gilbert West Ms. Susan West Jack Whetstone Sharon Whisler Jean White Drs. Marshall and Jennifer White Peter and Dolores White Kitty Whiteside Jim Widess Harold Allen Wier Mike Wihler Sanford R. Wilbur Gerald S. Wilkinson Alice L. Williams Diane Williams Douglas H. Williams Stephanie Williams William Williams Carolyn Willison Peter A. Willmann Chris Wilson Mrs. Cora S. Wilson 102 Dr. Howard I. Wilson Dr. Steven C. Wilson Summer Wilson David Winkler Jon Winter Milton A. Wise Clarence M. Wolcott Vernal L. Yadon Rita Zamacona G. W. Zamzow Robert R. Zappala Mrs. Maurice L. Zeff COLORADO LIFE Jim Lane REGULAR Robert Andrews Winston and Sylvia Brockner Dr. Jeanne A. Conry Allen B. Crockett Alexander Cruz Deborah Davis Dr. Peter R. Gent Dave A. and Carolyn Griffiths Robert & Nancy Gustafson Geoffrey A. Hammerson Louise Hering Ed Hollowed Mark Holmgren Hugh E. Kingery Barry G. Knapp Tim Manolis Jack Reddall Dr. Joseph Roller William C. Shuster Mildred O. Snyder Peter C. Sorensen Judd E. Sundine Betsy Webb Bruce Webb Nancy Zavitz CONNECTICUT CONTRIBUTING Nicholas M. Greene REGULAR Phillip N. Brylski Roger Tory Peterson Steven Sibley FLORIDA REGULAR William and Helen Dowling Maj. Alfred Driscoll Hal H. Harrison Dr. R. L. Kelley Julian Lee Robert C. Lee, Jr. Alfred Liberman GEORGIA REGULAR Terry Moore HAWAII LIFE Charles van Riper III CONTRIBUTING Mr. and Mrs. H. L. Scantlin REGULAR Dr. Sheila Conant Lawrence T. Hirai C. John Ralph Dr. J. Michael Scott IDAHO REGULAR Tom Fulton Dean H. Jones ILLINOIS REGULAR Lawrence G. Balch H. David Bohlen Betsy Bush Charles T. Clark Richard DeCoster James Latturner Randy L. Morrison Grace F. Smith INDIANA REGULAR John Coons Larry Peavler IOWA Bernard Morrissey REGULAR Blair Nikula Wayne R. Petersen Thomas H. Kent KENTUCKY MICHIGAN CONTRIBUTING REGULAR Dr. Thomas Killip Dr. Burt L. Monroe, Tr. _ Jon E. Rickert REGULAR LOUISIANA James A. Fowler, Jr. Thomas V. Heatley REGULAR MINNESOTA H. Douglas Pratt REGULAR Dr. T, Van Remsen, Jr. Tom Schulenberg Terry Savaloja Sartor Williams Gary Simonson MISSISSIPPI MAINE REGULAR REGULAR _ , Wavne C. Weber Norman Famous Will Russell MISSOURI MARYLAND CONTRIBUTING Carmen J. Patterson CONTRIBUTING REGULAR Henry Bielstein Phoebe Snetsinger REGULAR Paul J, Baicich MONTANA Carl Carlson CONTRIBUTING Douglas Cook H. N. Metcalf Ethel Dolnick R. Lindsay Lilly, Jr. REGULAR S. Harvey and Marion Mudd Mrs. Marcella Bishop Bob Ringler Elaine Hammer Josephine Walker Lorin and Vickie Hicks P. D. Skaar MASSACHUSETTS NEBRASKA CONTRIBUTING RFGITTAR Donald C. Alexander REGULAR Richard Rosche C. Fred Zeillemaker Kathleen S. Anderson William Blakeslee NEVADA Dr. and Mrs. P. A. Buckley REGULAR Alden G. Clayton Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Eaton J. R. Alcorn Stuart Henderson M. Vincent Mowbray Joseph T. Leverick Dr. Fred Ryser 104 NEW HAMPSHIRE NORTH CAROLINA REGULAR H. Cook Anderson William T. Tucker NEW JERSEY LIFE Allan Keith REGULAR Theodore Chase, Jr. David C. Duffy Michael Gochfeld Douglas P. Kibbe Charles Lincoln James K. Meritt Rodney A. Norden James ScarfF Don Schwab NEW MEXICO REGULAR Peter Carruthers Richard Castetter Kay Dreher L. G. Hawkins Patricia J. Latas Mrs. Daniel McKnight Dr. William Stone Richard Wilt NEW YORK SUPPORTING Joseph W. Taylor Mr. and Mrs. Gates Weisberg REGULAR Martin Borko Dr. Paul DeBenedictis Robert W. Dickerman Susan Roney Drennan Orville M. Dunning Frieda Fairchild Dr. Gordon M. Meade Vaughn W. Morrison Richard H. Pough Fritz Scheider Dr. Barbara J. Spencer John Wall REGULAR Dwight Lee NORTH DAKOTA CONTRIBUTING Dr. and Mrs. Kenneth J. Johnson REGULAR Thomas A. Gatz Capt. John F. Kelley, Jr. OHIO CONTRIBUTING Elinor Elder REGULAR William W. Baum William Creasey Mr. and Mrs. John Dale Mr. and Mrs. John A. Shrader Ray Wlodarski OKLAHOMA REGULAR Dr. W. A. Carter Dr. F. L. Knopf OREGON CONTRIBUTING Harry B. Nehls Steven D. Summers REGULAR David A. Anderson Norman M. Barrett Range Bayer Richard A. Bradley Mark Egger Tad and Kathy Finnell Tyler S. Groo Charles J. Henny Ronald J. Klein' Carroll D. Littlefield Lawrence B. McQueen David Marshall Jeriy A. Roppe Otis D. Swisher Steve Thompson Mrs. Clarice H. Watson 105 PENNSYLVANIA CONTRIBUTING G. Bernard Van Cleve REGULAR Henry T. Armistead A. M. Lawson James M. Loughlin Bernard Morris Kenneth C. Parkes Keith C. Richards RHODE ISLAND REGULAR Robert Conway Douglas L. Kraus Don V. Tiller SOUTH DAKOTA REGULAR Jocelyn Lee Mortimer Reva Pearce TENNESSEE CONTRIBUTING Tom Wilmers TEXAS LIFE J. P. Malott CONTRIBUTING Charles W. Sexton John Sproul, Jr. REGULAR Alma Barrera Gene W. Blacklock Ron and Marcia Braun Mary Ann Chapman T. Ben Feltner Bill Hoppes R. H. Moulton Dr. A. W. O’Neil Frances Williams UTAH REGULAR Dr. Martha H. Balph William H. Behle Keith L. Dixon Richard D. Porter Kimberly Smith VERMONT REGULAR Bruce Some VIRGINIA REGULAR Ron Naveen John Rowlett Roland H. Wauer WASHINGTON CONTRIBUTING Jack. E. Davis Glen Hoge REGULAR Ruby Allen C. M. Anderson Alice Benedict Chris Chappell Philip Cheney Mike Donahue James P. Farrell Larry and Jacque Goodhew William Harrington-Tweit Steven Herman Susan Hills Eugene Hunn Dr. Richard E. Johnson Martha Jordan Richard L. Knight Tim Martin Philip W, Mattocks, Jr. Dr. William Mulligan John O’Connell Dennis R. Paulson Evelyn W. Peaslee Georgia H. Ramsey Wally Sumner Gerald V. Tangren Ron Toonen Terence R. Wahl Arthur Wang John W. Weber Thomas W. Weir Bart Whelton Ralph Widrig Dr. Robert Woodley 106 WISCONSIN MANITOBA REGULAR Spencer Sealy Dan Minkebige NEW BRUNSWICK WYOMING Stuart Tingley REGULAR ONTARIO Sophia S. Bogart Helen Downing Mrs. Robert Hanesworth Dr. Oliver K. Scott D. H. Elder Gavin Joanston David M. Mark WASHINGTON D.C. CONTRIBUTING W. Graham Metson, Jr. REGULAR BELGIUM Pierre Devillers Jean Terschuren Paul DuMont Jay M. Sheppard Lt. Col. John P. Upchurch Claudia P. Wilds BOLIVIA Tom Heindel ENGLAND Jeffrey Boswall Frederick Watson GUAM REGULAR Harry Krueger IRELAND Pilib O’Buachalla CANADA ALBERTA MEXICO Allan R. Phillips M. Ross Lein Martin K. McNicholl Dr. M. T. Myres SWEDEN Hans Jornvall BRITISH COLUMBIA Doris Brigham Chester S. Chard Mike Force J. E. V. Goodwill A1 Grass E. H. Grossman Ms. Suann Hosie Barry Sauppe SWITZERLAND Annette Adams Harvey Giiston VENEZUELA Allen B. Altman INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERSHIPS ARIZONA Arizona State University, Tempe Arizona Game and Fish Dept., Phoenix University of Arizona, Tucson CALIFORNIA BLM Desert Plan Program, Riverside California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco California Dept, of Fish and Game, Long Beach California Institute of Technology, Pasadena California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo California Resources Agency, Sacramento California State College, Sonoma, Rohnert Park California State Library, Sacramento California State University, Chico California State University, Fresno California State University, Long Beach Chabot College, Hayward Claremont Colleges, Claremont Claremont Library Golden Gate Audubon Society, Berkeley Humboldt State University, Areata Los Angeles Public Library, Los Angeles Marin County Free Library, San Rafael Museum of Vertebrate Zoology', Berkeley Naval Undersea Center, San Diego Oakland Public Library, Oakland Occidental College, Los Angeles Pacific College, Azuza Pacific Union College, Angwin Peninsula Center Library, Palos Verdes Peninsula Point Reyes Bird Observatory, Stinson Beach Sacramento City Library, Sacramento San Bernardino County Museum, Redlands San Diego County Library, El Cajon San Diego County Library, San Diego San Diego Natural History Museum, San Diego San Diego State University, San Diego San Diego Zoo, San Diego San Francisco Public Library, San Francisco San Jose State University, San Jose Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, Santa Barbara Santa Monica Public Library, Santa Monica Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla Stanford University, Stanford University' of California, Berkeley University of California, Davis University of California, Irvine University of California, Biomedical Library, Los Angeles University of California, Dept, of Zoology, Los Angeles University of California, La J olla University of California, Santa Barbara University of California, Santa Cruz Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology, Los Angeles Yosemite Natural History Association, Yosemite National Park COLORADO Fish and Wildlife Service, Wildlife Research Center, Denver Office of Surface Mining Library, Denver CONNECTICUT Peabody Museum of Natural History, New Haven DELAWARE Delaware Museum of Natural History, Greenville FLORIDA Florida State University, Tallahassee Florida Technological University, Orlando IDAHO Idaho State University, Pocatello 108 ILLINOIS Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign INDIANA Ball State University, Muncie IOWA Iowa State University, Ames KANSAS University of Kansas, Lawrence MARYLAND Fish and Wildlife Service, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel MASSACHUSETTS Massachusetts Audubon Society, Lincoln Southeastern Massachusetts University, North Dartmouth University of Massachusetts, Amherst MICHIGAN Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant MISSISSIPPI Mississippi State University, Mississippi State College MISSOURI Linda Hall Library, Kansas City MONTANA Montana State University, Bozeman NEW MEXICO New Mexico Dept, of Game and Fish, Santa Fe University of New Mexico, Albuquerque NEW YORK Buffalo Museum of Science, Buffalo New York State College of Agriculture, Ithaca University of New York, Albany OREGON Bureau of Land Management, Salem George Fox College, Newberg Oregon State University, Corvallis Portland Audubon Society, Portland Department of the Interior, Portland PENNSYLVANIA Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Pittsburgh Millersville State College, Millersville SOUTH CAROLINA Clemson University, Clemson TEXAS Baylor University, Waco University of Texas, Austin UTAH Brigham Young University, Provo VIRGINIA Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg WASHINGTON Evergreen State College, Olympia National Wildlife Fellowship, University of Washington, Seattle University of Washington, Seattle Washington State Library, Olympia Washington State University, Pullman Western Washington State College, Bellingham WYOMING University of Wyoming, Laramie AUSTRALIA CSIRO, Division of Wildlife Research, Lyneham National Library of Australia, Canberra CANADA ALBERTA Lakeland College, Vermilion Canadian Wildlife Service, Edmonton 109 BRITISH COLUMBIA British Columbia Provincial Museum, Victoria University of British Columbia, Vancouver ONTARIO Carleton University Library, Ottawa National Museums of Canada, Ottawa University of Western Ontario, London QUEBEC McGill University, Montreal DENMARK University Library, Copenhagen ENGLAND British Library, Wetherby, Yorkshire British Museum, London Edward Grey Institute, Oxford Science Reference Library, London FRANCE Bibliotheque du C.N.R.S., Paris GERMANY Zeitschriftenabteilung, Sencken- bergische Bibliothek, Frankfurt NETHERLANDS Bibl Kon Ned Akad Wetensch, Amsterdam SWEDEN Goteborgs Universitet, Goteborg UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA Transvaal Museum, Pretoria UNION OF SOVIET SOCIALIST REPUBLICS Akademii Nauk SSSR, Filial Biblioteki, Moscow EXCHANGES Alauda (France) American Museum of Natural History, Novitates and Bulletin AOU Committee on Classification and Nomenclature Audubon Magazine Auk, The Aves (Belgium) Biological Abstracts Birding Bird Observer of Eastern Massachusetts British Birds CFO Journal Emu, The (Australia) Fagelvarld, Var (Sweden) Florida Naturalist Gerfaut, Le (Belgium) Iowa Bird Life Irish Bird Report Key-Word-Index, Swiss Wildlife Information Service Lirnosa (Netherlands) Loon, The Migrant, The Murrelet, The Notornis (New Zealand) New Jersey State Museum Oiseau, L’ (France) Ornis Fennica (Finland) Ornithologische Beobachter Schweizerische Vogelwarte, Der (Switzerland) Ostrich, The (Union of South Africa) Revue Francaise d’Ornithologieue, La (France) Ring, The (Poland) Seabird Group, The (Scodand) Smithsonian Institution US Dept, of Interior, Office of Library Services Western Tanager, The Wilson Bulletin, The Xerox University Microfilms Zbornik (Czechoslovakia) Zoological Record (England) 110 Volume 10 * Number 2 , 19?B A Sflabind Die-tiff un dir V^'^htn^iosi £oart fti VT id -winter 1 ^76 Bill '&nrriNfttiu-TtMftt jr Cukri.idfj Fidd OLLLiihubgsvts Qffidal Reennk < .mminiirt 1 R cjiort 1 97 i i- 1 97 7 R&ixn 4 ntfrim |J Kii-I-I Idrruifk^him elf the Haw-man Creeper on the bland of Hawaii / Mi dm si &atft r Shells Omtmt and iL Dwight * Ptft ff j i NOTES S(^tthn the Sui.irhrm California Mai n la j id \fotM H *th fin if Ijjis f. Hiifittxfn A ShAtTp-taif^I Stfitljiificr in <:i»jfj r -nli\ With Money on Plumage .it Li I Behavior &mrr E. M^/jA Bndj&amtr A Fmty A DpiirfcH on Som beast Rualiun hi and , Cuhiurum Philip fhmtintfrW fikhiilii atii'M Nutra F&dti frftMrfiwfifais P&f^r Cfimnitfct: W«nvrn FMd Qmith..iki^N.iy Membership List Ht7K BULLETIN BOARD Mirni ph fftauW ht nrnt W Atan M Crwjt 3*32 Wmnan W.tv I^iiiikhmt, CA 95bOft ! ■' ,!| ' t " m |J I tiflt mult $ii ftfri if? f (ttilYJhfifoi \ -si EL n?/ ih lO pp. mu in-,. UttiUlifrtti tifi c&st from r 1 1 1 ■ Etlilui < arul Cmirttf Bwbtfii Fd\tm Shtrm*tiA 4ili I^iitstm, l*7h -a^ibblr- irnm Anirnraji RrmillJlr -rl B ioJoRlr-,i I frir-m i . L|Q| ^ iUrau Btfi i drviii d_ Ai liii^n m VA '2 r 22i\Q Nit s I UU> Piper* IK desired thei ire bttuij upon field studies of birds, rimr #rcbt>th under- «Tend:ddc end "^ful «1 linin' cun. ud that make a npiifkim tuntrii.iitwr, Ea Mnmtirfic lit era rure. Appropriate lorpia include disFmimdOfL, migntion- tiCfims bchgtvmi-, ecnSogj , papularion dyrmifiki* habitat '‘retirement*, effects n f pollution. ami Technique* for identify u^, cci^using. ftoimii recording md photo pu phing birds in the field. Rap«s of general mterrit will be considered tegardi*i# * thru ^qp-aphJc origin, but paanmlirty di-HjretL m pupers denting MudbOs uL-coriipJj^d in er liTJrirkg^B Uxxky A|aH n ejeip ^atef and provlnra WOTWird, induilifk^ Al*skft und Hawaii, adjaLetit poi'lrons nl tike Pacific Ocean arid v f vun- ahd weixern Te™, Antbi?^ nt-L prnvktcil Jfl free reprints of «ch paper. /Vlditi™i, ccptitlts can be tjrdenfd at ttuthnr's expense tVom the Fdin.iT when pi oof it returned or earlU-r CkKid php^ioprapbi ol rate and (OjuMiai binifc. UFtaccximpjiEkierf art *rddt blit With haptioii i«d J urjfrig ipodffp dates locaHny Jrsd rather peffiri-eiit iHfwnti+llirJTl. ^honJil hr +ubmiEir'd CO icrphctl A. liivanon, AddeV ftood^ Uk'jiort, I1A OS^^J HJ Sb 97 m