1 * ■ ■ ll a J' ■. ' r k :|At i % ' - 1 T- F ' [hi v JP» ' ‘PL 1 |i ■ i . ** ' jf , jJL t ■ft JHk i » 75% (1) Speckled (2) 2. Chest spot shape Always single, large central reniform spot (1) Mostly double, irregular marks (2) 3. Abdominal spotting Fine, linear to narrowly rhomboid, contrasting with throat/chest (1) Heavy, oval to diamond-shaped, not strongly contrasted to chest (2) 4. Chest patch Spots aggregated to form black patch (1) No strong aggregation into patch (2) 5. Flank/abdomen color Conspicuous buffy wash across flanks and lower abdomen (1) Largely white, weak ochre wash ± re- stricted to flanks or absent (2) 6. Back color Warm ground color of nape contrasting with grayer interscapulars and lower back (1) Warm ground color of nape continuing through inter- scapulars and lower back without demarcation (2) 7. Tail barring Largely black (states 1-3, see Table 3) Largely white-barred (states 7-9) “Score values in parentheses 88 COASTAL CALIFORNIA CACTUS WRENS 2. Chest spot shape. Chest spots of continental desert birds are single, occupying the middle of the feather, and centered on the shaft (Figure 5a). An occasional individual has some split spots along the lateral margins of the chest. The spots’ shape is variable but is most often kidney- or even Figure 3. Underparts of two subspecies of the Cactus Wren. Upper, C. b. anthonyi; lower, C. b. sandiegensis. 89 COASTAL CALIFORNIA CACTUS WRENS chevron-shaped, with the proximal margin concave. In both peninsular subspecies the central part of the chest feather is white, and irregularly shaped spots occupy the two distal lateral corners of the feather (Figure 5b). Figure 4. Underparts of two subspecies of the Cactus Wren. Upper, C. b. bryanti ; lower, C. b. sandiegensis. 90 COASTAL CALIFORNIA CACTUS WRENS 3. Abdominal spotting. In continental Cactus Wrens the flanks and belly are largely pale because the spots of this region are fine, either linear or rhomboid, strongly contrasting with the large single spots on the chest. In peninsular forms the abdominal spots are large and oval, giving the ap- pearance of a bird with an almost uniformly marked undersurface. Spots on the crissum of bryanti are two or more times larger than those of anthonyi. 4. Chest patch. Because of the larger size of the chest spots of continental birds as well as the contrasting fineness of the spotting on the rest of the underparts, there is a conspicuous aggregation of the spots into a black chest patch. This is only weakly correlated with sex. In some cases a male may be more densely spotted than a female, but most anatomically sexed specimens cannot be segregated on this criterion. Peninsular Cactus Wrens are more uniformly marked below, with nonaggregated (double) chest spots and large oval abdominal spots. In other words, a chest patch is lacking. 5. Flank/abdomen color. Until their plumage is worn and faded, conti- nental Cactus Wrens have a strong buffy wash across the flanks and abdomen, contrasting with the white ground color of the remaining under- parts. In peninsular birds this wash is usually entirely absent. Some indi- viduals have a weak wash, but the color is more yellowish, nearest Pale Ochraceous Buff of Ridgway (1912). Both the quality and the quantity of the color differ. An occasional peninsular specimen has a distinct wash below, but this invades the entire underparts to the chest. This color may be adventitious, the result of a bird dust-bathing in red (iron-oxide) clay soils. 6. Back color. In anthonyi, the ground color of the back is brownish gray, distinctly contrasting with the rufous of the crown and nape. The crowns of peninsular birds are even more strongly rufescent, with the warmer, darker brown tones extending down through the ground color of the entire dorsum. (The shape of the white dorsal streaks, bordered by fuscous or blackish streaks, appears not to vary geographically, at least in the north- western Mexico and the southwestern U.S.) 7. Tail markings. Continental forms of adult Cactus Wrens have essen- tially black tails except for the brown central pair of rectrices and the white subterminal bar across the remainder (Table 3). White bars and spots are restricted primarily to the outer (sixth) rectrix. Rectrix 5 may have a trace of white or a distinct spot or bar on the inner web (states 1-3 in Figure 6). Peninsular forms have distinct white bars and spots on the inner webs of rectrices 3-6, their tails thus being completely barred. Figure 5. Chest-spot shapes in two groups of subspecies of the Cactus Wren. A, continental subspecies; B, peninsular subspecies. 91 COASTAL CALIFORNIA CACTUS WRENS The pattern in juvenal rectrices differs from that in adults in that the distal white marking is not a simple subterminal bar running across the tail. Usually there is a terminal spot at the rachis running back onto the inner vane as an irregularly shaped bar, which may or may not be actually connected to the spot (Figure 7). This produces tails more extensively marked with white in juveniles than in adults from the same populations. Juvenal rectrices are also more rounded and less truncated at their tips. Occasional first-winter birds fail to molt their rectrices. In the analysis of these individuals, we have considered the distal spot and bar or splotch to be one rather than two separate markings. Specimens in juvenal plumage proved so variable in most other characters that we did not attempt to score them, except where noted specifically in the text. Each adult specimen examined was scored for the seven character states (Table 2). Characters 1 through 6 were scored 1.0 for the state normally found in the western continental desert form (C. b. anthonyi ) and 2.0 for the state normally found in the northern peninsular form (C. b. bryanti). Conditions intermediate between these were scored 1.5. Tails were scored 1-3 for states normally found in anthonyi, 4-6 for intermediate states, and 7-9 for states found in bryanti. Tails with conditions intermediate between the states given in Table 3 and Figure 6 were encountered. Some characters readily admit intermediate states (tail pattern, as noted, and abdominal color); others, such as chest spotting, are either/or. Not every available specimen could be scored for all seven distinguishing characters. Some fall individuals were still molting their rectrices when collected. Others had missing or broken tail feathers. (Loose rectrices should be attached to the specimen or its label, as they are critical in the evaluation of coastal birds.) A frequent problem we encountered with Los Angeles area specimens was evaluating colors. Because of considerable Table 3 Tail Patterns of Cactus Wrens 0 State Rectrix 5 Rectrix 4 Rectrix 3 States normally found on wrens from continental deserts 6 1 No white No white No white 2 Trace white No white No white 3 White spot (distinct) No white No white States normally found on wrens from coastal sage scrub, San Diego region 4 Several distinct spots Trace or none Trace or none 5 Spots and barfs) Spots and bar(s) Trace 6 Distinct white bars Spots and bars Spots States normally found on wrens from peninsular Baja California 7 Distinct white bars Distinct white bars Spots 8 Distinct white bars Distinct white bars Spots and bars 9 Entire tail barred (except central pair) “Inner webs, exclusive of white subterminal bar b States 1-3 may have reduced white even on rectrix 6 92 COASTAL CALIFORNIA CACTUS WRENS Figure 6. Variations in tail patterns of adult Cactus Wrens. Outer (6th) rectrix at left in each set. Character states correspond to descriptions in Table 3. States 1-3, continental deserts; 4-6, southern coastal sage scrub, San Diego area; 7-9, peninsu- lar Baja California. 93 COASTAL CALIFORNIA CACTUS WRENS soot staining, character 5 (the extent and color of the abdominal wash) was particularly difficult to access. Even early fall specimens of this region scarcely a month after molt were already severely blackened. The following formula was used to calculate an index for each character for each population: Character x number of individuals value with that character = Index Total number of scored specimens For example, from the northern coastal or Los Angeles population, 65 of the 67 specimens could be scored for chin spotting (character 1). Of these, 52 had distinctly white chins (value 1), 12 had some spotting encroaching into the chin (value 1.5), and one had the interramal area fully spotted (value 2). 1 x 52 = 52 1.5 x 12 = 18 2 x 1 = 22 65 The index shows the average value for the entire sample scored but does not show the range of variability within the population. Pooled Characters of Two Populations Of the 46 adult specimens of the Cactus Wren known from coastal San Diego County and northwestern Baja California, 315 individual characters could be scored out of a possible 322 (46 x 7 ; there were seven missing Figure 7. Variations in tail patterns of juvenile Cactus Wrens, showing the “single” subterminal bar. Right feather is of an adult for comparison. 94 COASTAL CALIFORNIA CACTUS WRENS character scores). The pooled results (Table 4) are plotted in Figure 8. Total scores for five characters (1, 3, 4, 5, and 7) are. at or near the mean between pure anthonyi (1.0) and pure bryanti (2.0). In two characters (2, type of chest spot; 6, back color), San Diego birds scored nearer anthonyi. Of the 67 available adult specimens of the Cactus Wren from the Los Angeles region (Ventura, Los Angeles, and extreme northern Orange counties), 429 individual characters could be scored (there were 40 missing character scores). The pooled results (Table 4) are plotted in Figure 9. In only two characters (5, reduction of buff on abdomen; 7, increase in white tail markings) was there an approach toward peninsular birds. Three specimens (MVZ) from Santa Ana Canyon in northern Orange County are indistinguishable from transmontane anthonyi in characters 1 through 6. Their tails score 4.5, 3, and 6, indicating a very slight tendency toward the peninsular subspecies. The San Diego-Area Population In making subspecific identifications, however, taxonomists need to be able to identify individual specimens; averages or pooled characters are not sufficient. The standard frequently used for evaluating a subspecies is the so-called seventy-five percent rule (Amadon 1949). In its more rigorous interpretation, “before a population is given subspecific status, at least 75 Table 4 Pooled Characters of Coastal Cactus Wrens Character Sample Size Index 0 San Diego-vicinity population 1 . Chin/gular area 45 1.34 2. Chest spot shape 44 1.26 3. Abdominal spotting 46 1.49 4. Chest patch 46 1.50 5. Flank/abdomen color 46 1.46 6. Back color 43 1.22 7. Tail barring 45 5.18 Northern coastal population 1 . Chin/gular area 65 1.11 2. Chest spot shape 64 1.00 3. Abdominal spotting 67 1.06 4. Chest patch 65 1.03 5. Flank/abdomen color 55 1.22 6. Back color 59 1.03 7. Tail barring 54 3.44 Q For characters 1-6, a value of 1.0 indicates the condition typical of C. b. anthonyi-, a value of 2.0 indicates the*condition typical of C, b. bryanti. For character 7, a value of 1.0 indicates the least barring, a condition found only in C. b. anthonyi; a value of 9.0 indicates the most barring, a condition found only in C. b. bryanti and C. b. affinis. 95 COASTAL CALIFORNIA CACTUS WRENS percent of the individuals [constituting] it must be separable from 99+ percent of the individuals of all other populations of the same species which may overlap with it as regards the geographically variable characters. An equivalent statement is that 97 percent of one of two compared populations must be separable from 97 percent of the other. ” As noted above, at least seven characters or variables distinguish south- western Cactus Wrens. For the two coastal segments, the Los Angeles and San Diego regions, we determined how many characters distinguished an individual specimen from adjacent subspecies — in other words, how many of the available specimens were distinguishable from anthonyi on the basis of no character, only one character, only two characters, etc., to all seven variables (Figures 10a and 11a). The same comparison was made with bryanti (Figures 10b and lib). Of 46 known specimens from coastal San Diego County and adjacent Baja California, that is, of sandiegensis as we here define it, all are distinguishable from anthonyi by at least one charac- ter, while 86.9% (40 individuals) are distinguishable from it by three or more San Diego Vicinity Population Character 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Figure 8. Pooled characters of the San Diego-area population of the Cactus Wren (C. b. sandiegensis ) (see Tables 2 and 4). Characters 1-6 go with the left vertical axis. Character 7, tail barring (cross-hatched), goes with the right vertical axis. Low scores (near 1) indicate continental values ( anthonyi and couesi), while high scores (near 2 or, for tails, near 9) indicate peninsular values (bryanti and af finis). Height of bar represents the mean score for all specimens of the population scored for that particular character; n, number of individuals scored. The San Diego population is strongly intermediate for characters 3, 4, 5, and 7 (see text), less strongly intermediate for characters 1,2, and 6. 96 COASTAL CALIFORNIA CACTUS WRENS characters. By the same comparison to bryanti, the northern peninsular form, 97.8% of sandiegensis (45 individuals) are separable on the basis of three or more characters. Even more rigorously, 89.1% (41 individuals) are distinguishable from peninsular birds by four or more characters. No specimen from the range of sandiegensis was indistinguishable from bryanti, nor was any distinguishable on the basis of only a single variable. As noted by the white bars in Figure lib, two specimens, one each falling into the two- and three-character-only categories, were defective and could not be scored for all possible characters. The population named sandiegensis thus meets the criterion of a valid subspecies. Based on a mosaic of characters, it is completely distinguishable from disjunct populations to the east ( anthonyi ) and the south ( bryanti ). If we could present a seven-dimensional figure, we could demonstrate this 100% separation graphically. Two variables are the most that can be shown easily in a scatter diagram. The two that allow the most discrimination, Northern Coastal Population 2.0 1.5 1.0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Character 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Figure 9. Pooled characters of the Los Angeles-area population of the Cactus Wren (see Tables 2 and 4). Characters 1-6 go with the left vertical axis. Character 7, tail barring (cross-hatched), goes with the right vertical axis. Low scores (near 1) indicate continental values (anthonyi and couesi), while high scores (near 2 or, for tails, near 9) indicate peninsular values ( bryanti and affinis). Height of bar represents the mean score for all specimens of the population scored for that particular character; n, number of individuals scored. The northern coastal population is very near the desert (continental) anthonyi but shows some peninsular genetic influence in characters 1,5, and 7. 97 COASTAL CALIFORNIA CACTUS WRENS abdominal spotting and tail barring, together distinguish 89% of sandiegensis from 86% of anthonyi from the lower Colorado River valley (Figure 12). While it is not possible to predict in individual specimens which characters will distinguish sandiegensis, there is a greater probability that these will be chest patch (3), abdominal spotting (4), abdominal color (5), or tail pattern (7). Because of the aggregate nature of the characters, all possible characters should be considered in identifying an individual to subspecies (see Amadon 1949:254-255). A single character, even among the four most likely (3, 4, 5, 7), may not be distinguishing. At least in historic times, the San Diego Cactus Wren has been isolated from conspecific populations to the south by a hiatus of about 160 km owing to a lack of suitable habitat. This population extends no farther south than does the coastal sage scrub habitat. There may be a few pairs scattered throughout the hiatus, but it is doubtful that any sizable colonies exist here. To the east, the coastal subspecies is broadly separated from desert anthonyi by unsuitable habitat (the chaparral, oak woodland, and conifer- ous forests of the Peninsular Ranges). The desert subspecies reaches Northern Coastal Population b Minimum number of distinguishing characters Figure 10. Number of characters (horizontal axis) distinguishing the San Diego-area population of the Cactus Wren (C. b. sandiegensis) from desert anthonyi (left) and peninsular bryanti (right). (Number of individuals on vertical axis.) Black bars, speci- mens scored for all possible character states; white bars, defective specimens lacking scores for one or more character states. All but six specimens from the San Diego area were distinguishable from desert anthonyi on the basis of three or more characters, while all but two were distinguish- able from peninsular bryanti on the basis of three or more characters (four speci- mens could not be scored for all characters). 98 COASTAL CALIFORNIA CACTUS WRENS eastern San Diego County, ascending east-facing slopes to an elevation of at least 1190 m (SD 42688). The Los Angeles-Area Population Results for coastal Cactus Wrens north of San Diego County are graphed in Figure 11. Only 10.9% (seven individuals) are distinguishable from continental forms by three or more characters. (The highest-scoring speci- men, SD 45699, is one of the only three available from Ventura County, the northernmost locality.) Of 67 specimens, 22 (32.8%) are completely indistinguishable from anthonxji. Peninsular characters are only weakly re- flected in northern coastal birds. All 67 specimens are distinguishable from bryanti on the basis of four or more characters. Even here, the lower limits may be artifacts, since the three specimens falling into the four- or five- character-only categories and 15 of the 19 falling in the six-only category were defective (that is, could not be scored for all seven characters). Of 67 scored specimens, at least 45 (67.2%) were distinguishable from the peninsular populations by all seven characters. Thus, while the northern Northern Coastal Population b Minimum number of distinguishing characters Figure 1 1 . Number of characters (horizontal axis) distinguishing the Los Angeles-area population of the Cactus Wren from desert artthonyi (left) and peninsular bryanti (right). (Number of individuals on vertical axis.) Black bars, specimens scored for all possible character states; white bars, defective specimens lacking scores for one or more character states. Only five Los Angeles-area specimens were distinguishable from artthonyi on the basis of three or more characters, while 43 specimens were distinguishable from bryanti on the basis of six or seven characters (18 specimens could not be scored for all characters). 99 COASTAL CALIFORNIA CACTUS WRENS coastal Cactus Wrens are readily distinguishable from bryanti, they are not taxonomically separable from adjacent desert anthonyi. The Los Angeles- area population tends only slightly toward sandiegensis, mostly in tail pat- tern, more weakly in reduced abdominal buff and invasion of chin spotting into gular region. As an isolated character, how reliable is tail pattern? Our initial criterion, based on a somewhat superficial examination of several hundred speci- mens, was that continental birds had largely black rectrices except for the subterminal white bar and outer (6th) rectrix, while peninsular birds had completely barred or spotted rectrices (this is exclusive of the brown central pair in all populations). Baja California specimens indeed cluster in catego- ries 8 and 9, with few scoring as low as 7. To evaluate the range of variation in continental birds, we scored 35 specimens from the Tucson region, eastern Pima Co., Arizona, well outside the influence of bryanti. Here, 77% of the tails ranked, as expected categories 1 to 3.5, with a mean of 2.9. However, seven specimens scored 4, and one scored 4.5. Thus the some- what higher tail values for the northern coastal wren population in them- selves are not necessarily indications of sandiegensis influence. Coupled with reduced buffy abdominal wash, the higher tail scores probably do reflect some genetic influence from the south. Unfortunately, the extensive soiling of Los Angeles Basin birds makes this color character difficult to Tail Figure 12. Scatter diagram of abdominal spotting (character 3) plotted against tail pattern (character 7) in two races of the Cactus Wren. All but five specimens of C. b. sandiegensis (89.1%) are separated from all but four specimens of C. b. anthonyi by the line effecting maximum separation. Northern specimens from Los Angeles and Ventura counties east to the Coachella Valley have been excluded; these show slight genetic influence of sandiegensis. For scoring of characters, see Tables 2 and 3 and Figure 6. 100 COASTAL CALIFORNIA CACTUS WRENS evaluate. Nine northern specimens (15.6% of those scorable) had tail values of 5 to 6, which we interpret as an indication of sandiegensis genes. Although their distribution is patchy, coastal Cactus Wrens, as noted earlier, extend as far north as southern Ventura County. Los Angeles Basin birds were narrowly connected with desert birds through San Gorgonio Pass, an avenue of possible gene flow of desert characters west into the Los Angeles area, resulting in the present genetic condition of that population. Several Coachella Valley specimens (SD) suggest possible gene flow in the opposite direction. Specimens from Northeastern Baja California Desert anthonyi and peninsular bryanti (or affinis ?) must come into contact along the gulf coast east of the Sierra San Pedro Martir, between San Felipe and latitude 29°N (see Figure 1). Apparently Cactus Wrens have never been collected there because the region lacks adequate roads. This area merits further study, as the two gnatcatcher species, Polioptila melanura and P. californica , overlap there without interbreeding (Atwood 1988). There is indirect evidence that this is not the case with Cactus Wrens. The few specimens available from San Felipe on the northern peninsular gulf coast (SD, all spring) suggest that this population is influ- enced by a peninsular form. Nine of the 11 San Felipe specimens are in juvenal plumage. Their tails score 3, 3.5, 4 (2), 4.5 (2), 5, and 8 (2). One (SD 32660) is far along in postjuvenal molt. Its large single chest spots, small abdominal spots, and paler upperparts are those of anthonyi, but its dilute abdominal wash is yellowish buff as in bryanti rather than buffy ochre as in anthonyi. One adult (SD 32658) has single chest spots and a tail score of 3.5 but rather heavy abdominal spotting and dark upperparts, suggesting bryanti (or affinis) influence. The other adult (SD 10463) looks like anthonyi but has a distinct white spot on all the black rectrices. Two spring adult males (SD) from Aguajito Spring, Valle de la Trinidad, Baja California, are indistinguishable from sandiegensis. One has large single chest spots and a heavy chest patch, while the other has twin spots and chevrons on the throat and chest. Both have relatively heavy flank spotting, reduced abdominal buff, and dorsal coloration warmer than that of couesi or anthonyi in comparable seasonal wear. Their tail scores are 4 and 5. The other six characters average 1.5 and 1.46, respectively. Four juveniles from Valle de la Trinidad (SD, 14 July) lack abdominal spots and are only lightly spotted on the throat. Their upperpart colors are warm, as in bryanti. Two have mostly black tails (2, 2) and two have heavily barred tails (8, 9). This colony, apparently isolated from sandiegensis, seems anomalous. At this locality Atwood (1988:18) discovered limited contact between the California Gnatcatcher and the Black-tailed Gnat- catcher. Atwood stated that “the former species occurs primarily in wide- spread sage scrub vegetation dominated by Artemisia, Salvia, and Rhus, whereas the latter is generally restricted to typical (but limited in extent) Sonoran desert wash vegetation dominated by Prosopis.” Like sandiegensis, the Cactus Wrens of Tiburon Island (C. b. seri) com- bine characters of the two major evolutionary groups. They resemble 101 COASTAL CALIFORNIA CACTUS WRENS continental birds from the adjacent mainland (characters 1[?], 2, 4[?], 7) but have larger spotting on the abdomen (character 3). In reduction of abdomi- nal buff wash (character 5), they are intermediate toward peninsular birds. Their bills are shorter than either peninsular, continental, or coastal forms (Rea 1986). They occupy a range approximately half the size of that of C. b. sandiegensis, as here restricted. Field Identification Our experience with this bird indicates that nearly all adults of sandiegensis individuals can be identified as such in the field except when they are in worn plumage (late spring and summer). San Diego Cactus Wrens have a smudgy appearance, as the large spots of the flanks and abdomen present an extension of the dark chest patch. Most individuals also show a light buffy wash on the flanks. In contrast, north coastal and desert birds can be readily recognized by the clear demarcation between the black chest patch and light belly, which is very finely speckled. The richer cinnamon buff of most of these individuals extends across both flanks and abdomen. We also can recognize a distinct song dialect in southern coastal wrens. Their vocalizations have a slightly slower frequency and lower pitch than more northern and eastern birds, and have a raspy quality not heard in adjacent populations. This behavioral aspect deserves further study. Subspecies Limits Too few specimens exist to determine whether there is north-south clinal variation within sandiegensis. There are large gaps in specimen represen- tation, with nothing from northern San Diego County (including all of Camp Pendleton) or southern Orange County. We included these areas in the range of sandiegensis on the basis of field observations and vocaliza- tions (San Diego-type dialect). Central and northern Orange County wrens sing the Los Angeles Basin dialect. Within the northern coastal segment (even with the larger sample size, 67 adult specimens), we were unable to segregate a coastal versus a more interior subset or a northwest to southeast cline in characters. Considerable individual variation occurs at each locality. The largest sample from a single locality (28 specimens from the San Fernando Valley) shows a scattering of intermediate traits in all characters except 2 (chest spot shape). Scores of one sample, of nine adults and two juveniles from Claremont, were discordant. While body scores were consis- tently low except apparently for character 5 (abdominal color), 10 tails scored high (from 4 to 5.5) and one scored low (2). Only three specimens (SD) are known to us from the isolated Ventura County population. Owing to molt or seasonal wear, these could not be scored for all characters. One (SD 45699) shows southern influence in characters 3, 4, 5, and 7. Habitat just east of Camarillo is still rather extensive and population numbers are relatively high for the north. Northern coastal Cactus Wrens, with their very different genetic compo- sition, must have had an evolutionary history different from that of sandiegensis. Either they were derived directly from anthongi ancestors 102 COASTAL CALIFORNIA CACTUS WRENS from the desert, then received genetic influence from the south along the coast, or a pre-existing sand/egensrs-like population has continued to ex- perience genetic swamping by desert birds. Before urbanization of the Los Angeles Basin, colonies were open to at least narrow genetic contact through the San Gorgonio Pass. During hotter, dryer periods of the Holocene (if there were any), the contact here presumably would have been greater. But there was at least some contact with the south, as evidenced by occasional individual characters such as large ventral spots, white-barred tails, or reduced abdominal buff. POPULATION STATUS Methods To determine the distribution and numbers of the San Diego Cactus Wren, we reviewed localities on specimen labels (both study skins and egg sets), checked areas of previously known occurrence, solicited information from local field ornithologists, and surveyed areas where appropriate habi- tat was likely to occur. The generalized vegetation map of San Diego County (Oberbauer 1977) helped us determine where large blocks of coastal sage scrub occurred within that county. Our early surveys also indicated that the distribution of cacti, in which the wren nests almost exclusively, is correlated strongly with soil type. The maps of the Soil Survey of the San Diego Area (Bowman 1973) suggested additional, smaller areas potentially supporting cactus associations. Locations with cacti were then surveyed on foot. We began field surveys in 1980, with the greatest effort in 1984 and 1985. During 1988, 1989, and 1990, we revisited most areas that had wrens in 1984 and 1985. Through August 1990, approximately 285 hours had been devoted to field surveys. Censusing was by direct count, aided by playing tapes of Cactus Wren songs, to which the wrens are very responsive. During field surveys, we also collected data on nests. We obtained information on territory size, shape, and location by conducting breeding bird censuses (Weaver 1982, Weaver in press) and winter bird censuses (unpublished) in accordance with proce- dures suggested by Hall (1964), Kolb (1965), and Van Velzen (1972). Distribution Our review of specimens confirms the San Diego Cactus Wren’s occur- rence from the San Dieguito River in west-central San Diego County to the Tijuana and Valle de las Palmas regions in northwestern Baja California (Figure 13). Our field observations also indicate that sandiegensis ranges north through northwestern San Diego County to San Juan Creek in southern Orange County. The Peninsular Ranges of San Diego County and northern Baja Califor- nia separate sandiegensis from the nearest populations of the desert race, anthonyi, by a minimum of 50 km. The Agua Tibia Mountains on the northern border of San Diego County separate sandiegensis by only 14 km from Riverside County birds that are very similar in appearance to the 103 COASTAL CALIFORNIA CACTUS WRENS northern coastal population. The Plano Trabuco separates it from northern coastal birds by less than 5 km in southern Orange County. The Cactus Wrens of the Coto de Caza area, near Trabuco Canyon, Orange County, should be studied because they are situated between anthonyi-like and sandregensis-like populations. Coastal Cactus Wrens recently occurred as far inland as Pauma Valley in San Diego County, 48 km from the coast (a population now exterminated), but most live within 32 km of the sea. Most wrens live at elevations of less than 150 m. We have found them as high as 400 m in San Diego County, while Schneebeck (1978) recorded the birds in Orange County at the upper limits of the coastal sage scrub at 450 m above sea level. The wren’s distribution is highly fragmented, and most populations consist of only a few pairs. In San Diego County, the wrens are concen- trated along the Otay River and its tributaries, near Lake Jennings, in the interior valleys of the San Dieguito River, and near the Santa Margarita River. In Orange County, most wrens are found along the mid-section of San Juan Creek and its northeastern tributaries. A detailed account of distribution and numbers is given in the Appendix 2. A \ • / •6 / 104 COASTAL CALIFORNIA CACTUS WRENS B Figure 13. Localities where the San Diego Cactus Wren (C. b. sandiegensts ) has occurred since 1980. A, southern Orange County and northern San Diego County; B, central and southern San Diego County. Solid circles, colonies still extant; open circles, colonies lost during the 1980s. The single locality in Baja California where the San Diego Cactus Wren has been reported since 1980, Valle de las Palmas, is shown in Figure 2. 105 COASTAL CALIFORNIA CACTUS WRENS Areas that were not checked but would appear to provide suitable habitat include northwestern Camp Pendleton below the Border Patrol checkpoint in San Diego County (Larry Salata pers. comm.) and Gabino Canyon and the north end of Canada Gobernadora in southern Orange County. Addi- tional surveys are also recommended for the Starr Ranch Audubon Sanc- tuary in Orange County. Current Numbers Our counts and those of other active field workers conducted over the past decade show that the San Diego Cactus Wren has a very small and rapidly declining population. As of fall 1990, approximately 200 pairs still inhabit San Diego County and 150 pairs still inhabit Orange County. In Baja California, fewer than 10 pairs are present at Valle de las Palmas south of Tecate, the only currently known area of occurrence south of the border. The habitat here has been seriously degraded by burning, grazing, and conversion to vineyards during the past two decades (Marcos Camacho pers. comm.) Former numbers of sandiegensi s are speculative, but the scattered populations still present in the early to mid-1980s suggest that they were once numerous near all of the lagoons and coastal canyons in San Diego and southern Orange counties. The decrease in this bird’s numbers has been apparent to field workers for decades. Dawson (1923:667) first called attention to the seriousness of the decline of the coastal population: “All proper desert areas west of San Gorgonio Pass are being threatened by human invasion. The Cactus Wren has receded from many parts of the San Diego-Ventura section already, and is in danger of being altogether cut off.” Willett (1933) noted the species’ decline at its northern limits.- “Reported by Evermann (1886) as rather common resident of Ventura County in early 80s, but apparently much less plentiful in that section at the present time, as land has been largely cleared for agricultural purposes.” Whereas J. S. Appleton had found the bird a “formerly common resident of Simi Valley, southern Ventura County,” by 1933 it had not been seen there “for several years past.” In 1944, Grinnell and Miller described the range of the coastal popula- tions of southern California as “much restricted as compared with condi- tions in 1880s and 1890s, owing to great reduction of requisite habitat.” Sams and Stott (1959) observed that the wren was “found sparingly in the coastal lowlands (near San Diego),” and, referring to the San Diego County coast, Unitt (1984) stated that “in 1981, the species is found in very few localities. ” By August 1990, we could find no wrens at 26 of the 78 sites (33%) in San Diego County where they had been recorded in the preceding decade. Even more alarming, the wrens have disappeared from 14 of the 27 sites that we or other field observers had censused in 1984-85 and again in 1988-90, and have decreased in numbers at another seven locations. We noted increases at only three sites. The number of pairs at these 27 sites dropped from 145 to only 102, a 30% decrease. We noted habitat 106 COASTAL CALIFORNIA CACTUS WRENS destruction at most of these sites. Grazing, clearing for agriculture, and fires contributed to the decrease, but construction of houses accounted for the majority of the population reductions or local extirpations. We do not know the extent of population losses in Orange County, but these must be substantial due to the accelerating growth in the south end of the county. Continuing declines in population are a certainty. Well over 50% of all wrens occur on privately owned lands. Virtually all of these areas are in imminent danger of development in the 1990s. Those wrens found on public lands, including the largest remaining colonies, also face a dubious future. Many lie in the path of proposed highways (as across Rancho Mission Viejo along the proposed Foothill Transportation corridor in Orange County and in the Sweetwater and Otay River valleys in San Diego County or along existing highways where increasing pressure for “improve- ments” will greatly reduce habitat for the wren (as in Caspers Wilderness Park). Another cause for concern includes the accidental fires resulting from training exercises on Camp Pendleton and policies that encourage “con- trolled” burns, such as those that have taken place at the San Diego Wild Animal Park. Benson (1969) considered fire to be the chief limiting factor in the distribution of cacti in southern California, so it is disconcerting to see preventable habitat destruction of a rapidly vanishing natural resource. Isolated populations of birds of the coastal sage scrub have high rates of extinction according to a recent study in San Diego County (Soule et al. 1988). Our studies of the Cactus Wren certainly corroborate this. Soule’s team found the wren in only one of the 37 canyons they surveyed. Their studies emphasized that sage scrub birds disappear from isolated “islands” of habitat owing to their low initial numbers and their inability to cross urbanized areas to repopulate these remnants. All 26 sites in San Diego County where we documented the bird’s disappearance had populations of fewer than five pairs. Eighteen of these still retain sage scrub remnants that should support, on a strictly spatial basis, at least a pair of wrens. From their recent history of disappearance, it should be of concern that in this county, which supports the largest remaining numbers of wrens, only 10 of the 52 remaining sites support five or more pairs. ECOLOGY Habitat Requirements San Diego Cactus Wrens adhere strictly to coastal sage scrub throughout the year. Areas supporting this plant community are dry, receiving even less rainfall than the chaparral above, at higher elevations. Coastal sage scrub may extend inland as far as 50 km, but more often is within 30 km of the coast. Species diversity is high. Some characteristic shrubs include Flat-top Buckwheat, Eriogonum fasciculatum; California Sagebrush, Artemisia califprniea ; White Sage, Salvia apiana, and Black Sage, S. mellifera. Of- ten there are scattered shrubs approaching tree size — Laurel Sumac, Malosma Iaurina, and Lemonadeberry, Rhus integrifolia. Some compo- 107 COASTAL CALIFORNIA CACTUS WRENS nents of this community are from the Sonoran Desert or have their closest relatives there: Coast Barrel Cactus, Ferocactus viridescens; Fish-hook Cactus, Mammillaria dioica ; California Wolfberry, Lycium californicum; Bladderpod, Cleome isomeris (= Isomeris arborea ); San Diego Sunflower, Viguiera laciniata ; Chalk-lettuce, Dudleya pulverulenta; California Encelia, Encelia californica ; Our Lord’s Candle, Yucca whipplei; Spanish Dagger or Mojave Yucca, Yucca schidigera; Jojoba, Simmondsia chinensis Figure 14. Nest of the San Diego Cactus Wren in Opuntia littoralis on Bernardo Mountain, near Escondido, San Diego County, November 1988. Photo by Kenneth L. Weaver 108 COASTAL CALIFORNIA CACTUS WRENS (see Raven and Axelrod 1978). Our breeding and winter censuses indicate that the wrens prefer areas dominated by California Sagebrush and Flat-top Buckwheat and tend to avoid locations dominated by sages. The wren’s chief requisite, though, is tall Opuntia cacti. The wrens supplement their insect diet in fall and winter by feeding on the fruit of two species of Opuntia. Most important, the cacti provide the only firm support for the wren’s bulky, pouch-shaped nests, which are used not only for raising young but also for nighttime roosting throughout the year (Figure I 4 ). The bird’s almost exclusive selection of tall cacti for nest placement is corroborated by our nest records. We have located 584 nests in coastal San Diego and Orange counties. All but two were found in Opuntia. The ex- ceptions were located in particularly robust individuals of the Yellow Bush Penstemon ( Keckiella antirrhinoides). The median height of cacti in which the wrens placed their nests was 138 cm (n = 98, range 74-226 cm), while the median height of the nests was 94 cm above ground (range 40-165 cm). The wrens are absent from areas where only low, sprawling cacti grow. Nest counts are not a reliable indicator of wren populations. We have found up to a dozen nests within the territory of a single pair of wrens. The wrens nest in three native species of Opuntia : the Coastal Cholla ( Opuntia prolifera ) and two species of prickly-pear (O. littoralis and O. oricola). Coastal Cholla is the typical choice in southern San Diego County Figure 15. Sage scrub dominated by Coastal Cholla ( Opuntia prolifera) near Sweetwater Dam, San Diego County, May 1990. Coast Barrel Cacti ( Ferocactus uiridescens ) are also common at this locality. Photo by William T. Everett 109 COASTAL CALIFORNIA CACTUS WRENS where large prickly-pears are scarce (Figure 15). Definite nesting prefer- ences by the wren are not obvious where both cholla and prickly-pears grow abundantly. For example, of 32 nests found at Agua Hedionda Lagoon, 16 were located in cholla, 16 in prickly-pears; Santa Margarita River nests included 18 (42%) in cholla, 39 (58%) in prickly-pears. The two species of prickly-pear offer the only nesting sites in the interior valleys of the San Dieguito and San Luis Rey rivers in San Diego County. Nest selection varies greatly. Twenty-eight of 34 nests (82%) on Bernardo Mountain near Escondido (Figure 16) were built in the more abundant Opuntia littoralis , but all 11 nests of a remnant population near Pala were found in O. oricola (Figure 17). Tall Opuntia cacti capable of supporting the wren’s nests are found primarily on south-facing slopes or at the bases of hillsides within 400 m of river valleys. They are also on hillsides along tributary canyons, mainly those with south- and west-facing slopes. Along San Juan Creek in Orange County (Figures 18 and 19) and the Otay River in San Diego County, tall Opuntia cacti grow right on the edges of the washes, a situation that once probably existed along many other rivers. Dense patches inhabited by wrens are also found where coastal sage scrub forms a ground cover in the very open woodland of Coast Live Oaks ( Quercus agri folia) and California Sycamores ( Platanus racemosa) along San Juan Creek and some of its tributaries, such as Bell and Crow canyons (Nagata 1982; Gundy and Figure 16. Sage scrub dominated by the prickly-pear Opuntia littoralis on the south slope of Bernardo Mountain, near Escondido, San Diego County, November 1988. Photo by Kenneth L. Weaver 110 COASTAL CALIFORNIA CACTUS WRENS Flanagan 1978). The association of the wrens with tall Opuntia growing along canyons is so striking that the simplest way to locate the birds is by watershed. Using spot-mapping techniques (Hall 1964), we determined the approxi- mate size of territories for 13 pairs of wrens in south Escondido in San Diego County. Territories ranged in size from 0.8 ha to 2 ha, with an Figure 17. Sage scrub dominated by the prickly-pear Opuntia oricola at San Pasqual Battlefield Historical Park, San Diego County, May 1990, The type locality of C. b. sandiegensis, the San Diego Wild Animal Park at San Pasqual, is less than 1 km away. Photo by Kenneth L. Weaver 111 COASTAL CALIFORNIA CACTUS WRENS average of 1.3 ha. In Arizona. Anderson and Anderson (1973) found territories to range from 1.2 to 2.8 ha and average 1.9 ha. San Diego Cactus Wrens we studied centered their territories on narrow draws, where cacti tend to be more abundant and taller than on adjacent slopes. Most territories tend to be roughly elliptical, corresponding to the downslope flow of the draws. Thus, there is a vertical as well as a spatial requirement for hillside-inhabiting wrens, a factor that has not been taken into consideration in mitigation efforts. The wash-dwelling wrens of San Figure 18. Wash inhabited by San Diego Cactus Wrens in San Juan Creek, Casper’s Wilderness Park, Orange County, April 1990. Photo by Kenneth L. Weaver 112 COASTAL CALIFORNIA CACTUS WRENS Juan Creek lack a vertical component to their territories. However, the narrow distribution of cacti along the creek also causes the birds’ territories to be elliptical or rectangular. Associated Fauna The avifauna associated with the San Diego Cactus Wren forms a small but distinctive assemblage. Birds recorded in significant numbers (greater than three pairs) on our census plots are the California Quail ( Callipepla ♦ Figure 19. Wash inhabited by San Diego Cactus Wrens in San Juan Creek, Casper’s Wilderness Park, Orange County, April 1990. Photo by Kenneth L. Weaver 113 COASTAL CALIFORNIA CACTUS WRENS californica), Costa’s Hummingbird (Calypte costae ), Bushtit ( Aegithalos minimus), California Towhee ( Pipilo crissalis ), California Gnatcatcher (. Polioptila californica), Rufous-crowned Sparrow ( Aimophila ruficeps), and Sage Sparrow ( Amphispiza belli). Where sumacs and other tall shrubs occurred, Bewick’s Wren ( Troglogytes bewickii), California Thrasher (Toxostoma redtuivum), Wrentit ( Chamaea fasciata), and Rufous-sided Towhee ( Pipilo erythrophthalmus) also occurred in significant numbers. A wide variety of mammals frequents the coastal sage scrub. Several rodents, such as the San Diego Pocket Mouse ( Perognathus fallax), Agile Kangaroo Rat ( Dipodomys agilis), and Desert Woodrat (Neotoma lepida), show a distinct preference for this habitat (Bleich 1973). Although no reptiles are limited entirely to coastal sage scrub, two lizards restricted to southern California and listed by the California Department of Fish and Game as threatened, the Coast Horned Lizard ( Phrynosoma coronatum) and the Orange-throated Whiptail (Cnemidophorus hyperythrus ), are particularly common in this habitat (Eric Lichtwardt pers. comm.). The Red Diamond Rattlesnake (C rota I us ruber), in its U.S. distri- bution found only in southwestern California, is also especially abundant in the coastal sage scrub (Richard Zembal pers. comm.). Certain insects are found primarily or exclusively in the coastal sage scrub, usually because of association with certain plants. Two examples are the moths Megathymus comstocki and Tegeticula yuccasella (on Yucca schidigera ). PALEOBIOGEOGRAPHY The modern southern coastal sage scrub community that supports the San Diego Cactus Wren is itself anomalous in the otherwise mesic chaparral of the California Floristic Province. Most of the plant genera characterizing southern coastal sage scrub community, enumerated under Habitat Re- quirements, have their evolutionary centers of diversity in deserts, which themselves were more restricted in area generally and in more southern latitudes during the Pleistocene Epoch. Axelrod (1966) attributed these relictual desert components along the coast to the Xerothermic period (also called the Hypsithermal or Altithermal period) that followed the Wisconsin glaciation. According to Raven and Axelrod (1978:33), “The continued trend toward spreading drought, as in the Xerothermic periods of the Quaternary, allowed many taxa that are primarily associated with deserts to invade the dryer parts of the California Floristic Province.” Many of these desert plant genera have evolved endemic species along the coast. Axelrod (1978) believed that the southern coastal sage as a community is relatively young, occupying its present area only since the last glaciation, 12,000 years ago. He hypothesized that when grasslands in semiarid open areas among forests and woodlands began to lose summer precipitation, coastal sage vegetation replaced them. Tectonic events during the Quater- nary Period elevated lowlands into mesas, which were then dissected by erosion, producing the slopes and thin, well-drained soils favored by coastal sage scrub. Sonoran Desert vegetation was moving northward on the 114 COASTAL CALIFORNIA CACTUS WRENS continent about the same time. Modern plant communities in the South- west were probably in place by 4000 years ago (Van Devender et al. 1987). Presumably, the California Gnatcatcher, which has evolved to the species level, and the San Diego Cactus Wren, which has not, invaded coastal areas between 12,000 and 4000 years ago. (Both represent genera having centers of diversity in subtropical or tropical regions.) Whether the subspe- cies C. b. sandiegensis represents a genetic mixing of traits derived from a dual invasion of anthonyi from the east and bryanti from the south is un- known. Alternatively, the San Diego Cactus Wren may have been derived from the intergrading of continental and peninsular birds in northeast Baja California (area of overlapping patterns in Figure 1) and later invaded its current range. Specimens (SD) from Valle de la Trinidad have traits charac- teristic of the subspecies sandiegensis, and specimens from San Felipe tend in that direction. In the modern vegetation, the coastal wrens, so far as known, are separated from Valle de la Trinidad by 140 km. The coastal California Gnatcatcher, however, with a broader niche in the sage scrub (it is not dependent on cactus), reaches and narrowly overlaps the desert Black- tailed Gnatcatcher in Valle de la Trinidad (Atwood 1988). The taxonomic differences between the Cactus Wrens of the Los Angeles and San Diego areas are interesting in the light of apparent differences in the vegetative community. Axelrod (1950, 1966) has suggested that two segments of southern coastal sage scrub be recognized, a Venturan compo- nent and a San Diegan component. CONSERVATION RECOMMENDATIONS The San Diego Cactus Wren is particularly vulnerable because of the bird’s restriction to a single type of habitat and strict dependence on a single genus of cacti for placement of its breeding and roosting nests. Rampant urbanization has caused an extremely fragmented distribution and a rapidly shrinking population. Most populations now consist of fewer than five pairs, and the bird appears to be unable to colonize suitable habitat that is surrounded by development. We believe this bird will not survive unless the following steps are taken: 1. Listing of C. b. sandiegensis as an endangered subspecies by the federal government; 2. Protection of large blocks of its habitat, the coastal sage scrub; 3. Maintenance of the habitat, including local suppression of fires. SUMMARY The Cactus Wrens of southern Orange County, coastal San Diego County, and extreme northwestern Baja California form a distinct subspe- cies, Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus sandiegensis. They are easily distinguishable in the hand and in the field from neighboring populations to the north, south, and east. Based on a mosaic of seven characters, C. b. sandiegensis differs from C. b. anthonyi of the transmontane desert by larger ventral spotting, reduced abdominal buff, and greater white tail 115 COASTAL CALIFORNIA CACTUS WRENS barring, and from C. h. bryanti of Baja California by its less brown dorsum, less barred tail, generally single-spotted chest feathers, and tendency toward a chest patch. This sedentary bird is highly dependent on coastal sage scrub containing tall Opuntia cacti. Fewer than 400 pairs remain. Rapid habitat destruction places this bird in serious danger of extinction. Cactus Wrens from the Los Angeles area of southern California are not taxonomically distinguishable from C. b. anthonyi of the adjacent desert, although some individuals show some genetic influence of C. b. sandiegensis. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We acknowledge the following with thanks for assistance. William D. Toone of the Wild Animal Park negotiated permission from park authorities to collect the type specimens and to survey the park. Takashi Ijichi collected the type series. Jeanne L. Rogers volunteered her services drafting the maps and illustrations. Gregory K. Pregill prepared the graphs. William T. Everett provided photographic assistance. Thomas Oberbauer and Thomas Van Devender commented on the floristic and paleoenvironmental aspects. M. Ralph Browning, Kenneth C. Parkes, and Allan R. Phillips commented on the taxonomic sections. Philip Unitt lent his editorial skills toward the manuscript’s improvement. Curators in charge of collections at the institutions listed under Character Analysis kindly loaned specimens. The following field observers furnished records and/or locations of Cactus Wrens in southern California: Richard Barber, Pam Beare, John Beezley, Linda Belloumini, David R. Bontrager, Timothy A. Burr, Slader Buck, Alice DeBolt, Pete DeSimone, Claude Edwards, Lenore Feinberg, the late Alice Fries, Nancy Gilbert, Glenn Greenwald, Jon and Jane Griffith, Daniel Guthrie, Don and Marjorie Hastings, Steve Huemner, Barry Jones, Kathy Keane, David King, Arthur Langton, Roc Lee, Eric Lichtwardt, Michael Long, H. Elliott McClure, Robert McKernan, Esther J. McNeil, Steve Montgom- ery, Thomas Oberbauer, Larry Salata, Robert Shanman, Doreen Stadtlander, Peter Tackney, Gerald Tolman, Philip Unitt, Richard Webster, and Harold Wier. We also thank Donald Pohl and Thomas Cline for permission to survey the San Pasqual Battlefield State Historic Park and the U.S. Marine Corps for permission to survey Camp Pendleton. Information on Cactus Wren locations at the Fallbrook Naval Weapons Station was obtained under a study funded by the U.S. Navy, Naval Facilities Engineering Command. Unfortunately, we had difficulty in acquiring a number of Cactus Wren records. This is a result of serious flaws in the way California’s environmental impact review process is administered. Proprietary rights to scientific data gathered during biologi- cal surveys are assigned to landowners, not to the public. Dissemination of this information thus may be restricted; biologists who work for consulting firms may be restricted from sharing their data with the scientific community. We know of several instances where consultants have actually been fired when they reported rare birds and other wildlife. The environmental assessment process is in dire need of reform. LITERATURE CITED Amadon. D. 1949. The seventy-five percent rule for subspecies. Condor 51:250- 258. American Ornithologists’ Union. 1886. The Code of Nomenclature and Check-list of North American Birds, 1st ed. University Press, Cambridge. American Ornithologists’ Union. 1889. Check-list of North American Birds, abridged ed., revised. The Law Reporter Print, Washington, D.C. 116 COASTAL CALIFORNIA CACTUS WRENS American Ornithologists’ Union. 1910. Check-list of North American Birds, 3rd ed., revised. American Ornithologists’ Union, New York. American Ornithologists’ Union. 1931. Check-list of North American Birds, 4th ed. Lancaster Press, Lancaster, PA. American Ornithologists’ Union. 1957. Check-list of North American Birds, 5th ed. Baltimore Press, Baltimore, MD. American Ornithologists’ Union. 1973. Thirty-second supplement to the American Ornithologists’ Union Check-list of North American Birds. Auk 90:411-419. American Ornithologists’ Union, 1983. Check-list of North American Birds, 6th ed. Allen Press, Lawrence, KS. Anderson, A. H., and Anderson, A. 1973. The Cactus Wren. Univ. Ariz. Press, Tucson. Anthony, A. W. 1894. Notes on the genus Heleodytes, with a description of a new subspecies. Auk 11:210-214. Atwood, J. L. 1988. Speciation and geographic variation in black-tailed gnatcatch- ers. Ornithol. Monogr. 42. Axelrod, D. I. 1950. Classification of the Madro-Tertiary Flora. Carnegie Inst. Washington Publ. 590:1-22. Axelrod, D. I. 1966. The Pleistocene Soboba Flora of southern California. Univ. Calif. Publ. Geol. 60. Axelrod, D. I. 1978. The origin of coastal sage vegetation, Alta and Baja California. Am. J. Bot. 65:1117-1131. Bancroft, G. 1923. Some geographic notes on the Cactus Wren. Condor 25:165- 168. Bancroft, G. 1946. Geographic variation in the eggs of Cactus Wrens in Lower California. Condor 48:124-128. Benson, L. 1969. The Native Cacti of California. Stanford Univ. Press, Stanford, CA. Bleich, V. C. 1973. Ecology of rodents at the United States Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach, Fallbrook Annex, San Diego County, California. Master’s Thesis, Calif. State Univ., Long Beach. Bowman, R. H. 1973. Soil Survey of the San Diego Area. U.S. Dept, of Agriculture. Browning, M. R. 1990. Taxa of North American birds described from 1957 to 1987. Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington 103:432-451. Dawson, W. L. 1923. The Birds of California, Vol. 1. South Moulton Co., San Diego. Evermann. B. W. 1886. A list of the birds observed in Ventura County, California. Auk 3:86-94, 179-186, Grinnell, J. 1915. A distributional list of the birds of California. Pac. Coast Avifauna 11 . Grinnell, J. 1921. The Bryant Cactus Wren not a bird of California. Condor 23:169. Grinnell, J. 1928. A distributional summation of the ornithology of Lower California. Univ. Calif. Publ, Zool. 32:1-300. Grinnell, J., and Miller, A. H. 1944. The distribution of the birds of California. Pac. Coast Avifauna 27. 117 COASTAL CALIFORNIA CACTUS WRENS Grinnell, J., and Swarth, H. S. 1913. An account of the birds and mammals of the San Jacinto area of southern California with remarks upon the behavior of geographic races on the margins of their habitats. Univ. Calif. Publ. Zool. 10:197-406. Gundy, T. R., and Flanagan, P. 1978. Breeding bird census: Sycamore-Coast Live Oak riparian woodland. Am. Birds 32:84-85. Hall, G. A. 1964. Breeding bird censuses: Why and how. Audubon Field Notes 16:413-416. Kolb, H. 1965. Audubon Winter Bird-population Study. Audubon Field Notes 19:432-434. Mearns, E. A. 1902. The Cactus Wrens of the United States. Auk 19:141-145. Mooney, H. A. 1977. Southern coastal scrub, in Terrestrial Vegetation of California (M. G. Barbour and J. Majors, eds.), pp. 471-489. Wiley, New York. Munz, P. A., and Keck, D. A. 1959. A California Flora. Univ. Calif. Press, Berkeley. Nagata, J. 1982. Breeding bird census: Coast Live Oak riparian woodland. Am. Birds 36:87. Oberbauer, T. A. 1977. County of San Diego Generalized Vegetation [map]. County of San Diego, Dept, of Transportation, Mapping Section. Palmer, T. S. 1893. Heleodytes vs. Campylorhynchus. Auk 10:86-87. Phillips, A. R. 1986. Geographic variation [of Campylorhynchus brunneicapillum]: (2) N and E (mainland) races, in The Known Birds of North and Middle America, Part 1 (A. R. Phillips, ed.), p. 120. A. R. Phillips, Denver, CO. Raven, P. H., and Axelrod, D. I. 1978. Origin and relationships of the California flora. Univ. Calif. Publ. Bot, 72:1-134. Rea, A. M. 1983. Once a River: Bird Life and Habitat Changes on the Middle Gila. Univ. Arizona Press, Tucson. Rea, A. M. 1986. Geographic variation [of Campylorhynchus brunneicapillum]: (1) NW, peninsular, and insular races, in The Known Birds of North and Middle America, Part 1 (A. R. Phillips, ed.), pp. 118-119. A. R. Phillips, Denver, CO. Ridgway, R. 1904. The Birds of North and Middle America. Bull. U.S. Natl. Mus. 50, Part 3. Ridgway, R. 1912. Color Standards and Color Nomenclature. A, Hoen & Co., Baltimore, MD. Sams, J. R., and Stott, K. Jr. 1959. Birds of San Diego County, California: An annotated checklist. Occ. Pap. San Diego Soc. Nat. Hist. 10. Schneebeck, C. A. 1978. Breeding bird census: Coastal sage scrub. Am. Birds 32:98. Soule, M. E., Bolger, D. T., Alberts, A. C., Wright, J., Sorice, M., and Hill, S. 1988. Reconstructed dynamics of rapid extinctions of chaparral-requiring birds in urban habitat islands. Conserv. Biol. 2:75-92. Stephens, F. 1904. Cactus Wrens. Condor 6:51-52. Swarth, H. S. 1904. The status of the southern California Cactus Wren. Condor 6:17-19. Thorne, R. F. 1976. The vascular plant communities of California, in Plant Commu- nities of Southern California (J. Latting, ed.), pp. 1-10. Calif. Native Plant Soc. Publ. 2. 118 COASTAL CALIFORNIA CACTUS WRENS Unitt, P. 1984. The birds of San Diego County. San Diego Soc. Nat. Hist. Memoir 13. Van Devender, T. R., Thompson, R. S., and Betancourt, J. L. 1987. Vegetation history of the deserts of southwestern North America: The nature and timing of the late Wisconsin-Holocene transition, in North America and Adjacent Oceans during the Last Deglaciation. Geology of North America, Vol. K-3 (W. F. Ruddiman and H. E. Wright, eds.), pp. 323-352. Geol. Soc. Am., Boulder, CO. Van Velzen, W. T. 1972. Breeding-bird census instruction. Audubon Field Notes 26:1007-1010. Weaver, K. L. 1982. Breeding bird populations of coastal sage scrub communities in southwestern California. Am. Birds 36:93-94. Weaver, K. L. in press. Breeding bird census: Coastal sage scrub. J. Field Ornithol. Willett, G. 1933. A revised list of the birds of southwestern California. Pac. Coast Avifauna 21. Accepted 27 September 1990 APPENDIX 1. HISTORY OF THE NAME CAMPYLORHYNCHUS Readers will note variations in the gender of the scientific name of the Cactus Wren. The species was described by Lafresnaye in 1835 as Picolaptes brunneicapillus. The generic name Picolaptes Lesson, 1830, with the type species R spixii, is now a synonym of Xiphorhynchus Swainson, 1827, in the family Dendrocolaptidae (woodcreepers). The generic name Campylorhynchus was first proposed by Spix in 1824 for what is now C. turdinus, and the generic name was used by Gray in 1847 in combination with the specific name as brunneicapillus. The A.O.U. (1886, 1889) followed Gray. However, Palmer (1893), following the conven- tion of nomenclature of that time, concluded that Campylorhynchus should be treated as a junior synonym of Campylirhynchus Megerle, 1821, a generic name of a beetle. The A.O.U. (1910, 1931} used the next available generic name, Heleodytes Cabanis, 1851, for the Cactus Wren. The fifth edition of the Check-list (A.O.U. 1957, first printing) returned to the use of Campylorhynchus Spix because the name is not preoccupied under current mles of nomenclature, but scientific names of the Cactus Wren were treated as neuter in gender. (In the second printing, an incorrect mixture of both masculine and neuter was used.) The neuter was followed in the original description of the San Diego Cactus Wren (Rea 1986), in conformity with other taxa in the genus written by Phillips (1986). In this paper, the masculine is used, as in the original species combination by Gray, the thirty-second supplement to the A.O.U. Check list (1973), the sixth edition of the A.O.U. Check-list (1983), and according to the latest edition of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, which specifies that genera with the masculine ending -us be treated as masculine regardless of their derivation and gender in language of origin. 119 COASTAL CALIFORNIA CACTUS WRENS APPENDIX 2. RECORDS OF THE SAN DIEGO CACTUS WREN SINCE 1980 Most Recent Survey 0 Previous Survey Location Count San Juan Creek® 1 1 . Rancho Mission Viejo — 2. Rancho Mission Viejo — 3. Rancho Mission Viejo — 4. Caspers Park e — 5. Caspers Park 19 6. Starr Ranch® — 7. Starr Ranch e — Segunda Deshecha Canada 8. San Clemente 1 San Mateo/San Onofre Creeks 9. Rancho Mission Viejo — 10. Camp Pendleton — Unnamed creek 11. Camp Pendleton — Aliso Creek 12. Camp Pendleton — Santa Margarita River 13. Camp Pendleton — 14. Camp Pendleton 0 15. Camp Pendleton — 16. Camp Pendleton — 17. Camp Pendleton — 18. Camp Pendleton 1 19. Naval Weapons Station 17 20. Naval Weapons Station 2 San Luis Rey River 2 1 . Camp Pendleton ON 22. Camp Pendleton — 23. Camp Pendleton — 24. Camp Pendleton — 25. Camp Pendleton/ Naval Weapons Station 1 1 26. Naval Weapons Station 1 27. Bonsall 5 28. Lilac 0 Territorial Territorial Males Count fa Males Notes® 64 NPR D 32 NPR — D 15 NPR — D 3 KS — 13 KS — 1 NPR — 2 KS — 1 NPR 13 NPR — D 5 KS — 1 NPR — 2 NPR 1 NPR — 0 1 1 5 11 10 3 KS — 1 NPR — 1 NPR — — NPR — — NPR — — KS — 1 NPR — 3 11 9 F 2 NPR — NPR — NPR — 2 3 2 0 N — Continued 120 COASTAL CALIFORNIA CACTUS WRENS Location Most Recent Survey 0 Territorial Count Males Previous Survey Territorial Count* 5 Males Notes 0 29. Pala 0 0 2 1 30. Pala 0 0 N — 31. Pauma Valley 0 0 3 3 F Agua Hedionda Creek 32. Agua Hedionda Lagoon 0 0 5 4 R San Marcos Creek 33. Batiquitos Lagoon 0 0 1 1 R Escondido Creek 34. San Elijo Lagoon 0 0 — 2 A San Dieguito River 35. Rancho Santa Fe 0 0 N 36. Rancho Sante Fe ON — NPR — 37. Rancho Bernardo — 1 NPR — 38. Rancho Bernardo 0 0 3 1 R 39. Rancho Bernardo 0 0 KS — R 40. Rancho Bernardo 5 1 5 1 D 41. Rancho Bernardo 0 0 3 2 R 42. Escondido 21 12 23 18 F, R 43. Escondido 0 0 1 1 R 44. Escondido 0 0 1 1 R 45. Escondido 20 13 — 19 R 46. Escondido 1 1 8 4 F 47. Escondido 2 1 3 2 R, G 48. Escondido 4 3 3 2 R 49. San Pasqual Valley 0 0 2 2 R, A 50. San Pasqual Valley 0 0 6 3 R, A 51. San Pasqual Valley 0 0 1 1 R 52. San Pasqual Valley 2 2 — 5 G 53. San Pasqual Valley 54 38 54 48 F 54. San Pasqual Valley 0 0 1 1 A 55. San Pasqual Valley 2 1 2 2 56. San Pasqual Valley 6 4 — 6 57. San Pasqual Valley 0 0 1 1 A 58. San Pasqual Valley 2 1 2 1 Los Penasquitos Creek 59. Torrey Pines State Res. 0 0 1 1 60. Poway 0 0 5 2 R 61. Poway 0 0 N R Continued 121 COASTAL CALIFORNIA CACTUS WRENS Location Most Recent Survey 0 Territorial Count Males Previous Survey Territorial Count b Males Notes c San Diego River 62. San Diego 1 1 1 1 63. Santee 3 2 10 — D 64. Spring Valley — 1 NPR — R 65. El Cajon 1 1 1 1 66. Lakeside 0 0 1 1 67. Lakeside 33 18 10 8 D 68. Lakeside 0 0 1 1 Sweetwater River 69. Chula Vista 5 — NPR — D 70. Chula Vista 2 1 NPR — 71. Sunnyside 1 — NPR — D 72. San Diego N — NPR — D 73. Sweetwater Reservoir 13 8 KS — D 74. Sunnyside 3 2 KS — D 75. Mother Miguel Mt. — 3 — 2 D 76. Mother Miguel Mt. 2 2 10 5 D 77. S of Mother Miguel Mt. — 1 NPR — D 78. S of Mother Miguel Mt. 2 1 NPR — D 79. S of Mother Miguel Mt. 1 1 6 3 D Otay River 80. Dennery Canyon 6 3 NPR — D 81. Rancho Otay 6 — 6 — D 82. Rancho Otay 27 — 37 — D 83. Rancho Otay 16 — 2 — D 84. Proctor Valley 1 — 1 1 D Tijuana River 85. Otay Mesa 2 1 NPR — D 86. Spring Canyon 2 1 NPR — D 87. Valle de las Palmas 5 1 KS — A a N, nests found; ON, remnants of oid nests found. fa KS, known site, no record available; NPR, no previous record. C A, habitat destruction due to agricultural clearing; D, proposed development; F, habitat destruc- tion due to fire; G, habitat destruction due to grazing; R, habitat destruction due to residential construction. ^Results of Orange County Breeding Bird Atlas indicate a minimum of 50 pairs in this portion of the San Juan Creek drainage basin but data are not listed according to specific locations. e Data resulting from breeding bird censuses, not strictly surveys. 122 COASTAL CALIFORNIA CACTUS WRENS Details of San Diego Cactus Wren Locations and Surveys Orange County, California San Juan Creek 1. Rancho Mission Viejo, W side of Canada Chiquita, from San Juan Creek N approx. 5 mi. Oct 1989-Jan 1990 (DB). 2. Rancho Mission Viejo, W side of Canada Gobernadora from San Juan Creek N 3 mi., W across ridge to E side Canada Chiquita, then N 2 mi. Oct 1989-Jan 1990 (DB). 3. Rancho Mission Viejo, W side of Canada Gobernadora from San Juan Creek N approx. 2.25 mi. Oct 1989-Jan 1990 (DB). 4. Caspers Regional Park, Bell Canyon. 23 Apr-24 May 1981 (PF & KA). 5. Caspers Regional Park, San Juan Creek, from park road crossing to 1.5 mi. E. 12 Feb and 19 Apr 1990 (KW). 6. Starr Ranch Audubon Sanctuary, Crow Canyon, 5.5 mi. SE of Trabuco Oaks Post Office. 16 Apr-24 May 1981 (JN). 7. Starr Ranch Audubon Sanctuary, S side of Pruesker Peak, 5.1 mi. N of entrance to Caspers Regional Park. 15 Apr-20 May 1982 (RB). Segunda Deshecha Canada 8. San Clemente, NW corner intersection of Marblehead Dr. and Avenida Pico. 19 Apr 1990 (KW). San Mateo Creek 9. Rancho Mission Viejo, Cristianitos Canyon area from Hwy. 74 S approx. 3 mi. Oct 1989-Jan 1990 (DB). San Diego County, California San Mateo/San Onofre Creeks 10. Camp Pendleton, NW and S slopes of ridge on N side of Basilone Rd., approx. 1.5 mi. E of Interstate 5. 1983 (HW); spring 1989 (LS). Unnamed creek 11. Camp Pendleton, SW slope of Homo Hill, approx. 0.5 mi. NW of intersection of old Highway 1 and Homo Canyon. Spring 1989 (LS). Aliso Creek 12. Camp Pendleton, SW slope below hills 765 and 693, S side of Las Pulgas Rd., E side of Stuart Mesa Rd. Spring 1989 (LS). Santa Margarita River 13. Camp Pendleton, N side of mouth of Santa Margarita R., W of Interstate 5. Spring 1989 (LS). 14. Camp Pendleton, N side of Santa Margarita R., W of Stuart Mesa Rd. 18 Jul 1984 (KW); spring 1989 (LS). 15. Camp Pendleton, N side of Santa Margarita R., between Stuart Mesa Rd. and Basilone Rd. 18 Jul and 4 Aug 1984 (KW); spring 1989 (LS). 16. Camp Pendleton, N side of Pueblitos Canyon. E of Vandegrift Blvd. Spring 1989 (LS). 17. Camp Pendleton, W slope of hill 492, NE side of head of Pueblitos Canyon, SE of base radio tower. Spring 1989 (LS). 18. Camp Pendleton, 300 yards S of confluence of Santa Margarita R. and De Luz Creek. 1982 (RZ). 123 COASTAL CALIFORNIA CACTUS WRENS 19. Naval Weapons Station (Fallbrook Annex), W slopes of hills 650, 592, and 472, W and SW edge of base. Spring 1989 (DS). 20. Naval Weapons Station (Fallbrook Annex), ridge line between water tanks, NE end of base. Spring 1989 (DS). San Luis Rey River 21. Camp Pendleton, Wire Mt., N of Santa Margarita School. 18 July 1984 (KW). 22. Camp Pendleton, E side of Windmill Canyon, SE slope of hill 425, E of golf course club house. Spring 1989 (LS). 23. Camp Pendleton, W side of Windmill Canyon, W of golf course, N to base radio tower. 4 Aug 1984 (KW); spring 1989 (LS), 24. Camp Pendleton, Pilgrim Creek N of Vandegrift Blvd. and S of firing range. Spring 1989 (LS). 25. Camp Pendleton/Naval Weapons Station (Fallbrook Annex), Pilgrim Creek on Camp Pendleton immediately S of border with Naval Weapons Station N 0.5 mi. to slopes E and W of Fallbrook Rd. Spring 1989 (LS); spring 1990 (DS). 26. Naval Weapons Station (Fallbrook Annex), E border of base, approx. 0.5 mi. S of Fallbrook Community Air Park. Spring 1990 (DS). 27. Bonsall, N side West Lilac Rd. 1.3 mi. E of intersection with Camino del Rey. 18 Aug 1989 (KW); 25 Aug 1990 (KW). 28. Lilac, E side of Couser Canyon Rd., 1 mi. S of intersection with Hwy. 76. 27 Dec 1989 (KW); 21 Jun 1990 (KW). 29. Pala, N side of Hwy. 76, 4 mi. E of intersection with Interstate 15. 16 Mar 1985 (KW); 25 Aug 1990 (KW). 30. Pala, N side of Hwy. 76, hill W of intersection with Pala Rd. 16 Mar 1985 (KW); 13 Nov 1988 (KW). 31. Pauma Valley, uppermost Adams Dr. 16 Apr 1985 (KW); 3 Feb 1990 (KW). Agua Hedionda Creek 32. Carlsbad, Agua Hedionda Lagoon, N side of Lake Dr., W of intersection with Kelly Dr. 3 Mar 1984 (KW); 3 Dec 1988 (KW). San Marcos Creek 33. Carlsbad, Batiquitos Lagoon, W side Batiquitos Dr. 20 May 1984 (KW); 3 Dec 1988 (KW). Escondido Creek 34. Encinitas. San Elijo Lagoon, NE of intersection of Interstate 15 and Manchester Ave. 6 Sep 1981 (DK & CE); 1 Apr 1984 (KW). San Dieguito River 35. Rancho Santa Fe, SE side of confluence of Lusardi Creek and San Dieguito R. Aug 1983 (HW); 9 Mar 1985 (KW). 36. Rancho Santa Fe, NW of intersection of Del Dios Hwy. and Camino del Norte. 9 Mar 1985 (KW). 37. Rancho Bernardo, hills W of SE arm of Lake Hodges, W of Interstate 15. “Early 1980s” (EM). 38. Rancho Bernardo, W of intersection of Camino del Norte and West Bernardo Dr. 25 Aug 1984 (KW); 23 Dec 1989 (KW). 39. Rancho Bernardo, Westwood area, N of Rancho Bernardo Rd. and W of Interstate 15. “Early 1980s” (EM). 40. Rancho Bernardo, ridge E of SE arm of Lake Hodges, W of Interstate 15. 1 Sep 1984 (KW); 16 Jun 1988 (PU), 18 May, 6 and 30 Jun 1990 (RB & PU). 41. Rancho Bernardo, NE of Interstate 15 and Bernardo Center Dr., W of Escala Dr. 1981 (KW). 124 COASTAL CALIFORNIA CACTUS WRENS 42. Escondido, S slope of Bernardo Mt., hill 506 S of Lake Hodges boat landing. 8 Apr and 1 Sep 1984 (KW); 20 and 27 Nov 1988 (KW). 43. Escondido, N side of Lake Hodges, W of Interstate 15. 30 May 1981 (KW); 16 Jun 1985 (KW). 44. Escondido, N side of Clarence Lane W of Centre City Pkwy. 27 Jul 1981 (KW); 20 Apr 1990 (KW). 45. Escondido, S side of hill 765, NE of Lake Hodges, 28 Apr 1983 (KW); 25 Feb 1989 (KW). 46. Escondido, N of El Dorado Dr. between Bear Valley Pkwy. and Summit Dr. 28 Feb-20 Jun 1981 (KW); 20 Apr 1990 (KW). 47. Escondido, intersection of San Pasqual Rd. and Sunset. 18 Mar 1984 (KW); 13 Feb 1989 (KW). 48. Escondido, SE of intersection of San Pasqual Rd. and Old Pasqual Rd. 18 Mar 1984 (KW); 13 Feb 1989 (KW). 49. San Pasqual Valley, NE side of intersection of Cloverdale Rd. and Hwy. 78. 10 Mar 1984 (KW); 20 Apr 1990 (KW). 50. San Pasqual Valley, NE and SE of intersection of Cloverdale Rd. and Rockwood R. 23 Mar 1984 (KW); 13 Feb 1989 (KW). 51. San Pasqual Valley, E side of Rockwood Rd. 1 mi. N of intersection with Cloverdale Rd. 1989 (JG); 20 Apr 1990 (KW). 52. San Pasqual Valley, S side of hill 1017, N of Hwy. 78, E of Cloverdale Rd. 10 Mar 1984 (KW); 31 Dec 1988 (KW). 53. San Pasqual Valley, San Pasqual State Historical Park and San Diego Wild Animal Park, from 0.5 mi. E of entrance to Wild Animal Park to Guejito Creek. 2, 9, and 26 Jun and 3 Jul 1984 (KW); 17 and 31 Mar, 4 and 20 Apr 1990 (KW). 54. San Pasqual Valley, NW of Hwy. 78 bridge over Guejito Creek. 5 Jun 1983 (KW); 20 Apr 1990 (KW). 55. San Pasqual Valley, N side of Santa Ysabel Creek, due N of Crane’s Peak. 9 Jun 1984 (KW); 20 Apr 1990 (KW). 56. San Pasqual Valley, SE of intersection of Bandy Canyon Rd. and Santa Ysabel Creek Rd. 23 Mar 1984 (KW); 13 Feb 1989 (KW). 57. San Pasqual Valley, S side of Bandy Canyon Rd., approx. 1.5 mi. E of intersec- tion with Santa Ysabel Creek Rd. 23 Mar 1984 (KW); 20 Apr 1990 (KW). 58. San Pasqual Valley, W slope of Crane’s Peak. 23 Mar 1984 (KW); 20 Apr 1990 (KW). Los Penasquitos Creek 59. San Diego, Los Penasquitos Lagoon, Torrey Pines State Reserve, W of railroad tracks. 14 Mar 1984 (RW); 2 Mar 1985 (KW). 60. Poway, W of La Manda Rd. and N of Camino del Norte. 25 Aug 1984 (KW); 23 Dec 1989 (KW). 61. Poway, S of Gate Dr. 1981 (HW); 15 Aug 1984 (KW). San Diego River 62. San Diego, Mission Hills, canyon between Fort Stockton Dr. and Washington PI. 20 Mar 1986 (CE); 20 May 1990 (SH). 63. Santee, Fanita Ranch, E side of Sycamore Canyon NE of Santee Lakes. 29-27 Jul 1983 (CE); 13 May and 2 Jun 1989, 27 Jul 1990 (PU). 64. Spring Valley, N slope of Dictionary Hill, W of Lamar, S of Crest Dr. 18 Nov-2 Dec 1989 (GG). 65. El Cajon, Fletcher Hills, ridge between Travelodge Dr. and Murray Dr. Jul 1989 (EM); Mar 1990 (HW). 66. Lakeside, N of intersection of Lake Jennings Park Rd. and El Monte Rd. 13 Apr 1985 (KW); 9 Mar 1990 (KW). 125 COASTAL CALIFORNIA CACTUS WRENS 67. Lakeside, Lake Jennings County Park and vicinity S of El Monte Rd. and E of Lake Jennings Park Rd. 13 Apr and 3 May 1985 (KW); 9 Mar 1990 (KW). 68. Lakeside, S of Lake Jennings Park Rd., N of Helix Water District building. 13 Apr 1985 (KW); 9 Mar 1990 (KW). Sweetwater River 69. Chula Vista, E of Interstate 805 between Bonita Rd. and H St. 15 Aug 1989 (fide AMR). 70. Chula Vista, NW of intersection of East H St. and Ridgeback Rd. 27 Dec 1988 (KW). 71. Sunnyside, NW of intersection of Sweetwater Rd. and Quarry Rd. 4 May 1990 (PB, EB). 72. San Diego, Paradise Hills, Hwy. 54 at Briarwood Dr. Aug 1989 (JB). 73. Sweetwater Reservoir, SE of dam. 5 and 24 May 1990 (SS, SV, KW). 74. Sunnyside, Long Canyon W of Corral Canyon Rd. 27 Dec 1988 (KW). 75. Mother Miguel Mt., SW base, E end of San Miguel Rd., N of Wild Man’s Canyon. 1989 (EL); 6 Apr 1990 (PU). 76. Mother Miguel Mt., W slopes. 23 Mar 1989 (EL); 6 and 18 Apr 1990 (PU). 77. S of Mother Miguel Mt., N side of Proctor Valley Rd. approx. 1 mi. W of intersection with Rancho Janal Dr. 18 Apr 1990 (JL). 78. S of Mother Miguel Mt. , approx. 0.5 mi. N of Proctor Valley Rd. at S end of Wild Man’s Canyon. 1989 (EL). 79. $ of Mother Miguel Mt., 0.5 mi. N of Proctor Valley Rd., approx. 0.25 mi. W of intersection with Rancho Janal Dr. 1989 (EL); 6 Apr 1990 (PU). Otay River 80. Dennery Canyon, N of Otay Mesa Rd., E of Interstate 805, and W of Otay Valley Rd. 15 Mar 1988 (HW). 81. Rancho Otay, Poggi Canyon. 1986-1988 (fide NG). 82. Rancho Otay, Otay R. SW of Lower Otay Reservoir, including Salt and Wolf canyons. 1986-1987 (fide NG). 83. Rancho Otay, Johnson Canyon (S of Otay River). 1986-1987 (fide NG); 7 Jun, 16-17 Jul 1990 (PB, SS, SV). 84. Proctor Valley, NW side of Proctor Valley Rd. N of Upper Otay Reservoir. 1987 (fide NG); 10 Mar 1989 (PU). Tijuana River 85. Otay Mesa, W of Brown Field, S of Otay Mesa Rd. 22 Sep 1983 (RW). 86. Spring Canyon, SW of intersection of Otay Mesa Rd. and Cactus Rd. “Before 1986” (HW). Baja California 87. Valle de las Palmas, E of Hwy. 3 on S-facing slopes, 0. 5-1.0 mi. N of town of Valle de las Palmas. 27 Jul 1986 (AMR). Sources: Richard Barber, Raymond Bransfield (Am. Birds 37:95, 1983), John Beezley, Tim Burr (U.S. Navy), Claude Edwards, Patricia Flanagan and Kent Armstrong (Am. Birds 36:88, 1982), Pam Beare (Caltrans), Ellen Berryman (Caltrans), David R. Bontrager, Nancy Gilbert (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service), Glenn Greenwald, John Griffith, Steve Huemner, David King, Eric Lichtwardt, John Lovio, Julia Nagata (Am. Birds 36:87, 1982), Esther McNeil, Amadeo M. Rea, Larry Salata (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service), Sue Scatolini (Caltrans), Doreen Stadtlander (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service), Philip Unitt, Sandy Vissman (Caltrans), Kenneth Weaver, Richard Webster, Harold Wier, Richard Zembal (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service). 126 BIRDS OF EAGLE MOUNTAIN, JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL MONUMENT, CALIFORNIA A. TOWNSEND PETERSON, Committee on Evolutionary Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637 The Little San Bernardino Mountains of Riverside and San Bernardino Counties in southern California support a peninsula of oak- pine woodland running southeast from the higher San Bernardino Mountains (Figure 1) . In spite of the continuity of the woodland connecting the two ranges, the birds of the Little San Bernardino Mountains are remarkably differentiated from populations to the west. Three subspecies requiring woodland are endemic to the range: a Mountain Quail, Oreortyx pictus russelli, a Plain Titmouse, Parus inornatus mohavensis, and a Bushtit, Psaltriparus minimus sociabilis (Miller 1946), and another, a Scrub Jay, Aphelocoma coerulescens cana, is endemic to the nearby Eagle Mountains (Miller 1946, Pitelka 1951). Miller (1946), Pitelka (1951), and Miller and Stebbins (1964) discussed three alternative hypotheses for the origin of these differentiated populations. (1) The peninsula restricts gene flow from populations to the west. (2) The differentiated populations represent intergrades or hybrids between popula- tions in the San Bernardino Mountains to the west and the Providence Mountains to the northeast. (3) A third hypothesis is one of faunal relaxation. Because as recently as 8000 years ago the Mojave Desert contained pin- yon-juniper woodland (Wells and Berger 1967, Van Devender 1977), dif- ferentiated populations in the Little San Bernardino Mountains and other mountain ranges farther east may represent remnants of what was once a continuous distribution (Grinnell and Swarth 1913, Miller and Stebbins 1964). Hence, they may show traits that are either ancestral or intermediate owing to historical genetic interchange. Information on populations of these species in the bits of woodland be- tween the Little San Bernardino Mountains and the Providence Mountains is critical to assessing the latter two hypotheses. The Eagle Mountains, the Bullion Mountains, the Old Woman Mountains, and others provide elevated landscapes (Figure 1). Of these, only the Eagle Mountains are known to hold pinyon woodland, and this habitat is restricted to a small area (approx. 150 ha) around the peak of Eagle Mountain itself, in Joshua Tree National Monu- ment. Eagle Mountain reaches a height of 1631 m, with a broad, flat valley at approximately 1460 m. Sparse woodlands of Single-leaf Pinyon ( Pinus monophylla ), California Juniper ( Juniperus californica) , and Scrub Oak (Quercus turbinella) occur above 1400 m. Eagle Mountain is isolated from the nearest woodland habitat in the Little San Bernardino Mountains by about 33 km of desert, the lowest point being Cottonwood Pass (914 m). In the 1940s and 1950s, scientists from the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology (MVZ), University of California at Berkeley, led by Alden H. Miller, studied the vertebrates of the Monument. They visited Eagle Mountain twice (in May and October 1945) and assembled representative series of specimens from the area. Dennis Rainey and Richard Loomis of California State University at Long Beach apparently worked in the area briefly in the early 1960s. In 1986, George San Miguel of the Monument staff visited the area on several Western Birds 21 : 127- 135, 1990 127 BIRDS OF EAGLE MOUNTAIN occasions and recorded several important sightings. To my knowledge, these trips consistute the only ornithological work on the birds of Eagle Mountain prior to my visits. Information on other vertebrates known from Eagle Moun- tain was summarized by Miller and Stebbins (1964). The purpose of this study is to summarize the existing information on the avifauna of Eagle Mountain. This paper represents an attempt to understand the historical processes leading to the differentiation of Mojave Desert edge forms of a number of bird species. METHODS As part of studies of the resident Scrub Jays ( Aphelocoma coerulescens cana), I climbed Eagle Mountain four times: 13 May 1987, 14 May 1987, 14- 15 March 1988, and 26-27 May 1988, each time with one other person, for a total of 102 observer-hours. Observations from visits to the area by other ornithologists are also summarized. To check the validity of the five forms described as differentiated in the region [Mountain Quail, Scrub Jay, Plain Titmouse, Bushtit, and Bewick’s Wren ( Thryomanes bewickii )], I made comparisons of museum specimens in the collections of California State University at Long Beach (CSULB) and the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology (MVZ) . At MVZ, the three specimens of the Scrub Jay from the Eagle Mountains were compared with other specimens from adjacent areas of the same age and sex, and collected in the same season and approximately the same years. At CSULB, I used the extensive series from the Little San Bernardino Mountains collected by Dennis Rainey and Richard Loomis to replicate the comparisons of Miller (1946) , again con- trolling for variation due to age and sex, and year and season of collection. RESULTS Listed below are the species observed by the MVZ teams and by Rainey and Loomis (Miller and Stebbins 1964, A.H. Miller’s field notes from the Field Note Collection at MVZ), by George San Miguel (pers. comm.), and by myself and my field companions. Habitat usage of species breeding in the Lit- tle San Bernardino Mountains is categorized into plant zones following Miller and Stebbins (1964): P, pinyon; Y, yucca; C, creosote. 1 do not describe the habitat usage of species that apparently do not breed in the region. Species presumed or known to breed on the mountain are indicated by an “x” or respectively. Red-tailed Hawk ( Buteo jamaicensis) . Single birds seen 13 May 1987 and 26 May 1988 soaring over peak. PYCx. Golden Eagle ( Aquila chrysaetos) . Pair seen flying by north base 20 Oct 1945. PYCx. Gambel’s Quail ( Callipepla gambelii ) . Seen 16 May and 19 Oct 1945. A covey of >20 flushed 26 May 1988 at Conejo Well, PYCx. Mountain Quail [Oreortyx pictus). Collected 16 and 20 May, and seen 19 Oct. 1945. PYx. Mourning Dove ( Zenaida macroura ). Several hundred seen flying to and from Conejo Well on 26 and 27 May 1988. PYCx. 128 BIRDS OF EAGLE MOUNTAIN Great Horned Owl ( Bubo uirginianus). One heard calling at dawn on 27 May 1988. PYCx. Long-eared Owl (Asio otus). Seen 19 Feb (year?) at 1370 m (Rainey and Loomis, in Miller and Stebbins 1964) . P. Lesser Nighthawk ( Chordeiies acutipennis ) . Seen at dusk on 26 May 1988. YCx. Figure 1. Topography of the southern Mojave Desert. The 1000 m contour line is shown. The black rectangle on the inset map of California shows the approximate area covered by the map. 129 BIRDS OF EAGLE MOUNTAIN White -throated Swift (Aeronaut.es saxatalis). Seen 19-20 Oct 1945, 13-14 May 1987, 14-15 Mar, and 26-27 May 1988, with the recent records being of groups of 5-20 individuals. Several times, especially on 26 May 1988, seen entering cavities on cliffs which may have been nest sites. PYCx. Anna’s Hummingbird (Calypte anna). Collected 20 Oct and seen 21 Oct 1945, 17 Mar 1986, 13 May 1987, and 26-27 May 1988. Abundant 26-27 May 1988, with many aggressive encounters observed, but only one of >50 individuals had a gorget; two others had a few dark feathers on their throats. Costa’s Hummingbird (C. costae). Seen 17 Mar 1986 at west base of mountain. PYCx. Acorn Woodpecker (Melanerpes formiciuorus) . An apparently immature vagrant of the Arizona form (M. /. aculeatus ) collected 19 Oct 1945 (Miller 1947) . Ladder-backed Woodpecker (Picoides scalaris ). Seen 19 Oct 1945, 17 Mar 1986, and single individuals seen 13 May 1987 and 26 May 1988. PYx. Northern (Red-shafted) Flicker ( Colaptes auratus). Seen 19-21 Oct 1945. Western Wood-Pewee ( Contopus sordidulus) . Seen 14 May 1945. Western Flycatcher ( Empidonax difficilis). One individual seen on 13 May 1987; abundant 26-27 May 1988. None heard calling, so all probably represent migrants. Say’s Phoebe (Sayorn/s saya). Seen 17 Mar 1986 at west base of mountain. PYCx. Ash-throated Flycatcher (Myiarchus cinerascens ) . Seen 17 Mar 1986 at base of moun- tain. PYCx. Western Kingbird (Tyrannus uerticalis). Three individuals seen 26-27 May 1988. PYCx. Violet-green Swallow (Tachycineta thalassina). Seen 19-20 May 1945. Scrub Jay ( Aphelocoma coerulescens). Collected on 16 May, 19 and 20 Oct 1945. On 16 May 1945, a brood of fledglings was observed. One to five individuals seen 13 May 1987 and 14-15 Mar 1988. P*. Common Raven (Coruus corax). Single individuals heard over peak on 13 May 1987, 14 Mar, and 26 May 1988. PYCx. Mountain Chickadee (Parus gambeli) . Seen Nov 1986. Bushtit ( Psaltriparus minimus) . Collected 16, 19-21 May 1945, and observed several times daily 13-14 May 1987, 14-15 Mar and 26-27 May 1988. P*. Cactus Wren (Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus) . Seen 18-21 Oct 1945, and com- monly at base of mountain 13-14 May 1987 (nest found), 14 Mar and 26-27 May 1988. PYC*. Rock Wren ( Salpinctes obsoletus). Seen 20-21 Oct 1945, 17 Mar 1986. PYCx. Canyon Wren ( Catherpes mexicanus). Seen 19 Oct and collected 20 and 21 Oct 1945; seen commonly 17 Mar 1986, 13-14 May 1987, 14 Mar and 26-27 May 1988. PYx. Bewick’s Wren ( Thryomanes bewickii). Collected on 16 May and 18-21 Oct 1945; seen commonly 13-14 May 1987, 14-15 Mar, and 26-27 May 1988. Recently fledg- ed young found 16 May 1945. PY*. Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula) . Seen 19 Oct 1945, 17 Mar 1986. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher ( Polioptila caerulea). Seen 16 May 1945, and commonly 13-14 May 1987, 14-15 Mar, and 26-27 May 1988, apparently on territories. PYx. Townsend’s Solitare (Myadestes townsendi) . Seen 19 Oct 1945. Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus). Seen 19 Oct and collected 20 Oct 1945. 130 BIRDS OF EAGLE MOUNTAIN Northern Mockingbird ( Mimus polyglottos) . Seen singing 17 Mar 1986 at west base of mountain. PYCx. Cedar Waxwing ( Bombycilla cedrorum) . Seen 19-20 Oct 1945. Phainopepla ( Phainopepla nitens) . Seen near base of mountain 17 Mar 1986, 13 May 1987 (1). Several pairs on territories above 1370 m 26-27 May 1988. Nest with 3 eggs found 26 May 1988. YC*. Loggerhead Shrike ( Lanius ludovicianus) . Seen 16 May and 18-20 Oct and collected 21 Oct 1945, 17 Mar 1986. Bird with dependent young noted on 16 May 1945. PYC*. Gray Vireo (Vireo vicinior). Seen 13 May 1987. P. Solitary Vireo (V. solitarius). Seen 16 May 1945. Hutton’s Vireo (V. button/). Collected 20 Oct 1945 at 1450 m. Warbling Vireo (V. giluus). Collected 20 Oct 1945. Orange-crowned Warbler ( Vermiuora celata). Seen 16 May 1945, 17 Mar 1986. Yellow-rumped Warbler (Dendroica coronata). Seen 19 Oct 1945, 17 Mar 1986. Black-throated Gray Warbler (D. nigrescens) . Seen 20 Oct 1945. Townsend’s Warbler (D, townsendi) . Seen 16 May 1945. Hermit Warbler (D. occidentalis) . Male seen 13 May 1987. Wilson’s Warbler ( Wilsonia pusilla ). Seen 16 May 1945 and 13 May 1988, the latter sighting of a single individual in the dense willows at Conejo Well. Western Tanager (Piranga ludoviciana) . Seen 16 May 1945. Black-headed Grosbeak ( Pheucticus melanocephalus). Seen 16 May 1945. Lazuli Bunting ( Passerina amoena). Seen 16 May 1945. Green-tailed Towhee { Pipilo chlorurus) . Seen 16 May 1945. Rufous-sided Towhee (P. erythrophthalmus) . Collected 16 May and 19 Oct 1945. The May specimen had an enlarged oviduct and brood patch. P*. Black-chinned Sparrow ( Spizella atrogularis) . Collected 16 May 1945, testes 3 mm. Px. Black-throated Sparrow (Amphispiza bilineata ). Seen 16 May, 18-21 Oct 1945, and commonly 13-14 May 1987. Nest with downy young found 16 May 1945. PYC*. Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca) . Seen 19-21 Oct 1945. White-crowned Sparrow [Zonotrichia leucophrys) . Seen 15, 18-19 Oct 1945. Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis). Seen 20 Oct and collected 19 and 21 Oct 1945. Northern (Bullock’s) Oriole ( Icterus galbula). Seen 17 Mar 1986 at west base of moun- tain. Scott’s Oriole (/. parisorum) . Several apparently territorial males seen 13 May 1987 and 26-27 May 1988. PYx. Cassin’s Finch (Carpodacus cassinii). Seen 19-20 Oct 1945. House Finch (C. mexicanus) . Seen 18-21 Oct 1945, 13-14 May 1987, 14-15 Mar and 26-27 May 1988. Several males singing 26-27 May 1988. PYCx. Lesser Goldfinch ( Carduelis psaltria). Seen 19 Oct 1945; pairs seen at west base on 17 Mar 1986; several flocks of 5-10 individuals seen 26-27 May 1988. PYx. Lawrence’s Goldfinch (C. lawrencei). Seen 19-20 Oct 1945. PY. 131 BIRDS OF EAGLE MOUNTAIN DISCUSSION Sixty-two species have been recorded on Eagle Mountain. Of these, 30 are known or presumed to breed. Eagle Mountain constitutes the southeastern limit of the ranges of several species in southern California, in- cluding the Mountain Quail, Scrub Jay, Bushtit, and Rufous-sided Towhee. Except for the quail, all of these species are represented in the mountains of the Great Basin, the south westernmost limit of which is about 117 km north in the Providence Mountains (Figure 1; Johnson et al. 1948). Because Miller’s and my visits to Eagle Mountain were brief, it is difficult to draw conclusions about temporal changes in the avifauna (e.g., Johnson 1974). Presences and absences of several species (e.g., Scott’s Oriole in 1945, and Black-chinned Sparrow in 1987-88) are suggestive of coloniza- tions and local extinctions, but given high year-to-year fluctuations in numbers of these two species (R. McKernan pers. comm.), their significance is difficult to assess. In the discussion that follows, I ignore temporal changes in the avifauna, thus potentially overestimating the number of species breeding on the mountain. A comparison of the bird fauna of Eagle Mountain with that of the Little San Bernardino Mountains (Miller and Stebbins 1964) shows that several species breeding in the Little San Bernardino Mountains are either absent or probably not breeding on Eagle Mountain (Table 1). The habitat classifica- tions of Miller and Stebbins (1964) provide insight into these distribution pat- terns. Seven of nine species (all except American Kestrel, Falco sparverius, and Lawrence’s Goldfinch) inhabiting both pinyon and yucca habitats in the Little San Bernardino Mountains (Miller and Stebbins 1964) probably breed on Eagle Mountain. (American Kestrels have been observed within 20 km of Eagle Mountain, fide George San Miguel.). In contrast, of the nine species restricted to pinyon habitats in the Little San Bernardino Mountains (Miller and Stebbins 1964) , only four are known or presumed to breed on Eagle Mountain. Two others have been observed as migrants or winter visitors, and three have not been observed on Eagle Mountain (Table 1) . That Gray Vireos and Long-eared Owls do not breed on Eagle Mountain seems probable, given the amount of habitat searched dur- ing my last two visits, which were early and late in the breeding season. I am confident that Pinyon Jays ( Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus) , Plain Titmice, and California Thrashers (Toxostoma redivivum) are absent, given that all three species are conspicious and vocal when they are present. Thus, only 44-67% of the pinyon-restricted bird species of the Little San Bernardino Mountains breed on Eagle Mountain. The proportion of species breeding in the Little San Bernardino Mountains but absent on Eagle Moun- tain differs significantly (binomial test, P<0.05) between habitat-restricted (pinyon habitats only) and less restricted (pinyon and yucca habitats) species. This result indicates that species of higher-elevation habitats are less likely to be present in the peripheral habitat island on Eagle Mountain. Mammals and reptiles appear to show similar patterns of absence of pinyon-restricted species on Eagle Mountain (Miller and Stebbins 1964). It is interesting, however, that species restricted to woodland habitats to the west and east (Long-eared Owl, Gray Vireo, Acorn Woodpecker, see Miller 132 BIRDS OF EAGLE MOUNTAIN Table 1 Occurrences of Bird Species Restricted to Pinyon or Yucca Habitats in the Little San Bernardino Mountains and on Eagle Mountain 0 Species Little San Bernardino Mtns Eagle Mountain Pinyon Woodland Only (P) Long-eared Owl * + Scrub Jay * * Pinyon Jay * 0 Plain Titmouse * 0 Bushtit * X California Thrasher • 0 Gray Vireo * + Rufous-sided Towhee * * Black-chinned Sparrow * X Pinyon Woodland or Yucca Habitats (PY) American Kestrel • 0 Mountain Quail • X Ladder-backed Woodpecker * X Canyon Wren * X Bewick’s Wren * X Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Scott’s Oriole * X * X Lesser Goldfinch * X Lawrence’s Goldfinch • + a * , breeding; x, present and probably breeding; 4- , present but probably not breeding; 0 , absent. 1947) have been recorded on Eagle Mountain as migrants, vagrants, or winter visitors. Opportunities for these species to colonize the limited habitat on Eagle Mountain therefore do occur, but either the habitat is too sparse or numbers of these species reaching Eagle Mountain are insufficient for suc- cessful colonization. It appears that gene flow from the Great Basin does occur. Of the four pinyon-restricted species that breed on Eagle Mountain, Miller and associates collected series of two species: three Scrub Jays and 15 Bushtits. The three Scrub Jay specimens and one from northernmost Baja California Norte, Mexico, were described as a race carxa, distinct from the coastal obscura in having the blue lighter and grayer throughout, the back lighter and grayer brown, and the belly somewhat grayer (Pitelka 1951). On the basis of the specimens then in existence from the Little San Bernardino Mountains, Pitelka suggested that the resemblance between cana and the race of the Great Basin, neuadae, was due to similar selective regimes imposed by life at the edge of the desert. However, on the basis of one specimen of neuadae and two apparent obscura x neuadae hybrids in a series of 66 collected from the Little San Bernardino Mountains in the 1960s (CSULB) , I believe that 133 BIRDS OF EAGLE MOUNTAIN cana reflects genetic interaction of obscura with neuadae, in spite of the wide expanse of desert separating them (Peterson unpubt.). In Bushtits, 12 of 15 individuals collected on Eagle Mountain belong to the race sociabilis, which is endemic to the Monument. The remaining three in- dividuals, however, have the gray pileum characteristic of the Great Basin race prouidentialis, and probably represent intergrades or immigrants (Miller 1946). In Bewick’s Wrens (not pinyon-restricted) , specimens from the Little San Bernardino Mountains and the Eagle Mountains show wide variation in back color, from the dark brown of the coastal race, correctus, to the pale gray of the race in the Providence Mountains, eremophilus. However, intrapopula- tion variability is sufficiently great that definite conclusions cannot be made (Miller and Stebbins 1964) . Three hypotheses were presented above to account for the differentiation of four subspecific forms in the Little San Bernardino and Eagle mountains. The isolation provided by the peninsular geographic situation may well be important in maintaining the integrity of the differentiated forms. However, in at least two of the species (Bushtit and Scrub Jay), evidence exists for genetic influence from the east. The Scrub Jay population in the Eagle Mountains appears to have originated by hybridization between coastal and interior populations. Thus, either historical or current gene flow (Hypotheses 3 and 2, respectively) may well be important in the differentiation of the desert-edge forms in Joshua Tree National Monument. SUMMARY Sixty-two species of birds have been recorded on Eagle Mountain, an island of pinyon woodland in Joshua Tree National Monument, Riverside County, California. Several species breeding in the nearby Little San Bernar- dino Mountains do not breed on Eagle Mountain, but vagrants of these species occasionally visit there. Although the avifauna of Eagle Mountain is most closely allied to the avifaunas of regions to the west, evidence exists for gene flow or historical influence from the east in three species. Similar avi- faunal surveys and collections are badly needed from other small mountain ranges to the east, which may serve as stepping stones across the Mojave Desert. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Many thanks to the staff of Joshua Tree National Monument, especially Bob Moon and Mark Heuston, for making my work on Eagle Mountain possible. Thanks to Amy Peterson, Lloyd Kiff, Manuel Marin, Dale Clayton, and Bill Schew, for companion- ship and assistance in the field under difficult conditions. Thanks to George San Miguel, Charles Collins, Bob McKernan, and Jon Atwood for information about the Eagle Mountains, and to Bruce Patterson and Lloyd Kiff for critical readings of the manuscript. Bob McKernan, Amadeo Rea, and Philip Unitt provided additional com- ments on a late draft of the manuscript. Special thanks to Frank Pitelka for advice and interest throughout this study. 134 BIRDS OF EAGLE MOUNTAIN LITERATURE CITED Grinnell, J., and Swarth, H. S, 1913. An account of the birds and mammals of the San Jacinto area of southern California, Univ. Calif. Publ. Zool. 10:197-406. Johnson, D. H., Bryant, M. D., and Miller, A. H. 1948. Vertebrate animals of the Providence Mountains area of California. Univ. Calif, Publ. Zool. 48:221-376. Johnson, N. K. 1974. Montane avifaunas of southern Nevada: Historical changes in species composition. Condor 76:334-337. Miller, A. H. 1946. Endemic birds of the Little San Bernardino Mountains, California. Condor 48:75-79. Miller, A. H. 1947. Arizona race of Acorn Woodpecker vagrant in California. Condor 49:171. Miller, A. H., and Stebbins, R. C. 1964. The Lives of Desert Animals in Joshua Tree National Monument. Univ. Calif. Press, Berkeley. Pitelka, F. A. 1951. Speciation and ecological distribution in American jays of the genus Aphelocoma. Univ. Calif. Publ. Zool. 50:195-464. Van Devender, T. R. 1977. Holocene woodlands in the southwestern deserts. Science 198:189-192. Wells, P. V., and Berger, R. 1967. Late Pleistocene history of coniferous woodland in the Mohave Desert. Science 155:1640-1647. Accepted 13 July 1990 135 Mountain Quail Sketch by Narca Moore-Craig 136 NOTES FIRST DOCUMENTED RECORD OF CHUCK-WILLS'S-WIDOW IN NEW MEXICO JOHN J. PIAZZA, 905 Whitten Hollow Rd,, New Kensington, Pennsylvania 15068 In September or October 1987 1 found a Chuck-will’s-widow ( Caprimulgus carolinensis) dead on the campus of Eastern New Mexico University, Portales, Roosevelt County, New Mexico. It was found lying near the base of the university’s science hall approximately fifteen yards from South Avenue K. The specimen ap- peared to have been dead for several hours and was missing all its rectrices. The exact date was lost while the bird was stored in the university’s freezer. The bird was delivered to the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where it was prepared as a study skin (CM T- 13227) by Stephen M. Rogers. The specimen was an immature male (testes 4x5 mm) and had no fat. The latest check-list of birds in New Mexico shows no prior record of this species in the state (Hubbard 1978). Recently Hubbard (pers. comm.) reaffirmed that no substantiated sightings of Chuck-will’s-widow had previously been made in New Mexi- co. The only previous mention of the species in the state is the undocumented state- ment by McCall (1851:215) that “a few” were met with in New Mexico in June and July 1850. Hubbard (pers. comm.) indicated this is one of several species apparently misidentified by McCall in his list of New Mexico birds. The Chuck-will’s-widow’s breeding range extends as far west as central Kansas, central Oklahoma, and central Texas. (Johnsgard 1979, Oberholser 1974, AOU 1983). Sutton (1967) recorded a calling Chuck-will’s-widow on 2 September 1963 in Cimmaron County, extreme western Oklahoma. Three far western specimens of the Chuck-will’s-widow have been recorded in re- cent years. The first was found on the Desert Wildlife Range, Clark County, Nevada, under a telephone line, 12 June 1984 (Kingery 1984); the second was found 16 Oc- tober 1986 at Half Moon Bay, San Mateo County, California (Bailey 1989); the third was dead on a road near Loleta, Humboldt County, California, on 4 January 1989 (Harris and Hawkins 1990). I thank Kenneth E. Parkes, James M, Loughlin, Scott D. Wood, and Stephen M. Rogers of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History for their help in identifying the specimen and in the preparation of the manuscript. I thank John P. Hubbard, New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, for providing information on the status of the species in New Mexico. LITERATURE CITED American Ornithologists’ Union. 1983. Check-list of North American Birds. 6th ed. Am. Ornithol. Union, [Washington, D.C.], Bailey, S. F. 1989. First record of Chuck-will’s-widow in California. W. Birds 20:93-95. Harris, S. W., and Hawkins, B. 1990. A specimen of Chuck-will’s-widow from Humboldt County, California. W. Birds 21:77. Hubbard, J. P. 1978. Revised check-list of the birds of New Mexico. N. M. Ornithol. Soc. Publ. 6. Western Birds 21:137-138, 1990 137 NOTES Johnsgard, P. A. 1979. Birds of the Great Plains: Breeding Species and Their Distri- bution. Univ of Nebr. Press, Lincoln. Kinqery, H. E. 1984. The nesting season. Mountain West region. Am. Birds 38:1044-1047. McCall, G. A. 1852. Some remarks on the habits, &c., of birds met with in western Texas, between San Antonio and the Rio Grande, and in New Mexico; with des- criptions of several species believed to have been hitherto undescribed. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia 5:213-224. Oberholser, H. C. 1974. The Bird Life of Texas. Univ. of Texas Press, Austin. Sutton, G. M. 1967. Oklahoma Birds. Univ. of Okla. Press, Norman. Accepted 14 August 1990 Chuck - will’s - widow Sketch by Tim Manolis 138 NOTES A SECOND WEDGE-TAILED SHEARWATER IN CALIFORNIA GUY McCASKIE, 954 Grove Street, Imperial Beach, California 92032 RICHARD E. WEBSTER, 771 Gage Drive, San Diego, California 92106 On 31 July 1988 we started a day of birding at the mouth of the Whitewater River at the north end of the Salton Sea, Riverside County. At about 0630 we waded across the rivermouth to check the area to the west of the river. When partially across the river we stopped on an exposed sandbar and looked over the open water to the south. Almost immediately Webster spotted a procellariiform flying toward us from the southwest and pointed it out to McCaskie. As we watched the bird flying toward us we initially considered the Flesh-footed Shearwater (Puffinus cameipes ) since the uniform dark coloration of the bird, along with its slow manner of flight, closely matched that species. However, as the bird got closer it became clear that the bill was dark, eliminating the possibility of a Flesh -footed Shearwater. In addition, our brief views of the tail left us both with the impression that the bird had an unusually long tail for a shearwater, leading Webster to suggest it might be a Wedge-tailed Shearwater ( Puf- finus pacificus ). The bird continued to fly toward us, giving us time to consider the Sooty Shearwater {Puffinus griseus ) and eliminate that species as a possibility. When about 100 yards to the southwest of us it landed on the water among a small group of gulls, giving us an ideal opportunity to study it carefully while commenting on the shape and coloration of the bill, the coloration of the head and breast, the apparent patterning on the upperparts, the protrusion of the tip of the tail beyond the tips of the folded wings, and the coloration on the underwings on the one occasion it flapped its wings while swimming. At this point we were convinced the bird was a dark-morph Wedge-tailed Shear- water. Webster went back to the car for his camera while McCaskie kept an eye on the bird. During Webster’s absence the bird did much bathing and preening. At one point while the shearwater was preening its tail, it raised its tail upward and partially spread it, clearly showing it to be pointed at the tip. The central tail feathers were noticeably longer than the outer tail feathers, giving the tail a shape similar to that of a booby’s. Just as Webster was returning the shearwater jumped into flight, allowing McCaskie to see the feet and legs. Initially the bird flew off toward the southwest, then turned to the north and swung back toward us. The bird followed the shoreline, heading directly toward us from the west, passing within 100 feet of us, and continued along the shoreline to east of the rivermouth. Then it turned south and flew out over the open water of the Salton Sea, disappearing from sight. We had the bird under observation for between 20 and 30 minutes. While the shearwater was flying toward and past us, Webster took nine photographs, one of which has been published (American Birds 42:1225, 1988). Together the photographs clearly show the bird to be a large dark shearwater with a long tail and wings held flexed at the wrists. One of the photographs shows the bill to be a grayish with a dark tip. Webster immediately departed to spread the word of our discovery. Birders were at the mouth of the Whitewater River from about 1030 to dark on 31 July, and again during the first half of the morning on 1 August, but without seeing the shearwater. The Wedge-tailed Shearwater was a uniform brown, noticeably paler than a Flesh- footed Shearwater, with the dark eye being a noticeable feature of the face, and the color of the underwings most like that on the underwings of the darker Short-tailed Shearwaters (Puffinus tenuirostris) . When the bird was sitting on the water we were able to see that the back and scapular feathers were fringed with lighter brown, creating a scaled pattern. This feature was not prominent, however, and not evident when we were observing the bird in flight. The tip of the tail protruded an inch or so Western Birds 21 : 139 - 140, 1990 139 NOTES beyond the tips of the primaries on the folded wings. The bill was long and narrow like that of other shearwaters, being a dark blue-gray with a blackish tip. The feet and legs were entirely pink. In flight the Wedge-tailed Shearwater had the long-winged profile of a Buller’s Shearwater ( Puffinus bulleri ) but an even longer tail. The bird flew with slow wing- beats and much gliding, the wings held bowed downward but with a kink at the carpal joint like that on a frigatebird. The feathers on the wings, especially the secondaries, appeared worn. A study of the photographs shows the bird was molting primaries. A light-morph Wedge-tailed Shearwater photographed about 4 miles off Point Pinos, Monterey County, California, on 31 August 1986 (Stallcup et al. 1988) represents the only previous recorded occurrence of this species in North America. The Wedge-tailed Shearwater inhabits the warm waters of the Pacific and Indian oceans, its closest approach to California being along the west coast of Mexico. King (1974) showed Wedge-tailed Shearwaters occurring off western Mexico north to near the southern tip of Baja California. In addition, King found relatively large numbers of dark-morph Wedge-tailed Shearwaters off western Mexico in July. Pitman (1986) also showed Wedge-tailed Shearwaters ranging as far north as off the coast of Nayarit, near the mouth of the Gulf of California. This is not the first time a procellariiform has reached the Salton Sea, there being previous recorded occurrences of the Laysan Albatross ( Diomedea immutabilis ) , Cook’s Petrel ( Pterodroma cookii), Buller’s Shearwater, Sooty Shearwater, Leach’s Storm-Petrel ( Oceanodroma leucorhoa). Black Storm-Petrel (Oceanodroma melania), and Least Storm-Petrel (Oceanodroma microsoma) . The appearance of the Least Storm-Petrels and one of the Leach’s Storm-Petrels was associated with Hurri- cane Kathleen’s passage through the area on 10 September 1976. However, all other occurrences of procellariforms appear unrelated to storms, the birds being found dur- ing calm conditions and suspected of reaching the area by way of the Gulf of Califor- nia. We suspect the Wedge-tailed Shearwater seen at the north end of the Salton Sea on 31 July 1988 also reached this area by way of the Gulf of California, by entering the Gulf from the waters off Nayarit, moving north to the head of the Gulf, and across the 200 miles of flat land separating the Salton Sea from the Gulf. This record (150-1988) was reviewed by the California Bird Records Committee and received a unanimous endorsement. The record, including the nine photographs taken by Webster, is now on file at the Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology, Los Angeles. LITERATURE CITED King, W. B. 1974. Wedge-tailed Shearwater, in Pelagic studies of seabirds in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean. Smithsonian Contr. Zool. 158. Pitman, R. L. 1986. Atlas of Seabird Distribution and Relative Abundance in the Eastern Tropical Pacific. Southwest Fisheries Center Administrative Report LJ-86-02C. Southwest Fisheries Center, P. O. Box 271, La Jolla, CA 92038. Stallcup, R., Morlan J., and Roberson, D. 1988. First record of the Wedge-tailed Shearwater in California. W. Birds 19:61-68. Accepted 21 August 1990 140 Wedge-tailed Shearwater off Woolongong, N.S.W. Australia, November 1986 Photo by Bruce Webb 141 Volume 21, Number 3, 1990 The Taxonomy, Distribution, and Status of Coastal California Cactus Wrens Amadeo M. Rea and Kenneth L. Weaver 81 Birds of Eagle Mountain, Joshua Tree National Monument, California A. Townsend Peterson 127 NOTES First Documented Record of Chuck-will’s-widow in New Mexico John J. Piazza 137 A Second Wedge-tailed Shearwater in California Guy McCaskie and Richard E. Webster 139 BULLETIN BOARD 142 New Rates for Membership in Western Field Ornithologists 144 Cover photo by Rich Stallcup of Inverness, California: First winter Broad-winged Hawk ( Buteo platypterus), Inverness, California. Western Birds solicits papers that are both useful to and understandable by amateur field ornithologists and also contribute significantly to scientific litera- ture. The journal welcomes contributions from both professionals and amateurs. Appropriate topics include distribution, migration, status, identifica- tion, geographic variation, conservation, behavior, ecology, population dynamics, habitat requirements, the effects of pollution, and techniques for censusing, sound recording, and photographing birds in the field Papers of general interest will be considered regardless of their geographic origin, but particularly desired are reports of studies done in or bearing on the Rocky Mountain and Pacific states and provinces, including Alaska and Hawaii, western Texas, northwestern Mexico, and the northeastern Pacific Ocean. Send manuscripts to Philip Unitt, 3411 Felton Street, San Diego, CA 92104. 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Laymon, Paul Lehman, John S. Luther, Guy McCaskie, Joseph Morlan, Harry B. Nehls, Dennis R. Paulson, Oliver K. Scott, Ella Sorensen, Richard W. Stallcup, Charles Trost, Terence R. Wahl, Roland H. Wauer, Bruce Webb, Wayne C. Weber, Richard E. Webster Membership dues, for individuals and institutions, including subscription to Western Birds: Patron, $1000; Life, $250; Supporting, $50 annually; Contributing, $30 annually; Family, $22; Regular, U.S. , $18 for one year, $35 for two years, $50 for three years; outside U.S. , $23 for one year, $45 for two years, $65 for three years. Dues and contributions are tax- deductible to the extent allowed by law. Send membership dues, changes of address, correspondence regarding missing issues, and orders for back issues and special publications to the Treasurer. Make checks payable to Western Field Ornithologists. Back issues of California Birds/Westem Birds: $15 per volume, $4.00 for single issues. 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WESTERN BIRDS Volume 21, Number 4, 1990 ELEVENTH REPORT OF THE CALIFORNIA BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE LOUIS R. BEVIER, RO. Box 665, Storrs, Connecticut 06268 This report contains 257 records reviewed by the California Bird Records Committee (hereafter the Committee) and is the largest of the eleven reports compiled thus far. A total of 81 species is covered as follows: 234 records of 73 species accepted and 23 records of 20 species not accepted. Thus, 91% of the reports are accepted. The rate of acceptance in the last four Committee reports has varied from 88% to 92%, whereas in previous reports the rate has been as low as 74% and as high as 97%. The records dealt with here span 90 years from 1896 to 1986 and include reports for almost every year from 1960 onward. Over half of the records, however, are from the last two years of that period (99 for 1985 and 40 for 1986). Half of the counties in California are represented in this report, including all but two of the coastal counties. Of these, San Diego and San Francisco counties have 40 and 37 accepted records, respectively; these numbers are slightly over twice the next highest totals of 17 and 16 for Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, respectively. The largest number of rarities per land area goes to Southeast Farallon Island, which has 15% of the accepted records (a total of 35) and only one ten-thousandth of one percent of California’s total land area. The quality and consistency of the reports from there has recently been among the highest that the Committee reviews. Special recognition for this goes to Peter Pyle, Dave DeSante, and the Point Reyes Bird Observatory. Three species are added to the state list in this report: Wedge-tailed Shearwater, Ruddy Ground-Dove, and Three-toed Woodpecker. These decisions and other recent decisions (Roberson 1990) place the total number of bird species recorded in California at 572. In addition, the earliest records for the state are accepted for four species: Anhinga, Common Black-headed Gull, Yellow-throated Vireo, and Pine Warbler. Western Birds 21:145-176, 1990 145 CALIFORNIA BIRD RECORDS PROCEDURES In evaluating a submitted report, members of the Committee assess the adequacy of the evidence supplied — written, photographic, and otherwise. The Committee can neither verify nor invalidate records, but can provide a judgment on the acceptability of the report for the permanent historical record that is maintained. Observers whose reports are not accepted by the Committee should not take this to mean that the bird or birds were misidentified or that the observer’s abilities are questioned. Cases in which the Committee is convinced of an error are rare, and the majority of unaccepted reports involve a lack of adequate documentation. It is the accuracy and completeness of the field report and the rigor and objectivity of the review procedure that distinguishes an accepted record from an uncorroborated report. One of the major aims underlying the establishment of the Committee was to foster an awareness in California’s field ornithologists of the impor- tance of providing corroboration for reports of rarities. Careful field notes, sketches, photographs, and sound recordings are essential to establishing a record of lasting ornithological value. In most cases the best evidence for the occurrence of a bird species in the state is a specimen, but current constraints against collecting, coupled with the improvement of photo- graphic and recording equipment and the sharpening of field skills have given rise to the need for procedures for evaluating and preserving this evidence, in much the way museum collections allow for the evaluation and preservation of specimens. This means that careful attention must be paid to acquiring all the necessary details for identification at the time of the observation and that a cautious approach must be used for evaluating the evidence. When reviewing the documentation of a rarity, the Committee attempts to eliminate all other possible species from consideration. Therefore, it is important for the observer to document the presence of characters that exclude other similar species. In fact, a thorough description may sometimes include critical field marks that distinguish the species from others not considered at the time of the observation. By relying only on characters that support an identification and that fail to reject other species, including those sometimes ignored, one risks making a misidentification. Two examples of this type of error involved some extraordinary rarities, the circumstances of which are well worth reviewing — see Morlan and Erickson (1983) regarding a Eurasian Skylark ( Alauda aruensis) that was identified by many as a Smith’s Longspur ( Calcarius pictus) and Abbott and Finch (1978) regard- ing a Variegated Flycatcher ( Empidonomus uarius) that many labeled as a Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher ( Myiodynastes luteiuentris). To persons using these records in their research, it should be said that the Committee strives to evaluate reports in this fashion but is not infallible. In addition, questions involving the natural occurrence of a bird cannot be assessed by a similar method whereby all possible explanations are eliminated. It is extraordinarily difficult, if not impossible, to prove that a bird did not escape from a cage or was not purposely transported into the state. To help document such rarities, the reporter should supply the Committee with information on the 146 CALIFORNIA BIRD RECORDS captive status and likelihood of vagrancy for the species as well as justifying its identification. In such cases, the Committee’s decisions represent a collective opinion based on the information available. (See Anhinga, Ruddy Ground-Dove, and Barnacle Goose in this report.) The purposes and procedures of the Committee have been published in its bylaws (Western Birds 8: 161-165, 1977) and updated periodically in some of its reports (Binford 1983, 1985). The current membership of the Committee, recent changes in policy and practices, and the list of reviewed species were published most recently by Roberson (1990). Please note the removal from the review list of Cook’s Petrel, Pterodroma petrels identified only as the subgenus Cookilaria , Wilson’s Storm-Petrel, Barred Owl, and Prothonotary Warbler. Also, the Committee is now soliciting reports of Tricolored Heron occurring after 1 January 1990. Send all rarities reports directly to the secretary, Michael A. Patten, P.O. Box 8612, Riverside, CA 92515. The Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology (1100 Glendon Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90024) continues to maintain the archive of all published records. All voice recordings are housed at the California Acad- emy of Sciences, Department of Ornithology and Mammalogy, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CA 94118. FORMAT The organization and style of this report are similar to those used in the tenth report (Dunn 1988). The systematic lists for accepted and unaccepted records follow the AOU Check-list (1983) and its supplements (AOU 1985, 1987, 1989). The number after each species’ name represents the total accepted records for California. Two asterisks following this number mean that the total reported covers only the period of years for which the species is reviewed or that reports not formally accepted are added to the total (see Roberson 1986). Species marked with a single asterisk are no longer reviewed by the Committee. Within each species account, records are listed chronologically according to the first known date of occurrence. Each record presents in order as much of the following information as possible: number of birds, age, sex, locality, county, date or complete date span, and, in parentheses, initials of contributing observers, repository of specimens, and the official record number. The diagnosis of age and sex is my own opinion based on evidence in the files and comments by other Committee members; annotations on subspecific identification are handled in the same way. Designations for either category are made only when supported by the evidence available. The initials of the contributing observers are listed in alphabetical sequence by name; if the observer or observers first finding or identifying the bird submitted documentation, then their initials are placed first and separated from the others by a semicolon. Observers who submitted a photograph have a dagger (t) following their initials. Photographs greatly assist in the review procedure, and their submission with the written report is strongly encouraged. As in previous reports, 1 have attempted to provide the full date span for records. The seasonal reports of American Birds and its predecessor Audubon Field Notes are the primary' source for these dates, 147 CALIFORNIA BIRD RECORDS but where I have given a revised date, it is italicized. These revised dates are considered correct by the Committee. Decisions regarding the number of individuals involved, especially when the species returns to the same locality annually, are made by a consensus of the Committee. An individual judged as the same or probably the same as a previous bird is not counted in the total of accepted records, whereas an individual considered not the same or possibly the same is added to the total. These decisions are rarely based on firm evidence, such as a uniquely banded bird, but are the considered opinions of the Committee members based on their experience and the evidence available. ABBREVIATIONS The Committee has adopted the following abbreviations for counties cited in this report: ALA, Alameda; BUT, Butte; CC, Contra Costa; COL, Colusa; DN, Del Norte; GLE, Glenn; HUM, Humboldt; IMP, Imperial; INY, Inyo; KER, Kern; LA, Los Angeles; MER, Merced; MNO, Mono; MOD, Modoc; MRN, Marin; MTY, Monterey; ORA, Orange; RIV. Riverside; SBA, Santa Barbara; SBE, San Bernardino; SD, San Diego; SF, San Francisco; SHA, Shasta; SIS, Siskiyou; SJ, San Joaquin; SLO, San Luis Obispo; SM, San Mateo; SCL, Santa Clara; SON, Sonoma; STA, Stanislaus; TUO, Tuolumne; VEN, Ventura. Museums cited as the repository for a specimen are abbreviated as follows: CAS, California Academy of Sciences; CM-EHS, Clarke Museum, Eureka High School, Eureka; DVNMM, Death Valley National Monument Museum; SDNHM, San Diego Natural History Museum; SFSU, San Fran- cisco State University collection; UCLA, University of California, Los Angeles. Journals cited are spelled out or given the following abbreviations: AmB, American Birds; AFN, Audubon Field Notes. Parks, refuges, and the like are abbreviated with the following: NF, National Forest; NM, National Monument; NP, National Park; NS, National Seashore; NWR, National Wildlife Refuge. ACCEPTED RECORDS YELLOW-BILLED LOON Gavia adamsii (33). One was at Pacific Grove, MTY, 22-25 Jan 1969 (AB; LCB; 38-1985). One was at Bodega Bay, SON, 6 Dec 1980 (JWi; 225-1986). One was seen from Fields Landing, Humboldt Bay, HUM, 1 Jan 1981 (RLeVt; 24T1986). One was found on Carmel Bay, MTY, 23 Jan 1982 (KHa; GPot; 163-1986). An adult in alternate plumage off the south jetty at Humboldt Bay, HUM, 27 Aug-3 Oct 1982 (RLeVt; 242-1986) represents the earliest record for fall and is only the fourth seen in alternate plumage in California. One was about 3/4 mile southwest of Moss Landing harbor, MTY, 30 Dec 1985-19 Jan 1986 (SFBf; AB; 6-1986). One immature was observed feeding on Dungeness crab ( Cancer magister ) in the harbor at Eureka, HUM, 25 Apr-18 May 1986 (RAE; GSL, LPL, SS|; 283-1986); this is the latest spring occurrence of any Yellow-billed Loon in California, The Pacific Grove bird was published as an adult (AmB 23:514), but the descrip- tion does not support any conclusion as to age: from records of birds of known age, an immature is much more likely. Both Remsen and Binford (1975) and Roberson 148 CALIFORNIA BIRD RECORDS (1985) published this bird as present through 26 Jan, which is incorrect. The Carmel Bay bird was published by Roberson (1985) incorrectly as off Asilomar on 17 Jan 1982; this same error was published in The Gull 64:52 and AmB 36:325. SHORT-TAILED ALBATROSS Diomedea albatrus (3**). A first-year bird was seen over the west edge of the Cordell Bank, about 25 miles west of Point Reyes, MRN, 3 and 5 Nov 1985 (Figure 1; RS+: SFB, LCB, RAE, WEGt, JSLt. RMt. GMcC, BDP, DRt, RAR+; 142-1985), Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of this record is that a chartered boat with California’s most enthusiastic field ornithologists returned two days after the initial sighting to find the bird within 1/4 mile of where Rich Stallcup had first seen it. At least one photograph shows what appears to be a band on the left foot; this species is banded on Torishima, a small volcanic island 380 miles south of Tokyo, Japan, and the only known breeding locality for this endangered species (Hasegawa and DeGange 1982). A century ago. the Short-tailed Albatross was not uncommon along the Pacific coast of North America south to Baja California, and first-year birds were then apparently the most frequently encountered age class in the southern part of its range (Anthony 1924). This is the third record for California this century, and ail birds have been entirely dark immatures such as this one, although there is a recent report of an adult off Baja California (D. Ainley pers. comm.) and an older report published by Traylor (1950) of an adult off San Francisco in 1946. This latter report was recently reviewed but not accepted by the Committee because the published description, Figure 1 . Short-tailed Albatross. Cordell Bank, about 25 miles west of Point Reyes, Marin Co.. 3 November 1985. Photo by Rich Stallcup 149 CALIFORNIA BIRD RECORDS although intriguing, failed to eliminate the Wandering and Royal Albatrosses (D. exulans and epomophora ); this decision will be published in a forthcoming report. MOTTLED PETREL Pterodroma inexpectaia (15). Ten were seen 150 to 200 miles southwest of Cape Mendocino, HUM, 20 Apr 1985 (RLPt; 133-1985). Two photographs on file document at least one of these birds. This record was published by Morlan and Erickson (1988). The species will undoubtedly prove to be regular in these waters. STREAKED SHEARWATER Calonectris leucomelas (4). One was 3.5 miles southwest of Point Pinos, MTY, 22 Sep 1985 (Figure 2; JLD; LJf; 61-1986). This is only the fourth record for California and North America. A report from Monterey Bay on 14 Oct 1978 has unfortunately still not been submitted for review (AmB 33:209, Roberson 1980, 1985, AOU 1983, Morlan 1985). WEDGE-TAILED SHEARWATER Puffinus pacificus (1). One was 4.5 to 5 miles west of Point Pinos, MTY, 31 Aug 1986 (RSf; RB, BM, NM, PaN, PhN, SP, AKT, KW, WU; 456-1986). Superbly documented, this sighting establishes the first record for California. Details of the observation along with distributional and identification summaries were published by Stallcup et al. (1988). ’WILSON’S STORM-PETREL Oceanites ocearticus (74). Three were on Monterey Bay, MTY, 3 Oct 1970 (GMcC; 133-1986), and one was there 5 Oct 1974 (GMcC; 141-1986). Up to two were seen on four separate days on Monterey Bay, MTY, 31 Aug-6 Oct 1985 (JLD, JML; SFB, MJL, GMcC; 138-1985). At least 45 were seen over the Cordell Bank, about 25 miles west of Point Reyes, MRN. 3- 7 Nov 1985 (RS ; SFB, LCB, RAE, RMt, GMcC, JM, BDP, DRt; 144-1985) with at least seven on 3 Nov, at least 45 on 5 Nov, and about 15 on 7 Nov. C - - 0 J Figure 2. Streaked Shearwater, Monterey Bay, 3.5 miles southwest of Point Pinos, Monterey Co., 22 September 1985. 150 Photo by Lars Jonsson CALIFORNIA BIRD RECORDS Even by conservative estimates, the numbers over the Cordell Bank are unprec- edented for the eastern North Pacific Ocean. The birds on Monterey Bay were more expected, as a few individuals have been found regularly with storm-petrel flocks in fall since 1967. The Committee no longer reviews this species. BROWN BOOBY Sula leucogaster (20). One immature was at Rock Hill, Salton Sea, IMP, 15 -23 Aug 1970 (GMcC; 134-1986). One immature was at the north end of the Salton Sea, RIV, 28 Aug-7 Sep 1971 (GMcC; 136-1986). One sub-adult was near Southeast Farallon Island, SF, 1 Jul 1984 (KFC; HAG, TMcE; 122-1985); this bird and one the previous fall at the Farallones (previously accepted 126-1985, Dunn 1988) are the northernmost records for the Pacific coast of North America. OLIVACEOUS CORMORANT Phalacrocorax olivaceus (3). An adult was seen at the Whitewater River mouth, north end of the Salton Sea, RIV, 23 Mar and 20 Apr 1986 (BEDa; 329-1986) and was seen there again 19 Jul and 23 Aug 1986 (GMcC; 376-1986). This is probably the same individual first found at this locality 1 Aug 1982 and seen intermittently at both ends of the Salton Sea over the next four years (previously accepted 76-1982, 37-1983. Morlan 1985; 66-1983, Roberson 1986; 100-1985. Dunn 1988). ANHINGA Anhinga anhinga (2). An adult female was at Sweetwater Reservoir, SD, 4 Feb 1977-20 Jan 1979 (GMcCt. JVR, DR; 3-1977). This currently represents the earliest record accepted for California, although an earlier report for 1939 in San Francisco has recently been accepted and will be published in a forthcoming report. Originally submitted in 1978, the current record was reviewed on two circulations and not accepted to the state list on the basis of questionable natural occurrence (Luther et al. 1979). The main points of concern were the exceptionally long period of residence for a vagrant bird and the lack of any pattern of occurrences supporting the likelihood of vagrancy to California. Subse- quently, another Anhinga found in the fall of 1983 at Lee Lake, RIV, remained for just over six months and was accepted by the Committee (Roberson 1986). This record, along with information on the recent occurrence of the Anhinga in Sonora, Mexico, and the apparent scarcity of the species in captivity, were the main cause for reconsideration and ultimate acceptance of this older record. The latest date for this bird is based on the last known report. Unitt (1984) and Garrett and Dunn (1981) gave "fall 1980" as the latest date, but there appears to be no documentation for this date. REDDISH EGRET Egretta rufescens (17). One was at Long Beach, LA, 26 Sep 1980 (JLA; 9-1985). One adult at San Diego Bay, SD, 9 Nov 1985-26 Jan 1986 (GMcC; JML. REWt: 69-1986) was considered the same bird returning for its fourth winter (previously accepted 49-1984, 45-1984, Roberson 1986; 50-1985, Dunn 1988). An immature reported at Seal Beach and Bolsa Chica, ORA, 8 Nov 1980- end of Feb 1981 (AmB 35:225. 335) may have been the same individual at Long Beach accepted above, the first county record for LA. This species is rarely reported north of San Diego Bay. YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON Nyctanassa violacea (12). An adult was at Scripps Institute of Oceanography, La Jolla, SD, 19 Aug-9 Oct 1984, again 19- 31 Mar 1985, and 5 Dec 1985-28 Feb 1986 (JLDt. JML, MJL. GMcC, REWt; 18- 1986). This was judged to be the same individual that had been seen periodically here and at nearby San Elijo Lagoon since 25 Oct 1981 (88-1981, Binford 1985; 81- 1982'. 36-1983. Morlan 1985; 237-1984, Dunn 1988). BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCK Dendrocygna autumnalis (5). Two were near the Salton Sea NWR headquarters, IMP, 29 May-22 Jun 1985 (JML, MJL, GMcC, REWt; 141-1985). 151 CALIFORNIA BIRD RECORDS TRUMPETER SWAN Cygnus buccinator (7). Four adults wintered with Tundra Swans (C. cotumbianus ) near Fort Dick and the Smith River estuary, DN, 2 Dec 1985-14 Mar 1986 (RAE: SFB, ADB, JLD, JML, GSL, MJL, CM, GMcC, JM; 1- 1986). EMPEROR GOOSE Chen canaqica (37**). One was at the Sacramento NWR, GLE, 11-27 Nov 1960 (GMcC; 93-1986). TUFTED DUCK Ayf/iya fuligula (31). One male was at Tiburon, MRN, 3 Jan 1981 (CB; 91-1986); this is not the same bird that returned to Mill Valley and Richardson Bay, MRN (see Morlan 1985). A male at Lopez Lake. SLO, 17-28 Feb 1981 (CM; 465-1986) probably returned to that locality and was one of two males seen there in early 1986, the first 25 Jan-21 Feb 1986 (TME; JLDt, CM, JEM: 73- 1986) and the second 15-16 Feb 1986 (TME; 203 1986). One female was at Areata, HUM, 22 Nov 1985-1 Feb 1986 (GSL. GMcC, JCSt; 19-1986). A male at Saticoy, VEN, 2-25 Jan 1986 (REW; GMcC; 21-1986) was considered the same as one there the previous winter (42-1985, Dunn 1988). A female was at the same locality 20 Feb 1986 (KTS; 188-1986) and was probably the same bird returning for its second winter (previously accepted 197-1985, Dunn 1988). One male was on the Fall River near Glenburn, SHA, 18 Jan 1986 (REk; 207-1986). A single female was at the San Francisco Zoo, SF, 25 Jan-13 Feb 1986, moving to Golden Gate Park, SF, 24 Feb-4 Mar 1986 (JM; SFB, LE, JMcCf, DGY; 161-1986). One male was at O’Neill Forebay, San Luis Reservoir, MER, 17 Feb 1986 (JKr; 173-1986). Another male was at Areata Marsh (Lake Areata), HUM, 13 Apr-3 May 1986 (RAE; 284- 1986). KING EIDER Somateria spectabilis (20). An immature male was at Bodega Bay, SON, 17 Sep 1961 (GMcC; 95-1986). One female was near Brooks Island, Richmond, CC, 18 Dec 1983 (GPe, PW; 98-1986); this bird was judged probably the same as one seen at Brooks Island in the summer of 1984 and the fall of 1985 (156-1984, 120-1985, Dunn 1988) and possibly the same as one wintering at Emeryville, ALA, in 1982-1983 (7-1983, Morlan 1985). A female at Morro Bay, SLO, 28 Oct 1985-28 Feb 1986 (TME; JLD, RRHf, P&MC; 72-1986) was judged probably the same as one off nearby Montana de Oro State Park, SLO, 12 Jan 1986 (TME; 81-1986). One female was at Moss Landing. MTY, 12 Jan 1986 (FRCt; 171- 1986). Another female was at Point Saint George, DN, 29-31 Mar 1986 (ADB, SHe; 208-1986). An immature male was at the Salinas River mouth. MTY, 27 Apr- 15 Jun 1986 (RFT|, CT, TC; DR; 229-1986). MISSISSIPPI KITE Ictinia mississippiensis (16). One adult was at Furnace Creek Ranch, Death Valley NM, INY, 2-5 Jun 1968 (GMcC; 125-1986); this was the second state record. One immature was at Point Loma, SD, 21 Sep 1985 (GMcC; 67-1986). The immature seen flying south over Point Loma represents the third fall record for California and the latest by one week; the previous fall records involved one immature and one adult. One member noted that the Plumbeous Kite (/. plumbea ), which occurs from southern Mexico to northern Argentina, was not clearly elimi- nated. Middle American populations are migratory, withdrawing to South America in the winter, and the imrnatures of both species are very similar (see Ridgely and Gwynne 1989). Nevertheless, other members responded that no extralimital records of Plumbeous Kite are known and that the paler head and notched tail noted on the Point Loma bird probably eliminate that species. ZONE-TAILED HAWK Buteo albonotatus (18). One was on the Plano Trabuco near O’Neill Park, ORA. 22 Dec 1985-17 Jan 1986 (MJL, GMcC. GT, REW; 17- 1986). 152 CALIFORNIA BIRD RECORDS GYRFALCON Falco rusticolus (3). One was at Tule Lake NWR. MOD. 31 Oct 1983 (BEDe: 128-1985). This is only the third record for California, the first being from nearby Lower Klamath NWR also in late October (Roberson 1986). The description suggests that this was an immature bird; immatures typically have a more noticeable vertical streak below the eye and dark gray feet. YELLOW RAIL Coturnicops noveboracensis (54**)- One was at Mono Lake County Park, MNO, 15 Jul 1985 (DAG; 158-1985). The date is noteworthy because a Yellow Rail nest was found by W. L Dawson (1922) on 6 Jun 1922 just south of here in the Long Valley near Lake Crowley, and the species formerly nested to the north at Bridgeport until 1950. The boggy grass at the northwest corner of Mono Lake is suitable breeding habitat if kept free of disturbance. AMERICAN OYSTERCATCEIER Haematopus patliatus (7). A bird missing one foot was at Avila Beach. SLO. 25 Oct 1964-late Mar 1965 (GMeC; 115-1986). One was at Santa Barbara Island, SBA, 30 May 1986 (BWA+, RAC; 375-1986). The bird at Avila Beach represents the second definite mainland record and the first definite record in over 100 years for California. It is also the farthest north that the species is reliably documented in the state: unaccepted sight records exist for MTY and MRN counties. Marantz (1986) mentioned two reports from nearby localities around the time of the Avila bird: Pismo Beach, 1 1 Jun 1963 (C. Mills. Jr.), and Montana de Oro State Park. 20 Jul 1966 (Vera Barnes). These rnay pertain to the same bird at Avila Beach, but the reports are unreviewed and not certain. The Committee would welcome any information on these sightings. SPOTTED REDSHANK Tringa erythropus (3). One juvenile just beginning molt into first basic plumage was in the Santa Maria River valley near Betteravia. SBA. 25 Oct 1985 (LRBe: JLDt. PELt; 167-1985). This sighting is dedicated to the memory of Carolyn Fredericksen who died tragically in an automobile accident while searching for this bird. This is the third record for California and the first of a bird in juvenal plumage. RUFOUS-NECKED STINT Calidris ruficollis (4). One alternate-plumaged bird was at Crescent City. DN. 18 Jun 1974 (PFSt; RLeVt; 57-1986). This is the second record for California. BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER Tryngites subruficollis (36). All of the following records involved birds in juvenal plumage. Two were at Goleta. SBA, 10-26 Sep 1964 (GMcC; 111-1986). One was at Oceanside, SD. 16 Sep 1967 (GMcC; 117- 1986). The following records represent the remaining reports of Buff-breasted Sandpipers for the fall of 1985 (others were reported by Dunn 1988): one at the Salinas sewage ponds, MTY. 23-28 Aug (CT; 183-1986): one at the Smith River mouth, DN. 24 Aug (Figure 3: ADB; 195-1985); singles at Southeast Farallon Island, SF, 30 Aug-4 Sep (PPt; 177-1985) and 6 Sep (PP. 178-1985); one at Crescent City, DN. 6 Sep (ADB; RAE; 162-1985); one at the Lancaster sewage ponds, Antelope Valley. LA. 7-11 Sep (NBB+: JLDt, MHt; 148-1985): two near Imperial Beach, SD. 11 Sep (GMcC, REW+; 64-1986). The total of 15 birds in the fall of 1985 is surpassed only by the fall of 1978. when as many as 24 were reported from California. *RUFF Philomachus pugnax (32), One in juvenal plumage was at Areata bottoms. HUM.- 21 Sep-8 Oct 1979 (SWH. BBet; 79-1979). Originally submitted in 1979, this record was published as not accepted by Binford (1985). This decision was reached after four circulations and following much discus- sion of the single description then supporting the record. Later, two photographs of a Ruff in juvenal plumage were sent to the Committee, and the record was accepted without question. The Committee is always pleased to correct past decisions; we also welcome any comments that suggest a previous decision might be incorrect. 153 CALIFORNIA BIRD RECORDS The Ruff was removed from the Committee’s review list in 1981; the species is a regular but rare migrant, primarily in fall, and a rare winter visitor in California. LITTLE GULL Larus mirtutus (28). One adult was at King Harbor, Redondo Beach, LA, 22-26 Dec 1969 (KLG, GMcC, GSS; 356-1986). Representing the second state record, it was reportedly found on the first date about 3 miles south of this locality on the Palos Verdes Peninsula. Another adult at Inverness, MRN, 21-22 Nov 1984 (RS; 287-1986) is previously unpublished. The Stockton sewage ponds, SJ, had up to four adults as follows: one from 9 Oct 1985 until a second joined it 11 Jan 1986, a total of three on 18 Mar, four together 14-16 Apr, and two remaining until 28 Apr 1986. A single adult seen foraging over a flooded field near Woodbridge, approximately 16 miles north of the sewage ponds, on 13 Mar 1986, was considered probably the same as one of the three at the Stockton sewage ponds five days later (DGY; JML, MJL, GMcC, JM; record 165- 1985 refers to the two wintering birds, and record 478-1986 refers to all other observations by DGY from the earliest to the latest dates). The Committee judged the two wintering birds probably the same as previous adults at Stockton over the past seven winters (21-1979, Luther et al. 1983; 85-1983, 93-1983, 1-1984, 42-1984, Roberson 1986; 269-1984, Dunn 1988). Figure 3. Buff-breasted Sandpiper, mouth of Smith River, Del Norte Co., 24 August 1985. 154 Sketch by Alan D. Barron CALIFORNIA BIRD RECORDS COMMON BLACK-HEADED GULL Larus ridibundus (12). One adult was at the Richmond inner harbor, CC. 23-24 Jan 1954 (HLC; 219-1986). An adult at the Stockton sewage ponds, SJ, 10 Nov 1985-Mar 1986 (DGY; SFBt, JML. MJL, GMcC, JM; 5-1986) returned for its eighth winter (see Roberson 1986 for dates of previous occurrences; 20-1979, 2-1984, 84-1983, 43-1985). The Richmond bird was the first for the state. Since the late 1970s, this species has occurred almost annually in California. SANDWICH TERN Sterna sandvicensis (1). One was seen in a nesting colony of Elegant Terns (S. etegans) at San Diego Bay, SD, 12-14 Jun 1985 (REWt; GMcC; 9-1986). This was judged probably the same bird seen here in May 1981 and May- Jun 1982, the only other occurrences of this species in California (Schaffner 1981: 80-1980, Luther et al. 1983; 58-1982, Morlan 1985). RUDDY GROUND-DOVE Columbina talpacoti (2). A male was at Iron Mountain Pump Station, SBE, 11 Oct-3 Nov 1984 (RMcKt; GMcC; 23-1985), and a female was there one year later on 9 Oct 1985 (BWt; MMcC; 62-1986). These are the first and second accepted records for California, and part of a growing number of reports from the desert Southwest over the past five years. Another report from September of 1 984 (record in circulation) would supersede the first of these records and bring the total number of Ruddy Ground-Doves reported in California to 20 through the fall of 1989. Crucial to understanding this increase in sightings are reports north of this species’ known range in western Mexico — two reports for the fall of 1982 in southern Sonora and twenty or more birds in northern Sinaloa in the fall of 1984 (Witzeman 1985 and AmB 39:87). Previously, this species had not been known north of southern Sinaloa despite the attention that these areas have received, including a distributional survey of Sonora by van Rossem (1945) and recent Christmas bird counts at Alamos, Sonora. These reports tie in with those from southeastern California, southern Arizona, southern New Mexico. Big Bend, and the lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas, and show a seasonal pattern of primarily fall and winter occurrences. In addition, it appears that the west Mexican race, C. t. eluta, is involved in most of these sightings. The male of eluta is paler and less richly colored than the east Mexican (and Central American) race, rufipennis (Ridgway 1916). Several of the males photographed in the Southwest, including the male at Iron Mountain Pump Station, showed the characters of eluta. whereas only one. from Big Bend, showed the characters of rufipennis. The Committee does caution that Ruddy Ground-Doves are held in captivity, though not in great numbers (J. Jennings, president of the American Federation of Aviculture, in litt.), and the possibility exists that birds could be escaping and some even mixing with natural vagrants. Since these reports are restricted to the desert Southwest and fit a seasonal pattern, natural occurrence is strongly suggested. Other species of American ground-doves have shown such long-range dispersal, sometimes coupled with a range expansion. As noted by McCaskie (AmB 43:169), the Inca Dove (C. inca ) underwent such an expansion beginning in the late 1800s in Arizona and Texas, as documented by Phillips et al. (1964), Oberholser (1974), and Rea (1983). In Texas at least, this expansion was preceded principally by fall and winter occurrences. Indeed, the Inca Dove established itself along the Colorado River in California only recently, between 1948 and 1970 (Monson and Phillips 1981). The Common Ground-Dove (C. passerina) has also expanded its range in California since at least 1944. when it was essentially restricted to the extreme southeastern portion of the state, and has now established itself north to southern Santa Barbara County (Spencer 1987). Once again, however, observers are warned that not all sightings may involve wild birds, and further study is required. The Committee previously rejected a record from Fillmore. VEN. 24-26 Nov 1978 (31-1981, Binford 1985) on the basis of ques- 155 CALIFORNIA BIRD RECORDS tionable natural occurrence; this bird was reported prior to the range expansion of the last few years. The first of the current records was accepted by all but two members — the first record to pass under a recent bylaws change allowing acceptance of records with up to two votes questioning natural occurrence on the fourth round. The second record was accepted by all but one member. A lesson learned by the Committee in attempting to analyze these records was that our knowledge about the status of birds in captivity is extremely limited. Efforts to compile information on the status of this species in captivity failed to obtain good estimates of the numbers held. Declared imports from 1968 to 1972 listed only one Ruddy Ground-Dove (Banks 1970; Banks and Clapp 1972; Clapp and Banks 1973a, 1973b, 1974), and yet a series of books on pet doves (Delacour 1959, 1980; Gos 1989) claimed that the species is frequently imported from Mexico and South America to the United States. However, this statement is repeated unchanged by the same publisher for both authors and probably does not reflect the current situation. The Committee has no way to substantiate this statement, but some members suspect illegal importation occurs. Regardless of the circumstances, this species presents a new identification problem for California birders, who should now carefully study all ground-doves they en- counter, especially in the northern deserts where the Common Ground-Dove is a scarce vagrant. The male Ruddy Ground-Dove is quite richly colored, but the female could be confused with a Common Ground-Dove. The key points to look for on the Ruddy Ground-Dove are the entirely dark bill, complete lack of scaling on head, neck and breast, linear black marks on the scapulars, and black wing linings. These features are diagnostic and were discussed along with other aspects of the identifi- cation by Dunn and Garrett (1990). BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO Coccyzus erythropthalmus (7). One immature was on Southeast Farallon Island, SF, 18 Oct 1985 (PPt; 12-1986). This record is over two weeks later than the next latest record for the state, and that record involved a bird dead one to two weeks (Morlan 1985). SNOWY OWL Nyctea scandiaca (38**). Two specimens were taken at Eureka, HUM, 8 Dec 1896 (CM-EHS 644 and 678; 318-1986). A minimum of four were in the coastal dunes near the Mad River estuary, HUM, 31 Jan-26 Mar 1967 (GMcC; 143-1986); these were the first Snowy Owls seen in California since the winter of 1916-17 (Harris and Yocum 1968). One was reportedly photographed, but the photograph is not with the record. One was at Berkeley, ALA, 16 Feb 1974 (SFB; 221-1986); this occurrence was part of the record invasion of Snowy Owls into California during 1973-74 (AmB 28:685). The Eureka specimens are the only evidence known to the Committee for reports of this species from Humboldt County 'in flocks" during the winter of 1896-97, when these and several other birds were reported in California (Grinnell and Miller 1944). The Committee does not count pre-1900 reports in the total number of records. *BARRED OWL Strix varia (4). One at Howland Hill near Crescent City, DN, 3- 12 May and 22 Dec 1985 (SFB, GSL; 224-1986} was judged the same bird first found here 12 Mar 1982 and detected intermittently until recently (26-1982, Binford 1985; 28-1983, Morlan 1985). This species is now resident in this region of California and has been removed from the Review List. BROAD-BILLED HUMMINGBIRD Cynanthus Jatirostris (27) One immature male was at Goleta, SBA, 16-25 Oct 1985 (JLDt, PEL, REWt; 168-1985). Another male was at San Marcos Pass, near Santa Barbara, SBA, 3-5 Nov 1985 ( J&GH ; LRBet; 169-1985). An adult male at Balboa Park, San Diego, SD, 1 Dec 1985-5 Jan 1986 (GMcC. REW; 23-1986) was considered the same bird first found 156 CALIFORNIA BIRD RECORDS there in the winter of 1979-80 (43-1980, Binford 1983; 240-1980, 241-1980, 2- 1983, Binford 1985 — the last record was inadvertently published without a record number but the bird was reported as present 18 Dec 1982-5 Jan 1983). An immature male was at Coronado, SD, 11 Jan-28 Feb 1 986 (JML, MJL, GMcC. DR, REW; 26-1986). Another immature male was at Goleta, SBA, 27 Jan-22 Feb 1986 (LRBet, JLDt. PEL; 74-1986). RUBY- THROATED HUMMINGBIRD Archilochus colubris (2). An immature male was captured, examined, and released on Southeast Farallon Island, SF, 21-22 Aug 1985 (Figures 4 and 5; PPf; TPf; 179-1985). This represents the second record for California. Southeast Farallon Island biologists are to be commended for recognizing this bird as unusual and taking careful notes and measurements. At the time, characters used to distinguish this species from the Black-chinned Hummingbird (A. alexandri) were culmen length, bright green upperparts, and a bright buffy wash with admixture of green in the flanks. While useful, these characters are not proven to separate the two species in all cases. Therefore, the descriptions and photographs were sent to Louisiana State University for review by J. V. Remsen, Jr. and Nancy L. Newfield, both of whom supported the identification and directed the Committee’s attention to features of the primaries that were diagnostic for Ruby-throated but that were not initially studied or described when the bird was in hand. The tenth (outer) primary tapered evenly to a narrow, blunt tip, which is quite different from the comparatively broad and strongly curved outer primary of the Black-chinned Hummingbird. This feature, clearly visible in two photographs, the short culmen, the strongly sculptured notches on the inner primaries, and the plumage features mentioned above, combine to eliminate the Black-chinned. The heavily spotted throat and the distinct notches on the inner primaries identify the bird as an immature male. Phillips (1975) first discussed using the outer primaries to distinguish the Ruby-throated and Black- chinned Hummingbirds. Baltosser (1987) quantified these characters in his compre- hensive key to Archilochus and Calypte (in North America). RED HEADED WOODPECKER Melanerpes erythrocephalus (2). One at Point Saint George, DN, 9 Jun 1986 (JKgt; ADB, GSL, WER; 290-1986) established the second accepted record for California. This bird exhibited two black bars in the secondaries, indicating that it was one year old; the juvenal plumage of Red-headed Woodpecker has barring in the secondaries and tertials, some of which may be retained following its molt into first alternate plumage (Bent 1939). THREE-TOED WOODPECKER Picoides tridactylus (1). One male at South Fork Pine Creek, Warner Mountains, MOD, 2 Nov 1985 (JT; 146-1985) represents the first record for California. A potential first state record is treated with great scrutiny by the Committee, especially when it is only a sight record by one observer. In this case, the record was accepted, following two circulations, by all but one member. The extremely detailed description was convincing and overcame concerns that this species is largely resident within its range, only occasionally showing irruptive fall movements. The pattern and amount of white noted on the back suggest that the bird was of the race fasciatus, which occurs in nearby southern Oregon. The nearest report to this sighting is approximately 130 miles to the northwest and involves a family group of three birds at Fourmile Lake along the east base of Mount McLoughlin. Oregon (Gabrielson and Jewett 1940). Over most of its range in western North America, the Three-toed Woodpecker inhabits forests of Engelmann Spruce ( Picea engelmannii ) and Mountain Hemlock (Tsuga mertensiona), or forests of Lodgepole Pine ( Pinus contorta ); of these, only Lodgepole Pine grows in the Warner Mountains, and then only in small stands, confirming the likelihood that this record represents only a vagrant. Details of this record along with distributional and identification summaries were published by Trochet et al. (1988). 157 CALIFORNIA BIRD RECORDS GREATER PEWEE Contopus pertinax (19). One was at Griffith Park. Los An- geles, LA, 31 Dec 1967-10 Apr 1968 (GMcC; 124-1986). One was near Balboa Park, San Diego, SD. 21 Dec 1985-26 Jan 1986 (REWt: JML, MJL, GMcC, JEP, DR; 25-1986). YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER Empidonax flauiuentris (2), An immature female present on Southeast Farallon Island, SF, 27-28 Sep 1983 (KHa; 87-1986) was found in weakened condition on the second day and later died. A detailed analysis of the specimen (CAS 71430), the first for California, was published by DeSante et al. (1985), This is the second record for the island and the state. DUSKY-CAPPED FLYCATCHER Myiarchus tuherculifer (11). One was at Goleta, SBA. 1 Dec 1985 (JLD, PEL; 75-1986). GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER Myiarchus crinitus (17). One was at Point Fermin, San Pedro, LA. 26 Sep 1970 (GSS, SW; 357-1986). One was at Montana de Oro, SLO, 26-29 Sep 1984 (GPS; CM; 1-1985). One was at the Big Sur River mouth, MTY, 30 Sep 1984 (RFF; 227-1984). One was at Southeast Farallon Island, SF. 5 Sep 1985 (PPt: 186-1985). One was at Doheny State Beach, ORA, 30 Sep 1985 (DRWt; 84-1986). The Farallon bird represents the earliest fall record for the state by two weeks, and the Point Fermin bird record is the second for California. THICK-BILLED KINGBIRD Tyrannus crassirostris (7). One was at Point Loma, SD. 18-23 Oct 1967 (GMcC; 122-1986). The same adult returned to Peters Canyon. Lemon Heights. ORA, 26 Nov 1983-3 Jan 1984 (KAH; 97-1986) and 26 Oct 1985-9 Mar 1986 (JML, MJL, GMcC, REW; 16-1986); apparently, this bird was missed by observers during the intervening winter. This is considered the same bird as first found wintering here 19 Dec 1982-9 Apr 1983 (previously accepted 110-1982, Morlan 1985). SCISSO R-TAILED FLYCATCHER Tyrannus forficatus (38). One male was col- lected by Roland H. Wauer at Furnace Creek, Death Valley NM, INY, 3 May 1962 (DVNMM 10896; 252-1986), Single birds were seen near Imperial Beach, SD, as follows: 22 Feb-early Apr 1965 (GMcC; 114-1986), 21-23 Sep 1967 (GMcC; 118- 1986). 16 Oct 1968 (GMcC; 126-1986), and 3-6 Nov 1971 (GMcC; 140-1986). One was at Furnace Creek Ranch, Death Valley NM, INY, 18 May-1 Jun 1975 (GMcC; 142-1986). One was at Oasis, MNO, 31 May 1977 (JVR; 258-1986). A single female constructed and sat on a nest near Needles, SBE, 26 May-end of Jun 1979 (GMcC; 145-1986). Four years later at the same locality, what was probably the same bird was again seen sitting on a nest, 19 Apr to at least 14 May 1983 (SFB|, EACt; 227-1986). One was at the Prado Basin near Corona, RIV, 6 Jan-3 Feb 1980 (JLD, PEL; 239-1986); a photograph of this bird was published (AmB 34:307). One was at Triangle Park, Big Pine, INY, 31 Jul 1985 (MCS; 99-1985). One was near Lompoc, SBA, 6 Sep-13 Oct 1985 (LRBe, JLDt, PELt; 170-1985). One was on Southeast Farallon Island, SF, 30 Sep 1985 (MM; 185-1985). One was at the Smith River estuary, DN, 5-6 May 1986 (RAE; GSL; 285-1986). One was at San Diego, SD, 13-17 Jun 1986 (MFt, JF; 371-1986). One was near Imperial Beach, SD, 17 Aug-19 Oct 1986 (GMcC; BBr ; 377-1986). The first nest built and attended by the female at Needles was reported to contain five eggs (AmB 33:806), but these were apparently abandoned (AmB 33:897-898). In both nesting attempts, the bird was presumed mated to a Western Kingbird (T. vertical is). These are the only occurrences of nesting by Scissor-tailed Flycatcher in California. SEDGE WREN Cistothorus platensis (2). One was found singing at Little Shasta Valley, SIS, 8 Jun-4 Jul 1986 (Figures 6-8; REkt ; HClf, SEF, KLH, JML [voice 158 CALIFORNIA BIRD RECORDS recording], MJL, GMcC, JM, DR, DGY; 263-1986). This is only the second record for California. VEF.RY Catharus fuscescens (6). One adult was captured and banded on South- east Farallon Island, SF, 26-29 Sep 1985 (PPt; 184-1985). One was at Deep Springs, INY, 17 May 1986 (TME; BSc, JML, MJL, CM; 264-1986). The observer of the Farallon bird suggested that it was from western populations of the Veery, C. /. saiicicoia (AmB 40:331), an opinion based on experience with the nominate race of eastern North America. Most Committee members, however, cautioned against making any subspecific identification. The distinction between the races is based on differences in color tone to the upperparts and, especially, patterning on the underparts, but these differences are best determined when individuals of both subspecies can be compared side by side. GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSH Catharus minimus (4). One was trapped and banded on Southeast Farallon Island, SF, 10 Oct 1979 (RPHt; 10-1981). RUFOUS-BACKED ROBIN Turdus rufopalliatus (5). One was at Saratoga Springs, Death Valley NM, SBE, 19 Nov 1974 (MA; 235-1986). This is the second record for California. GRAY CATBIRD Dumetella carolinensis (24). One landed on a boat 15 miles off Oceanside, SD, 26 Oct 1983 (MWGt; 100-1987). One female (with brood patch) was banded on Southeast Farallon Island, SF, 24 Jun 1985 (JPt; 180-1986). YELLOW WAGTAIL MotaciHa flava (6). One immature was at Abbotts Lagoon, Point Reyes NS, MRN, 12-13 Sep 1985 (ALEt; RAE; 159-1985). This record falls in the middle of the narrow 12-day span of dates over which this species has occurred in California, 7-19 Sep. BLACK-BACKED WAGTAIL MotaciHa lugens (3). One was seen in flight at close range near the Mad River estuary, HUM, 13 May 1985 (RLeV; 247-1986). One member voted to accept this as only identifiable to White (M. alba)/ Black- backed wagtail, feeling that the observation was too brief for careful checking of the wing pattern. Other members, while expressing some reservations, endorsed the record as this species because the flight feathers were described as being mostly white, which, along with other characters distinguishes, this species from the White Wagtail. RED-THROATED PIPIT Anthus ceruinus (32). One was near Imperial Beach, SD, 6-11 Oct 1985 (GMcC; 65-1986). More Red-throated Pipits have been seen in this area than anywhere else in California. YELLOW-THROATED VIREO Vireo flavifrons (22). One male was collected by Bruce P. Paige at Wildrose Campground, Death Valley NM, INY, 7 May 1963 (DVNMM 10904; 251-1986) and published by McCaskie (1968) as the first record for California. One was seen and heard singing at Fort Piute, SBE, 30 May 1979 (GMcC; 144-1986). One was at Los Osos, SLO, 14-19 Apr 1985 (JTH, KAH; 103- 1985). One was at Huntington Beach, ORA, 26-28 Sep 1985 (JRGt; 68-1986). One was at Santa Barbara, SBA, 1 Oct 1985 (HR; 171-1985), One was at Point Loma, SD, 13-20 Nov 1985 (CM, GMcC, REWf; 2-1986). PHILADELPHIA VIREO Vireo phiiadelphicus (51) One was near Imperial Beach, SD, 4-11 Oct 1970 (GMcC; 135-1986). One was at Pismo State Beach, Oceano, SLO, 1 7 Sep 1985 (JAJ; 78-1986). One was at Bodega Bay, SON, 23 Sep 1985 (BDP; 119-1985). YELLOW-GREEN VIREO Vireo flauoviridis (13). One was at Dana Point, ORA, 22-27 Sep 1964 (GMcC; 110-1986). One was near Imperial Beach, SD, 23 Sep 159 CALIFORNIA BIRD RECORDS 1967 (GMcC; 119-1986). One was on Southeast Farallon Island, SF, 19 Oct 1982 (RPHf ; 107-1987). One was at Point Loma, SD, 16-18 Sep 1983 (BEDa; 296- 1986). One was on the Oxnard plain, VEN, 3-4 Oct 1983 (JLD, PEL; 76-1986). One was at Stinson Beach, MRN, 27-30 Oct 1985 (JM; 172-1986). The Dana Point bird represents the second record for California (McCaskie 1968), but an earlier report of one collected near Riverside, 1 Oct 1887 (Price 1888) has not yet been reviewed by the Committee, as the specimen has not been located. BLUE-WINGED WARBLER Vermivora pinus (5). One was seen near Imperial Beach, SD, 26 Sep 1964 (GMcC; 112-1986) for the second accepted record in California (one earlier report has not been reviewed yet); Roberson (1980) published the incorrect date of 25 Sep. One was at California City, KER, 25 May 1986 (JWi; 231-1986); this record is not previously published. YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER Dendroica dominica (43). One male was at Corn Springs, R1V, 25 Apr 1981 (ASf; 259-1986). One was seen and heard singing at Berkeley, ALA, 14 May 1985 (JCT; 48-1985); this is previously unpublished One singing bird was at Point Reyes NS, MRN, 12 Jun 1985 (MCM; 147-1985); this also is previously unpublished. One was at Point Loma, SD, 12 Oct 1985 (REW; 10- 1986). The Corn Springs bird, a color photo of which appears in Clarke (1989), showed characters of the race albilora, while the other records were suggestive of that race or undetermined. This subspecies, typically white-lored and white-chinned, is the race most frequently found in California. GRACE’S WARBLER Dendroica graciae (16). One adult was at Ventura, VEN, 23 Oct 1985-1 Feb 1986 (JLD, GMcC, REW; 22-1986) and regarded as spending its second winter here (previously accepted 6-1985, Dunn 1988). A male returning for its seventh winter was at Montecito, SBA, 1 9 Oct 1985-21 Feb 1986 (PEL, JLD; 77-1986); this is the same bird as previously accepted (114-1984, Roberson 1986; 3-1985, 221-1984, Dunn 1988). Another bird, possibly a female, only a few blocks away in Montecito, SBA, 10 Nov 1985-21 Feb 1986 (PEL. GMcC. REW; 20-1986) was spending its second winter there (previous record 5-1985, Dunn 1988). One singing male was at Clark Mountain, SBE, 23-25 May 1986 (PDG, HAG; DCR, JWh, PR, SEF; 327-1986). This record was reported as involving at least two males (AunB 40:525), but observations on the later date showed that one male was covering a large territory. PINE WARBLER Dendroica pinus (14). An immature male collected at Imperial Beach, SD, 22 Oct 1966 (GMcC; SDNHM 36049; 15-1985) is the first record for California. A singing male was photographed and its voice was recorded (recording to CAS) at the Clear Creek Outdoor Education Center in the Angeles NF, 10 miles north of La Canada, LA, 7 Apr 1984 (HPt; 249-1984); this record is previously unpublished and is the first for LA. One was at Coronado, SD, 15 Dec 1984-9 Mar 1985 (JLD, JML, MJL, GMcC, REW+; 11-1985); this was published as a female, but the descriptions indicate that it was probably an immature male. One was at Long Beach, LA. 1 Jan-8 Mar 1986 (JLD, KLG, JML, MJL, CM. GMcC, REWt; 24- 1986). CERULEAN WARBLER Dendroica cerulea (9). An immature male was at Cambria, SLO, 13-15 Oct 1985 (GPS, JTH, KAH ; JLD, TME, CM; 161-1985). This bird was initially identified as an aberrant Black-throated Gray Warbler (D. nigrescens). The cautious observer should keep in mind the possibility of mistaking a Black-throated Gray, especially immatures, for Cerulean. Confusion with dull Blackburnian Warbler (D. fuscescens ) in autumn has been a problem as well (see Lehman 1987). 160 CALIFORNIA BIRD RECORDS *PROTHONOTARY WARBLER Protonotaria citrea (51). One male was at Point Loma, SD, 27 Sep 1969 (GMcC; 130-1986). One was at Doheny State Beach, ORA, 8-11 Oct 1981 (BSc; 256-1986). A male was at Furnace Creek Ranch, Death Valley NM, I NY, 26 May 1984 (JLA; 236-1986). One was at Furnace Creek Ranch, Death Valley NM, 1NY, 20 Oct 1984 (GMcC; 232-1986). One was at Carpinteria, SBA, 2-18 Sep 1985 (LRBa; JML; 150-1985), and another was there 15-21 Sep 1985 (LRBa: 149-1985). One male was at Cambria, SLO, 13-19 Oct 1985 (TME; JLD. CM, GPS; 3-1986). One was at Inglewood, LA, 18 Oct 1985 (LMcC, NMcC; 79-1986) One male at Pismo State Beach, Oceano, SLO, 27 Oct 1985 (J&AC; 255-1987) is previously unpublished. One was at Smith River, DN, 17-24 Nov 1985 (GSL, ADB; RAE, LPL; 164-1985). WORM-EATING WARBLER Helmitheros vermiuorus (32), A female collected on Southeast Farallon Island, SF, 5 Jul 1965 (SFSU, now CAS 84320; 272-1986) is the second record for California (Tenaza 1967). One was on the Otay Mesa, SD, 12 Sep 1971 (GMcC; 138-1986). One was at Point Loma, SD, 16 Sep 1984 (BF; REW; 238-1984), One was at Goleta, SBA, 21-22 Aug 1985 (TEW; 172-1985). KENTUCKY WARBLER Oporomis formosus (23). One was at Lincoln Park in San Francisco, SF, 16 May 1981 (ASH; 255-1986). One was at Montana de Oro State Park, SLO, 27 Oct 1983 (GPS; 40-1984). One was clearly heard singing but only briefly glimpsed at the Yurok Experimental Forest, Klamath, DN, 19-20 May 1985 (RAE; 96-1985), One was at Iron Mountain Pumping Station, SBE, 22 May 1985 (BH; 108-1985). One male was at Carpinteria, SBA, 22-23 Aug 1985 (LRBe; 82-1986), a rather early fall date. One was at Oasis, MNO, 15 Sep 1985 (AME; 80-1986). A male was at the old Eureka airport willows near Fairhaven, HUM, 11 Jun 1986 (GSL; 289-1986). CONNECTICUT WARBLER Oporomis agilis (29). One immature collected near Imperial Beach, SD, 27 Sep 1963 (GMcC; SDNHM 30776; 16-1985) represents the second state record (McCaskie 1970). The following single birds were caught and banded on Southeast Farallon Island, SF: 23-29 Sep 1974 (DDeSt; 81-1978); 23 Sep 1974 (DDeSt; 174-1986), when another was seen only (DDeS; 175-1986); 10 Oct 1982 (RPHt; 114-1987); 25 Sep 1983 (GSM; KHat; 208-1987); 20 Sep 1984 (RPH; PPt; 115-1987); 6-7 Sep 1985 (PP; 183-1985), reportedly photographed but the photograph is not in Committee files; 6 Sep 1985 (PPt; 194-1985); and 1- 2 Oct 1985 (PPt; 14-1986). One was at Pismo State Beach, Oceano, SLO, 13-14 Oct 1985 (BSc; CM; 4-1986). The two records from the first week of September are exceptionally early, being the earliest fall records for California. Nearly all records of the Connecticut Warbler are after mid-Sep and average slightly later than those of the Mourning Warbler in fall. MOURNING WARBLER Oporomis Philadelphia (32). One immature female col- lected on Point Loma, SD. 3 Oct 1968 (GMcC; SDNHM 36933; 13-1985) constitutes the first record for California (McCaskie 1970); an earlier report, of a bird collected in June of the same year from Deep Springs, INY, has not been accepted by the Committee (decision will be published in a forthcoming report). One at Bolinas, MRN, 16 Sep 1973 (DDeS; 179-1986) was not included in AmB. The following birds were on Southeast Farallon Island, SF: one, seen only, 17-18 Sep 1974 (DDeS: 178-1986); three caught, banded, and each photographed 25 Sep 1974 (DDeSf; 82-1978, 37-1984, 176-1986); and one banded 26 Sep 1974 (DDeS; 177-1986). One was also on Southeast Farallon Island 20 Sep 1984 (PPt; RPHt; 119-1987). A male was at Mesquite Springs, Death Valley NM, INY, 25 May 1985 (JWh: 107-1985). One was banded on Southeast Farallon Island, SF, 4 Sep 1985 (PPt: 182-1985). One was near Imperial Beach, SD, 21 Sep 1985 (GMcC; 66- 1986), One was at Goleta, SBA, 26 Sep 1985 (PEL; JLD, LRBe; 173-1985). 161 CALIFORNIA BIRD RECORDS Figure 4. Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Southeast Farallon Island, San Francisco Co., 21 August 1985. Photo by Teya Penniman Figure 5. Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Southeast Farallon Island, San Francisco Co., 21 August 1985 (note the shape of the primaries). 162 Photo by Teya Penniman CALIFORNIA BIRD RECORDS Figure 6. Sedge Wren, Little Shasta Valley, Siskiyou Co., 23 June 1986. Photo by Ray Ekstrom Figure 7. Sedge Wren. Little Shasta Valley, Siskiyou Co., 28 June 1986. Photo by Herbert Clarke 163 CALIFORNIA BIRD RECORDS SCARLET TANAGER Piranga olivacea (40). A male was at Point Loma, SD, 14- 21 Oct 1967 (GMcC: 120-1986). One female was near Imperial Beach, SD. 4 Nov 1967 (GMcC: 123-1986). An immature male was banded on Point Loma, SD, 29 Oct 1968 (GMcC; 127-1986). A female was on Point Loma, SD, 7-17 Nov 1969 (GMcC; 131-1986). One female was at Scotty's Castle, Death Valley NM, 1NY, 23- 29 May 1970 (GMcC; 132-1986). A female was at Point Loma, SD, 12 Oct 1984 (REW, GMcC; 223-1984). An adult male was at Santa Barbara, SBA, 6-7 Oct 1985 (PWC; CM; 174-1985). An immature male was at Ventura, VEN, 27 Oct 1985 (JSR; CM; 175-1985). One immature male was at Point Loma, SD, 13-16 Nov 1985 (REW; GMcC; 11-1986). ^NORTHERN CARDINAL Cardinalis cardinalis (3). An immature male was at Earp (Wheel-er-ln trailer park), SBE, 4 Aug 1968 (GMcC; 216-1986), and a pair was seen there 30 Apr 1977 (GMcC; 215-1986). Up to four were reported over a three- year period along the Colorado River about 10 miles south of Earp at the Vidal Wash, SB E/E IV, 23 Mar 1983 -28 Feb 1986 (JLD, EGr, BWK, JML, MJL, CM; 74-1985). A small population is known to have existed in this area since 1946, when A. J. van Rossem and Loye Miller, working on a report from Boris Krichesky, observed three males, a female, and a nest five miles north of Earp on 7 May of that year (van Rossem 1946; specimen of male 33414 in the Dickey Collection at UCLA). These birds were identified as the race superba , which occurs in Arizona and part of New Mexico south to the Mexican state of Sonora and which has undergone an expansion of its range since the late nineteenth century, including establishment of a population along the nearby Bill Williams River in Arizona (Phillips et al. 1964, Rea 1983). The population has had a tenuous hold in California, and continued disturbance to the brushy habitats bordering the Colorado River endangers its existence. The race involved in the records reported here has not been determined. The race superba has a longer tail and wing than the nominate race of eastern North America; males of superba show little or no black crossing the forehead and have the crest as red as the breast, whereas males of the nominate race show black across the forehead and have a crest that is duller red than the breast (Ridgway 1901). 3 o j u nAertak) ^ i * U. Figure 8. Sedge Wren, Little Shasta Valley, Siskiyou, 8 June 1986. Sketch by Ray Ekstrom 164 CALIFORNIA BIRD RECORDS Prior to van Rossem's observations, the Northern Cardinal was known in Califor- nia since at least 1880 as an escape or introduction. Alden Miller (1928) summarized these occurrences, including the establishment of the nominate race at El Monte, LA, since 1923; the viability of that population has not been determined by the Com- mittee, however. It should be noted that while these birds are of the eastern race, several individuals of the race superba were released at Riverside (1914), Montebello (1925). and Los Angeles (1930) by W. J. Sheffler (Michener and Michener 1938). The Committee no longer reviews records of this species, and the total number given above represents only records accepted in this report and the eighth report (Morlan 1985). Information on introductions is still requested. PYRRHULOXIA Cardinalis sinuatus (10). One female was east of Lancaster in the Antelope Valley. LA. 7-10 May 1983 (JLD; KLG; 117-1983), One male was at Encinitas. SD. 26-27 May 1983 (GMcC; 89-1986). Another male was at Cotton- wood Springs. Joshua Tree NM, R1V. 1 Jun 1986 (GH; 372-1986). While this species has exhibited a tendency for long-distance dispersal, the En- cinitas bird is only the second record accepted for the coastal slope of California; all others have been from desert areas, which are contiguous with similar habitats occupied within the normal range of the species. PAINTED BUNTING Passerina ciris (13). An immature was caught and banded at Lanphere Dunes, HLJM, 12 Sep 1984 (JCS, KVRf; 78-1985). Single immatures were found on Southeast Farallon Island, SF, as follows: 14 Sep 1984 (GW, EH; 122-1987) and 27 Sep-6 Oct 1984 (PP, RPH'h 123-1987). One male was near Oasis, MNO. 23 May 1986 (PJM; DRt; 262-1986). The Lanphere Dunes bird, the northernmost known for California, had a deformed crossed bill causing several members to note the possibility of its having been caged. However, the records of immatures from Southeast Farallon Island later the same season supported a pattern of natural occurrence. The Oasis bird represents the first accepted spring record for California and was possibly a one-year-old male, having pale red underparts. This color, however, was not like that observed in some caged male Painted Buntings, which show yellow to yellow-orange underparts. CASSIN S SPARROW Aimophila cassinii (15). One was near the mouth of the Little River. HUM. 29 May 1984 (KVR; 462-1986). Single birds were on Southeast Farallon Island. SF. 1-3 Oct 1984 (PP; RPHt; 211-1987), 17-30 Sep 1985 (PPt; 181-1985). and 29 Sep-2 Oct 1985 (Figure 9; PPt; 180-1985). One was at Bolsa Chica. ORA. 10-18 May 1986 (CM, DRW, GMcC; 268-1986). The first of the Farallon birds in 1985 was quite rufous in comparison to the gray- brown bird that arrived later. This coloration and the large bill initiated thoughts of Bachman's Sparrow (A. aestivalis), which is normally found only in the southeastern United States and is unrecorded in California. The correct identification was based on the anchor-shaped black marks on the uppertail coverts, the moderate barred pattern to the tail, lack of an orange tinge to the plumage or heavy streaks iri the back shown by Bachman's, and the presence of pale tips to the outer tail feathers. Wolf (1977) analyzed the genus Aimophila and discussed some of these characters; Kaufman (1990) discussed the field identification of Cassin’s Sparrow. ‘‘SHARP-TAILED SPARROW Ammodramus caudacutus (30). One was at Morro Bay. SLO. 12 Nov 1970 (RLeVt; 245-1986). One was near Palo Alto Baylands, SCL. 22 Dec 1980 (EGu; 205-1986); this is considered the same as one of up to three birds wintering there from 1980 to 1983 (record 32-1983, which now includes two on 22 Nov 1980, a maximum of three 9 Jan-6 Feb 1982, and up to two 1 1 Oct 1982-1 Mar 1983: see Morlan [1985) for how the Committee previously handled this record). One was at Morro Bay, SLO. 19 Nov-4 Dec 1983 (CM; 70-1986). One at Bolinas Lagoon. MRN, 8 Dec 1985 (MJL; B&.MS; 160-1985) is not previously published. 165 CALIFORNIA BIRD RECORDS Figure 9. Two Cassin’s Sparrows, Southeast Farallon Island, San Francisco Co., 29 September 1985. Photo by Peter Pyle Figure 10. Snow Bunting, Point Lobos State Reserve, Monterey Co., 27 October 1985. Photo by Ronald L. Branson 166 CALIFORNIA BIRD RECORDS SNOW BUNTING Plectrophenax nivalis (21). One was at Sacramento NWR, GLE, 4 Nov 1961 (GMeC; 96-1986). One was at Southeast Farallon Island, SF, 30 Oct 1982 (PP; 125-1987). One at Point Lobos State Reserve, MTY, 22 Oct-1 Nov 1985 (Figure 10; RLB+, DRt; 137-1985) was published by Morlan and Erickson (1988). One was near Lake Talawa, DN, 14 Nov-3 Dec 1985 (ADB, RAE; 163- 19 85 ) . The Point Lobos record is the southernmost for the coast of California. COMMON GRACKLE Quiscaius quiscuia (13). One at Deep Springs, INY, 10- 12 Jun 1986 (BSa; 374-1986) showed the characteristics of the Bronzed Crackle, Q. q. versicolor , the only race known to have occurred in California. BRAMBLING Fringilla montifringilla (3). One was at Areata Marsh, HUM, 20 Nov 1985 (JMH; 293-1986). One was at Chico, BUT, 1 1-19 Feb 1986 (RK+; 265- 1986) , Both of these records were published by Morlan and Erickson (1988). These are the second and third records of this Palearctic finch for the state. The Areata bird was described as having black flecking in the face, which indicates that it was probably a male, whereas the Chico bird showed a rather plain gray face, which is more typical of females. COMMON REDPOLL Carduelis flammea (3). A flock of up to twenty-four was at Tule Lake NWR, SIS, 29 Dec 1985-11 Jan 1986 (Figure 11; ADB; LRBet, JLDt, RAE, MJL, CM, GMcC, DR, JTt; 8-1986). A separate flock of thirty was at Lower Klamath NWR, SIS, 20 Jan-2 Mar 1986 (SFB, LCB, JML, JM ; 63-1986), These are the second and third accepted records for the state, although one previous record is still in circulation. The first record, in 1899, was also of a flock in this same region of California (Roberson 1986). Figure 11. Common Redpoll, Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Siskiyou Co., 31 December 1985. Photo by Louis Bevier 167 CALIFORNIA BIRD RECORDS Careful study of the flocks revealed females, immatures, and adult males, which showed streaked rumps and undertail coverts. These characters are important in distinguishing the Common Redpoll from the Hoary Redpoll (C. hornemanni), which is unrecorded in California but has occurred south to Oregon. In autumn, both species of redpoll are in fresh plumage and appear paler than in late spring and summer when the plumage is worn. This is due to the wide pale edges of the fresh feathers; thus, late autumn is when Common Redpolls, especially adult males showing rather whitish rumps, are confusingly similar to Hoary Redpolls. By contrast, immature and adult female Hoary Redpolls (especially the circumpolar subspecies exiiipes) show moderate streaking when these pale edges are worn away and their appearance becomes more similar to Common Redpoll (Molau 1985). The identifi- cation of these intermediate birds has been variously interpreted, some considering them examples of hybrids or part of a continuum of one species (Troy 1985), others of two species with complex, overlapping plumages (Knox 1988, Molau 1985). It should be noted that the nominate race of Hoary Redpoll, which breeds only on Ellesmere and Baffin islands and in northern Greenland, is quite distinct, being larger and paler than the circumpolar exiiipes. Recently, the AOU Committee on Classifi- cation and Nomenclature rejected a proposal to merge these taxa (AOU 1989). A cautious approach to the identification is urged. Observers should pay special attention to the bill shape (comparatively short and deep in Hoary), and the pattern of streaks on the rump, undertail coverts, and flanks (faint and narrow streaking or none at all in Hoary, depending on age, sex, and race). UNACCEPTED RECORDS, identification questionable YELLOW-BILLED LOON Gauia adamsii. One at Bodega Bay, SON, 18 Jan 1971 (92-1985). One at Lake El Estero, Monterey, MTY, 11 Apr 1986 (253-1986). The Bodega Bay report was published by Bolander and Parmeter (1978) with the date 17 Jan 1971. A majority of the members felt that the description did not eliminate Common Loon and that it failed to point out key features such as culmen color and the post-auricular spot characteristic of Yellow-billed Loon. Identification of this species is treated by Binford and Remsen (1974) and Appleby et al (1986). *COOK'S PETREL Pterodroma cookii. One 10 miles west of Southeast Farallon Island, SF, 30 Jun 1985 (27-1986). BLUE-FOOTED BOOBY Sula nebouxii. One at Moss Landing, MTY, 8 Oct 1984 (45-1987). Most members felt that this bird was a booby but that the Red- footed Booby (S. sula) was not eliminated. In fact, some aspects of the description seemed to indicate Red-footed — entirely dark wings and upperparts apparently lacking any white mottling. Since this record circulated following the fall of 1987 when several Red-footed Boobies were seen in California (records in review; see AmB 42.128, 135), the Committee was very cautious about this possibility. WHOOPER SWAN Cpgnus cygnus. Two at Pescadero Beach, SM, 20 Nov 1985 (170-1986). These birds were felt by many to be immature Tundra Swans (two were seen at the same locality). In addition, the details were insufficient to make a positive determination. MISSISSIPPI KITE Ictinia mississippiensts. One at Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, Yosemite NP, TUO, 27 Jun 1983 (50-1984). A majority (6-4) of the Committee accepted this report on its final round, but the others noted that the description did not correctly match any known plumage for this species. In addition, the bird was heard giving “a long, clear, dying whistle/' a call for this species that was unfamiliar to any member. It may well have been a Mississippi Kite, but the details were not quite convincing. This would have been the first record for the Sierra Nevada. 168 CALIFORNIA BIRD RECORDS UNACCEPTED RECORDS, identification questionable (Cont.) COMMON BLACK-HAWK Buteogallus anthracinus. One at Barker’s Dam, Joshua Tree NM, SBE, 23 Apr 1985 (110-1985). This report was published (AmB 39:350), The brief and inconclusive description from only one of the observers and the extraordinary rarity of the species in California was the primary reason for the Committee preferring to leave this bird as unidentified. An individual of this species was seen at Thousand Palms Oasis, RIV, only ten days before this report (previously accepted 46-1985, Roberson 1986; Daniels et al. 1989). That locality is approximately 20 miles to the southwest over the Little San Bernardino Mountains, and the possibility that this was the same bird was raised but not considered further by the Committee. ZONE-TAILED HAWK Buteo albonotatus. One at Big Pine, INY, 10 Nov 1985 (86-1986). The Committee was almost unanimous in pointing out that other species of dark Buteo were not eliminated, in particular the Rough-legged Hawk ( B . lagopus), which would have been a likely species at this locality in late autumn. YELLOW RAIL Coturnicops noveboracensis. One at Coyote Hills Regional Park, ALA, 11 Nov 1973 (196-1986). One at Pescadero Beach, SM, 14 Apr 1986 (282- 1986). COMMON RINGED PLOVER Charadrius hiaticula. One at Southeast Farallon Island, SF, 12-14 Sep 1985 (13-1986). The Committee and the observer, after circulation had already begun, were unanimous in the opinion that this was a juvenal-plumaged Sernipalmated Plover (C. semipalmatus). The bird demonstrated some of the potential identification problems involved with this species pair. The extent of webbing between the middle and inner toes was clearly seen and seemed intermediate between that in the Sernipalmated and that in the Common Ringed, which lacks this web or has only a minute one. This character and the call note — a mellow, rising whistle in Common Ringed — are the only features known to separate the two species in non-breeding plumages. Although other minor differences may distinguish the two on occasion, validation of any claimed Common Ringed Plover in California will require extensive documentation, including a careful description or recording of the call, details of the webbing between the toes, and plumage characters (for example, the face pattern, which is especially useful on alternate-plumage males). BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER Tryngites subruficollis. One at Jacoby Creek, Humboldt Bay, HUM, 25 Aug 1970 (243-1986). COMMON BLACK-HEADED GULL Larus ridibundus. One at Oakland, ALA, 4 Jan 1956 (220-1986). This report was published (McCaskie et al. 1979). The details obtained for this old report were insufficient to support the identification, but most members felt that it was probably correct. MAGNIFICENT HUMMINGBIRD Eugenes fuigens. One at Ridgecrest, KER, 24 Apr 1984 (253-1984). A potential first state record, the majority (6-4) of the Committee accepted the report on its final round, and even more agreed that the description fit a male Magnificent Hummingbird. The bird was seen briefly at close range by a single person, apparently without binoculars, and was not described in detail. In the opinion of those not accepting this record, these circumstances were too tenuous to establish firmly a first state record. Further, it was pointed out that there are no verified lowland records for this species in Arizona (Monson and Phillips 1981), the species being found only at higher elevations in pine-oak woodland. There is one lowland report for Texas, of a male at San Antonio, 24-26 May 1959 (Oberholser 1974), and one for northeastern Kansas, Linn County (AOU 1983); 169 CALIFORNIA BIRD RECORDS UNACCEPTED RECORDS, identification questionable (Cont.) both are only sight records, however. Other extralimital records are from mountain areas in summer or fall, which is not surprising, since many species of hummingbird tend to migrate at higher elevation in fall. Since this species strays northward to the mountains of Colorado and Utah, a verified record for California is anticipated. This report from Ridgecrest was published (AmB 38:961). The Magnificent Hummingbird has been reported previously three times from California as follows: an unreviewed report of a bird collected at San Gorgonio Pass, RIV, 15 Jul 1899 (Loomis 1902), and two reports for which the identification was not accepted (see Luther et al. 1979 and 1983). Grinnell and Miller (1944) included the San Gorgonio Pass bird on their supplementary list only, citing some doubt that the bird was actually collected in California (the specimen was 17394 at CAS but was destroyed by fire following the San Francisco earthquake in 1906). GREEN KINGFISHER Chloroceryle americana. One at Tennessee Cove, MRN, 10-13 Sep 1986 (368-1986). The Committee unanimously agreed that the docu- mentation did not support the identification Additionally, the probability of this species reaching coastal northern California was felt to be exceedingly small. The Green Kingfisher has demonstrated only a slight tendency for vagrancy and is unrecorded from California, although Grinnell and Miller (1944) cited two reports in their supplementary list: one by Elliott Coues, who claimed to have observed it at several points along the Colorado River from Fort Mojave to Fort Yuma in 1865, and another at Poway, SD, a report they thought likely a misidentification (neither has been submitted to the Committee). PHILADELPHIA VIREO Vireo philadelphicus. One at Arroyo Grande, SLO, 22 May 1982 (52-1982). One at Carpinteria, SBA, 15 Nov 1986 (47T1986). The Arroyo Grande report was previously accepted (Morlan 1985) but was reviewed again in light of the scarcity of spring records from the coast. A majority is required to overturn a previous acceptance. YELLOW-GREEN VIREO Vireo flavoviridis. One at the Carmel River mouth, MTY, 2 Sep 1985 (28-1986). KENTUCKY WARBLER Oporornis formosus. One at the Carmel River mouth, MTY, 2 Sep 1 985 ( 1 45- 1985). COMMON GRACKLE Quiscalus quiscula. One at Furnace Creek Ranch, Death Valley NM, [NY, 9 Oct 1979 (288-1986). This bird was not seen well enough for the observer to describe the back color or to reconfirm characters. The Great-tailed Grackle (Q. mexicanus) had already established itself at this locality, and many members felt that the chance of error was high given the brevity of the sighting. The Bronzed Grackle (Q. q. versicolor), which shows a contrasting, bronzy back color, is the only subspecies of Common Grackle known to occur in California. COMMON REDPOLL Carduelis flarnmea. A flock of seven along the Shasta River near Edgewood, SIS, 21 Dec 1985 (206-1986). Although this sighting occurred immediately previous to other redpolls just to the northeast of this locality (see Accepted Records), the documentation failed to eliminate several other possible species, notably Cassin's Finch ( Carpodacus cassinii). UNACCEPTED RECORDS, natural occurrence questionable (identification accepted) BARNACLE GOOSE Branta leucopsis. One was at Lower Klamath NWR, SIS, 18 Nov 1984 and 5-17 Apr 1985 (185-1986). A photograph was reportedly taken 170 CALIFORNIA BIRD RECORDS UNACCEPTED RECORDS, natural occurrence questionable (identification accepted} (Cont.) but is not with the record; the Committee would like to include this photograph with the file and requests that anyone having a photograph documenting this record contact the Secretary. A Barnacle Goose reported near Colusa, COL, 7-10 Dec 1984 and later near Modesto, STA, 12-21 Dec 1984 were presumed to involve the same individual as the Klamath bird (AmB 39:345), but the Committee did not review details of these sightings. A Barnacle Goose, presumably the same bird again, was reported in nearby southern Oregon shortly after the last sighting in California, but again no details have been reviewed. We would appreciate anyone having notes on these reports sending them to the Secretary. The Klamath bird associated with a flock of Greater White-fronted Geese (Anser albifrons) and a few Cackling Canada Geese (. B . canadensis minima ) and was not considered tame. Nevertheless, the Committee unanimously agreed that Barnacle Goose is not a reasonable candidate for vagrancy to western North America and chose not to admit this species to the state list. The Barnacle Goose's normal wintering grounds are on coastal bluffs and islands of northern Great Britain and Ireland, with a separate group wintering in the Netherlands. While a dislocation of this distance is not unprecedented (see the report of an Aleutian Tern in Great Britain, Dixey 1981), it is highly unlikely and is made even more suspect by the popularity of this species with aviculturalists, who com- monly raise this goose in captivity, from which it frequently escapes. These escapes are capable of long-distance dispersal, often flocking with other geese, especially the Canada Goose. Barnacle Geese have been reported across North America, and mated pairs of Canada and Barnacle Goose are seen occasionally. An interesting case of this involved a Barnacle Goose mated with a Richardson’s Canada Goose (B. c, hutchinsii ) and seen with two hybrid offspring in Connecticut from 22 Nov 1984 to 10 Jan 1985 (Szantyr 1985). Since Richardson’s Goose breeds along the eastern coastline of the District of Keewatin and western Baffin Island in the Northwest Territories, this pair probably migrated at least 2,000 miles together each direction. This Barnacle Goose was presumed to be an escaped bird now traveling with Canada Geese, much as the California bird did. A Barnacle Goose seen at Palmer, Alaska (near Anchorage), 22 Apr-12 May 1985 (AmB 39:338), only five days after the California bird was last seen, was widely presumed to be the same individual because Cackling Geese are known to migrate to Alaska non-stop from the Klamath Basin in about 40 hours (M. J. Lippsmeyer in lift.). However, the date that the Barnacle Goose was last seen in Oregon is unknown, and if later than the Alaska individual, then obviously a different was bird was involved. The Barnacle Goose has occurred naturally in North America, as demonstrated by a pair shot in the late fall of 1981 on the northeast coast of Newfoundland, the male banded in Spitsbergen, a Norwegian archipelago about 360 miles north of mainland Norway (Montevecchi and Wells 1984). On the other hand, Ryff (1984) argued against the natural occurrence of most North American birds, referring especially to the numbers held in captivity and the tendency for this species to migrate strictly between Greenland and western Europe. A point missed by Ryff and favoring the potential for vagrancy to North America was that another species of goose follows a similar migration route and yet does stray to this continent. The race of Greater White-fronted Goose (A. a. flauirostris) that breeds in western Greenland and win- ters in Great Britain and Ireland is a rare but regular visitor to the northeast states and provinces. Another trans-Atlantic migrant that winters in the same areas as the Barnacle Goose is the subspecies of the Brant, B. bernicla hrota, that breeds on Canadian arctic islands. While this subspecies winters primarily on the east coast of North America, a portion of the population regularly migrates to Ireland for the 171 CALIFORNIA BIRD RECORDS UNACCEPTED RECORDS, natural occurrence questionable (identification accepted) (Cont.) winter (Cramp and Simmons 1977), thus offering a group of birds that could lead a Barnacle Goose to this continent. The western North American subspecies of the Brant, B. b. nigricans , is also a regular but rare vagrant to western Europe and another example of a goose that can successfully navigate the passage between the two continents. Although the California record is not accepted, it is still important to document records of Barnacle Goose because new information may change our view, but for now. the safest approach is to treat these birds as probable escapees. "‘NORTHERN CARDINAL Cardinalis cardinalis. An adult male was near Imperial Beach, SD, 13-14 Oct 1962 (217-1986). Reports of escaped Northern Cardinals are not infrequent, and the reader is referred to the account for this species under Accepted Records for more information. CORRIGENDA TO TENTH REPORT (Dunn 1988) Under Accepted Records: Record 94-1985 (Spotted Redshank) should indicate the bird’s presence at Elk Creek in Crescent City harbor, 14 May 1985, and at the mouth of Jordan Creek (not Elk Creek as published) on Lake Earl, 15 May. The caption to figure 8 on page 147 (Scissor- tailed Flycatcher, record 56-1985) shows the wrong date; the correct date is 26 May 1985 (not 2 May as published). Record 275-1984 (Gray Catbird) should indicate the year as 1984. Under Unaccepted Records, Identification Questionable: Record 111-1985 (Yel- low-billed Loon) has the locality misspelled; the birds were reported off Endert Beach (not Erdent. Beach). CONTRIBUTORS Merle Archie, Brian W. Arnold, Jon L. Atwood, Stephen F. Bailey, Alan Baldridge, Larry R. Ballard (LRBa), Ruben Balzer, Alan D. Barron. Bob Behrstock (BBe), Louis R. Bevier (LRBe), Laurence C. Binford, Jeff Boyd, Bob Bradley (BBr), Ronald L. Branson, Julia A. Breitenstein, N. Bruce Broadbrooks, Courtney Buechert, Kurt F. Campbell, Eugene A. Cardiff, Ronnie A. Clark. Herbert Clarke (HC1), Howard L. Cogswell, G. R. Coles, Paul W. Collins, Peggy & Michael Craig, Tim Crisler, Janet & Art Cupples, F. Rigdon Currie, Brian E. Daniels (BEDa), Becky DeMonte, David DeSante, Bruce E. Deuel (BEDe), Jon L. Dunn, Tom M, Edell, Arthur L. Edwards, Alan M. Eisner, Ray Ekstrom (REk), Lee Elias, Richard A. Erickson, Janet Fader, Mack Fader. Shawneen E. Finnegan, Bob Florand, David A. Gaines, J. R. Gallagher, Kimball L. Garrett, Ed Greaves (EGr), Helen A. Green. Paul D. Green, William E. Grenfell, Jr., Mike W. Guest, Ed Gustafson (EGu), Kem L. Hainebach, Keith Hansen (KHa), Richard R. Hansen, Joan & George Hardie, Stanley W. Harris, James T. Havlena, Karen A, Havlena, Gjon Hazard, Matt Heindel, Steve Heinl (SHe), Bruce Henderson, R. Philip Henderson, J. Mark Higley, Craig Himmelwright, Alan S. Hopkins, Eric Horvath, Jerome A. Johnson, Thomas M. Johnson, Lars Jonsson, Brian W. Keelan. James Kieran (JKr), Robbins King, Jeff Kingery (JKg). Theodore H. Koundakjian. Charlott Langdon, Jeri M. Langham, Ron LeValley, Paul E. Lehman. Gary S. Lester, Lauren P. Lester, Michael J. Lippsmeyer, John S. Luther, Bill Manolis, Curtis Marantz, Roger Marlowe, Guy McCaskie, Lester McClung, Nora McClung. John McCormick, Mike McCrary, John E. McDonald. T. McElroy, Chet McGaugh, Robert McKernan, Nancy Menken, Peter J. Metropolus. Mark C. Miller, 172 CALIFORNIA BIRD RECORDS Joan Mills (JMi), Joseph Morlan, Michelle Morris, Robert E Munsey, Stephen J. Myers, Philippe Nonet (PhN), Pamela Nonet (PaN), Larry Norris, Benjamin D. Parmeter, John E. Parmeter, Susan Peaslee, Hill Penfold, Jay Penniman, Teya Penniman, George Peyton (GPe), Robert L. Pitman, Gary Potter (GPo), Peter Pyle, Hugh Ranson, J. Van Remsen, Jr., David C. Rice, Mike Robbins, Don Roberson, Richard H. Rocco, William E. Rodstrum. Kenneth V. Rosenberg, Philip Rostron, Jim S. Royer, Ruth A. Rudesill, George San Miguel, Barry Sauppe (BSa), Brad Schram (BSc), Arnold Small, Gregory P. Smith, Marilyn C. Smith, Kevin T. Spencer, Paul F. Springer, Rich Stallcup, John C. Sterling, Bob & Mary Anne Stewart, Nick Story, Chris Stromsness, G. Shumway Suffel, Steve Summers, Phil Swan, Chris Tenney, Alan K. Thomas, Jean C. Thomas, Robert F. Tintle, Gerald Tolman, John Trochet, William Ure, Bill Wagner, George Wallace, Richard E. Webster, Shirley Wells, Jack Whetstone (JWh), Peter White, Douglas R. Willick, John Wilson (JWi), Katherine Wilson, Tom E. Wurster, David G. Yee. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The 166 contributors named above made this report possible, and the Committee greatly appreciates their support. Those who submitted photographs are especially thanked, and their contributions enhance this report. Critical analysis and advice, for which the Committee is most grateful, was received from the late Peter Grant, John Marchant, Ron Naveen, Nancy L. Newfield, and J. V. Remsen, Jr. Special thanks go to Gary S. Lester and Richard E. Webster for examining and photographing specimens. The following museum curators and collections managers provided assistance with collections under their care: Stephen F. Bailey (CAS), George A. Clark, Jr. (Connecticut State Museum of Natural History), Shirley Harding (DVNMM), and Amadeo Rea (SDNHM). Many past Committee members voted on the records contained in this report, but a large number of these were reviewed by Laurence C. Binford, Benjamin D Parmeter, and Rich Stallcup. Finally, I thank my fellow committee members for reviewing and improving this report. Those members, past and present, are Stephen F. Bailey, Jon L. Dunn, Richard A. Erickson, Kimball L. Garrett, Jeri M. Langham, Paul E. Lehman, Michael J. Lippsmeyer, Curtis Marantz, R. Guy McCaskie, Joseph Morlan, Peter Pyle, and Don Roberson. LITERATURE CITED Abbott, D. J., and Finch, D. W. 1978. First Variegated Flycatcher ( Empidonomus varius) record for the United States. Am. Birds 32:161-163. American Ornithologists' Union. 1983. Check-list of North American Birds. 6th ed. Am. Ornithol. Union, Washington, D.C. American Ornithologists’ Union. 1985. Thirty-fifth supplement to the American Ornithologists Union Check-list of North American birds. Auk 102:680-686. American Ornithologists Union, 1987. 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Tenth report of the California Bird Records Committee. W. Birds 19:129-163. Dunn, J. L., and Garrett, K. L. 1990. Identification of Ruddy and Common Ground- Doves. Birding 22:138-145. Gabrielson. 1. N., and Jewett, S. G. 1940. Birds of Oregon. Oregon State University, Corvallis. Garrett, K., and Dunn, J. 1981. Birds of Southern California. Los Angeles Audubon Soc., Los Angeles. Gos, M. 1989. Doves. T. F. H, Pet Books, Neptune, N.J. 174 CALIFORNIA BIRD RECORDS Grinnell, J., and Miller, A. H. 1944. The distribution of the birds of California. Pac. Coast Avifauna 27. Harris, S. W., and Yocum, C. F. 1968. Records of Snowy Owls in California. Condor 70:392. Hasegawa, H., and DeGange, A. R. 1982. The Short-tailed Albatross: Its status, distribution and natural history. Am. Birds 36:806-814. Kaufman, K. 1990. A Field Guide to Advanced Birding. Houghton Mifflin, Boston. Knox, A. G. 1988. The taxonomy of redpolls. Ardea 76:1-26. Lehman, P. 1987. Immature Blackburnian and Cerulean Warblers: A cautionary note. Birding 19:22-23. Loomis, L. M. 1902. Rivoli's Hummingbird in California. Auk 19:83. Luther, J., McCaskie, G., and Dunn, J. 1979. Third report of the California Bird Records Committee. W. Birds 10:169-187. Luther, J., McCaskie, G., and Dunn, J. 1983. Fifth report of the California Bird Records Committee. W. Birds 14:1-16. Marantz, C. 1986. The Birds of San Luis Obispo County, California: Their status and distribution. Master’s thesis, Calif. Polytechnic State Univ., San Luis Obispo. McCaskie, R. G. 1968. Noteworthy records of vireos in California. Condor 70:186. McCaskie. R. G. 1970. Occurrence of the eastern species of Oporornis and Wilsonia in California. Condor 72:373. McCaskie, R. G., DeBenedictis, P, Erickson, R., Morlan, J. 1979. Birds of Northern California. Golden Gate Audubon Soc., Berkeley. Michener. H.. and Michener, J. R. 1938. Rare birds at a Pasadena banding station. Condor 40:38-40. Miller. A. H. 1928. The status of the Cardinal in California. Condor 30:243-245. Molau, U. 1985. Grasiskkomplexiet i Sverige [The Redpoll complex in Sweden]. Var Fagelvarld 44:5-20. Monson. G., and Phillips. A. R. 1981. Annotated Checklist of the Birds of Arizona. Univ. of Ariz. Press, Tucson. Montevecchi, W. A., and Wells, J. 1984. Two new specimen records for insular Newfoundland: Barnacle Goose and Tricolored Heron. Am. Birds 38:257-258. Morlan, J. 1985. Eighth report of the California Bird Records Committee. W. Birds 16:105-122. Morlan. J., and Erickson, R. A. 1983. A Eurasian Skylark at Point Reyes, California, with notes on skylark identification and systematics. W. Birds 14:113-126. Morlan, J., and Erickson, R. 1988. Supplement to the Birds of Northern California, 1988. Golden Gate Audubon Soc., Berkeley. Oberholser, H. C. 1974. The Bird Life of Texas (E. B. Kincaid, Jr., ed.). Univ. of Texas Press, Austin. Phillips, A. R. 1975. Why neglect the difficult? W. Birds 6:69-86. Phillips, A. R., Marshall. J., Monson, G. 1964. The Birds of Arizona. Univ. of Ariz. Press, Tucson. Price, W. W. 1888. Occurrence of Vireo flavoviridis at Riverside, California. Auk 5:210. Rea, A. M. 1983. Once a River. Univ. of Ariz. Press, Tucson. 175 CALIFORNIA BIRD RECORDS Remsen, J. V., Jr., and Binford, L. C. 1975. Status of the Yellow-billed Loon (Gavia adamsii ) in the western United States and Mexico. W. Birds 6:7-20. Ridgely, R. S.. and Gwynne, Jr., J. A. 1989. A Guide to the Birds of Panama. 2nd ed. Princeton Univ. Press, Princeton, New Jersey. Ridgway, R. 1901. The birds of North and Middle America. Bull. U.S. Natl. Mus. 50, pt. 1. Ridgway, R. 1916. The Birds of North and Middle America. Bull. U.S. Natl. Mus. 50, pt. 7. Roberson, D. 1980. Rare Birds of the West Coast. Woodcock Publ., Pacific Grove, CA. Roberson, D. 1985. Monterey Birds. Monterey Peninsula Audubon Soc., Carmel, CA. Roberson, D. 1986. Ninth report of the California Bird Records Committee. W. Birds 17:49-77. Roberson. D. 1990. News from the California Bird Records Committee. W. Birds 20:269-271. Ryff, A. J. 1984. The long sea-flights: A precise tradition. Birding 16:146-154. Schaffner, F.C. 1981. A Sandwich Tern in California. W. Birds 12:181-182. Spencer, K, T. 1987. Range extension of the Common Ground-Dove into Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, California. W. Birds 18:171-174. Stallcup, R., Morlan, J., Roberson, D. 1988. First record of the Wedge-tailed Shearwater in California. W. Birds 19:61-68. Szantyr, M. S. 1985. A Barnacle Goose in Southbury, with comments about the status of Barnacle Goose in North America. Conn. Warbler 5:16-18. Tenaza, R. R. 1967. Recent records of land birds from South Farallon Island, California. Condor 69:581. Traylor, M. A. 1950. A record of the Short-tailed Albatross. Condor 52:90. Trochet, J., Morlan, J., and Roberson, D. 1988. First record of the Three-toed Woodpecker in California. W. Birds 19:109-115. Troy, D. M. 1985. A phenetic analysis of the redpolls Carduelis flammea flammea and C. hornemarmi exilipes. Auk 102:82-96. Unitt, P. 1984. The birds of San Diego County. San Diego Soc. Nat. Hist. Memoir 13. Van Rossem, A. J. 1945. A distributional survey of the birds of Sonora, Mexico. Occ. Pap. Mus. Zool., Louisiana State Univ. 21. Van Rossem, A. J. 1946. An isolated colony of the Arizona Cardinal in Arizona and California. Condor 48:247-248. Witzeman, J. 1985. Field observations [fall]. Cactus Wren 33:11. Wolf, L. L. 1977. Species relationships in the avian genus Aimophila. Ornithol. Monogr. 23. Accepted 18 July 1990 176 NOTES OBSERVATIONS ON ISLA GUADALUPE IN NOVEMBER 1989 ERIC MELLINK and EDUARDO PALACIOS, Centro de Investigation Cientifica y Education Superior de Ensenada, Baja California, P. O. Box 43844, San Diego, California 92143-4844 Isla Guadalupe (29° N, 118° 17 W) is located off the west coast of Baja California, Mexico. The history and status of its avifauna, as well as a brief description of the island, have been given by Jehl and Everett (1985). Additional recent observations have been reported by Dunlap (1988) and Oberbauer et al. (1989). In this note we report on birds observed on and near Isla Guadalupe on 23 November 1989. Our time ashore lasted from 1000 to 1500 hours, during which we traveled about 60 km (round trip) by car from Melpomene Cove, at the southern end of the island, to the large barren area north of the remnant of the cypress forest, in the high central region. En route we also visited Campamento Weste. At the start of the trip air temperature was in the low 20s (°C) and the visibility was several kilometers. By the time we arrived at the cypress forest, the temperature had dropped several degrees and become cold, it was misty and windy, and visibility had decreased to 100 meters. An annotated list of birds observed is presented below: Laysan Albatross ( Diomedea immutabilis). We saw four individuals roosting on a barren rocky area at Melpomene Cove, while two were flying over. A breeding colony was discovered in the same place in 1986 (Dunlap 1988) and discussed by Everett (1988). This same colony was also reported on by Pitman (1988) and Oberbauer et al. (1989). We assumed that the birds sitting on the ground were incubating but did not attempt to confirm this because of possible disturbance. Leach’s Storm-Petrel ( Oceanodroma leucorhoa). We saw several individuals flying close to the ship at night, near the north end of the island. These storm-petrels are regular breeders in the area, and their status was discussed by Jehl and Everett (1985). American Kestrel (Falco sparuerius). Several individuals, both females and males, were seen along the road. This is a common species of the island (Jehl and Everett 1985). Killdeer ( Charadrius uociferus). We saw two on the sandy beach of Campamento Weste. Ring-billed Gull ( Larus delawarensis). We saw a few flying between Isla Zapato and Isla Toro off the south end of the main island, in a mixed flock with Western Gulls (Larus occidentalis). These gulls were identified by their pale mantle, small size, and ringed yellow bill. Jehl and Everett (1985) reported only two previous sight records, one of them questionable. Western Gull (Larus occidentalis ). This species is resident on the island (Jehl and Everett 1985), but its abundance may be augmented by mainland birds during the winter (W. T. Everett pers. comm.). We saw several between Isla Zapato and Isla Toro. White-winged Dove ( Zenaida asiatica). We saw two individuals near Campamento Pista, in the high central area, on rocky ground with some herbaceous cover. This species has been collected only once on the island, on 10 June 1953 (Howell and Cade 1953). Western Birds 21:177-180, 1990 177 NOTES 1 18° 30 ' II8°I5' 178 NOTES Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura). This is a common resident of the island (Jehl and Everett 1985). We saw several near Campamento Pista, in rocky herbaceous habitat. Rock Wren ( Salpinctes obsoletus). Although this species is reportedly abundant on the island (Jehl and Everett 1985), we saw only two individuals: one at Campamento Punta Sur and one in a barren area north of the cypress forest. Varied Thrush (Ixoreus naeuiu s). We saw a male standing on small rocks at the side of the road in a barren area between Campamento Pista and the cypress forest. The only other record is of a male observed on 4 March 1886 (Bryant 1887). Mockingbird ( Mimus polyglottos). This seems to be a rare species on the island (Jehl and Everett 1985). We saw one individual in a eucalyptus tree at Campamento Pista. Phainopepla (Phainopepla nitens ). This is a new species for the island. We saw a male and a female near the small water pond (about 100 square meters) by Campamento Pista. European Starling ( Sturnus vulgaris). Several at Campamento Pista, in a mixed flock (about 15 individuals of each species) with Brown-headed Cowbirds ( Molothrus ater). Warbler [Dertdroica sp.). A Dendroica warbler of undetermined species in a eu- calyptus tree at Campamento Pista. White-crowned Sparrrow ( Zonotrichia leucophrys). One individual in a eucalyptus tree at Campamento Pista. This is the second Guadalupe record for the species, although it is probably regular in migration (Jehl and Everett 1985). Guadalupe Dark-eyed Junco ( Junco hyemalis insularis). Two individuals in the cypress forest. Western Meadowlark ( Sturnella neglecta). One individual seen on a barbed wire fence near Campamento Pista, and another heard in the old goat fence-trap, approximately halfway between Melpomene Cove and Campamento Pista, on the high central area. This species has not been recorded on the island since 22 March 1886 (Bryant 1887). Brown-headed Cowbird ( Molothrus ater). Several individuals at Campamento Pista, mixed with the starlings. This species is new to the list of birds of the island. House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus). Several on a barbed wire fence near Campamento Pista. The locality at which we recorded the highest number of bird species was Campamento Pista. This camp is inhabited by a marine in charge of the landing strip, and includes a few huts and a garden with some eucalyptus trees and other introduced plants. It also had, at the time of the visit, a water pond nearby. These two facts likely contributed to the variety of birds at the site. Our observations add two species to the island’s list of known birds, and include some not recorded since the end of the last century and others considered rare. Habitat destruction by goats and predation by feral cats have been important factors in causing the extinction of some birds and decimation of the populations of others (Howell and Cade 1954). We observed many goats (between 200 and 300 animals, in four herds) over the entire area, except near Melpomene Cove. The goats were very wary, as a result of continuous, though low-intensity, hunting. We saw also two packs of feral dogs (three and seven animals). These are said to be very aggressive, and are surely another important factor of predation. Figure 1. Isla Guadalupe, Baja California, Mexico, showing localities visited on 23 November 1989. NOTES This trip would not have been possible without the kind support of the Armada de Mexico and captain and marines of the Coast Guard ship Altamirano, who allowed us to travel with them to and from the island, and transported us by car on our field trip. We thank William T. Everett and Philip Unitt for their thorough review of this paper. LITERATURE CITED Bryant, W. E. 1887. Additions to the ornithology of Guadalupe Island. Bull. Calif. Acad. Sci., Ser. 2, 2:269-318. Dunlap, E. 1988. Laysan Albatross nesting on Guadalupe Island. Mexico. Am. Birds 42:180-181. Everett, W. T. 1988. Historic and present distribution of breeding marine birds of Baja California’s Pacific coast. Proceedings of the 7th Marine Biology Sympo- sium. pp. 97-106, La Paz, Baja California Sur. Southern California Ocean Studies Consortium, California State University, Long Beach. Howell, T. R., and Cade, T, J. 1954. The birds of Guadalupe Island in 1953. Condor 56:283-294. Jehl, J. R., and Everett, W. T. 1985. History and status of the avifauna of Isla Guadalupe, Mexico. Trans. San Diego Soc. Nat. Hist. 20:313-336. Oberbauer, T. A., Cibit, C.,, and Lichtwardt, E. 1989. Notes from Isla Guadalupe. W. Birds 20:89-90. Pitman, R. L. 1988. Laysan Albatross breeding in the eastern Pacific — and a comment. Pac. Seabird Group Bull. 15:52. Accepted 23 October 1990 180 NOTES PEREGRINE FALCONS NESTING IN SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA MARK A. PAVELKA, 1148 Vista Del Playa, Orange, California 92665 Thirty-nine years after the last Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus anatum ) nest was documented in San Diego County, a pair has bred successfully on the Coronado Bay Bridge. Peregrines originally numbered between 100 and 300 nesting pairs in California with four to six pairs per year in San Diego County (Bond 1946, Cade et al. 1988). Prior to 1948 active nests existed at Point Loma, La Jolla cliffs, San Pasqual, and Morro Hill (collected eggs in the Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology), San Onofre (Dixon 1906), Pala and Santa Margarita river estuary (Dixon 1917), Escondido (Sharp 1919), and the nearby Los Coronados Islands (Howell 1910). In the 1950s, however. Peregrine numbers plummeted primarily because of egg shell thinning caused by widespread use of organochlorine pesticides, especially DDT (Hickey 1969, Ratcliffe 1980). The last recorded sign of a breeding Peregrine in San Diego was a single egg collected from a "sea wall” in 1950 (Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology). By 1970, the California Peregrine population had been reduced by over 95% to only two known nesting pairs, neither in San Diego (Herman 1971). On 14 April 1989 I found a Peregrine Falcon nest under the eastern, or San Diego, portion of the Coronado Bay Bridge, the bridge that crosses San Diego Bay and joins San Diego with Coronado. After notifying California Department of Fish and Game and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officials of the discovery, I obtained permission from the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) to be escorted along the catwalk beneath the bridge to investigate the status of the nest. On 18 April 1989 1 observed four nestlings from a ledge beneath the catwalk, and estimated that they were one and a half to two weeks old. Photographs of the nest and young were taken with a Nikon FM camera equipped with a 1600- mm lens and Kodak T Max 3200 film pushed to 12,800 ASA. Photographs of the adults (Figure 1) were taken with Kodak Ektar 1000 film. Photographs are on file at the Santa Cruz Predatory Bird Research Group (SCPBRG) University of California, Santa Cruz, and the San Diego Natural History Museum. On 20 April 1989 1 arranged for a representative from the Peregrine Fund, Dan Brimm, to meet with Caltrans officials to view the nest and recommend a management plan. As a result, the portion of catwalk nearest the nest was closed. Photographs of the adult female showed a scarred right eye, a USFWS aluminum band, and a defunct leg- mounted radio transmitter, positively identifying the bird as one released by SCPBRG at Point Loma in 1986. As part of a joint reintroduction program with the Peregrine Fund, SCPBRG released 12 Peregrines, all of which reached in- dependence, at Point Loma between 1982 and 1988 (Linthicum 1989, Brian Walton pers. comm.). The male was unbanded and very pale. The nest was on the east-facing, or leeward, side of bridge support tower number 31 approximately 90 feet above ground level. It was a scrape in what appeared to be 1 inch of pigeon feces and accumulated dust. The ledge was about 12 to 14 inches wide and 6 feet long. The nest was visible only from a single point beneath the catwalk, 196 feet away, and was inaccessible without specialized equipment. On 14 May 1989 two of the four young, both males, fledged successfully. A third, the only female, fledged and collided with the San Diego Trolley. It suffered only superficial damage and was placed on the catwalk beneath the bridge near the nest ledge the fol- lowing day. Two days later one of the juvenile males failed in an attempt to land atop the nesting tower and slid down the concrete face to the ground. The bird suffered, a broken wing. The wing was taped by veterinarians at the San Diego Zoo and the bird was shipped to SCPBRG for rehabilitation. The fourth young, also male, fledged on 20 May. The three remaining young were fed for several weeks by the adults and appeared to reach independence (Dan Brimm pers. comm., pers. obs.). Western Birds 21:181-183, 1990 181 NOTES The pair of adults returned to the Coronado Bridge in 1990 and hatched three young. During early May (before the 11th; exact date lost. John P. Reiger pers. comm.), one of the young, a male, was struck by a vehicle crossing the bridge. It was killed on impact. Philip Unitt prepared it as a study skin and partial skeleton, catalogue number 46702, San Diego Natural History Museum. On 10 May, a second young, a female, either fledged prematurely or fell from the nest and landed on the ground. It was taken to the San Diego Zoo where tests revealed no injuries. The following day, the third young, a female, also left the nest and fell to the ground. The two surviving young were taken to SCPBRG, then released in Yosemite National Park on 20 May. After release, one was killed by a Golden Eagle ( Aquila chrysaetos ) prior to reaching complete independence; the other one dispersed (Linthicum and Walton 1990). I thank Mike Couffer for photographic assistance and Brian J. Walton for helpful review of the manuscript. Figure 1. Female Peregrine Falcon that nested at San Diego in 1989 and 1990, identified as one of three released in 1986 at Point Loma, only four miles from the nesting site, by its USFWS band, leg-mounted radio transmitter, and scarred right eye. Photo by Mike Couffer 182 NOTES LITERATURE CITED Bond, R. M. 1946. The Peregrine population of western North America. Condor 48:101-116. Cade, T. J., Enderson, J. H., Thelander, C. G., and White, C. M., eds. 1988. Peregrine Falcon Populations: Their Management & Recovery. The Peregrine Fund, Boise. Dixon, J. B. 1906. Land birds of San Onofre. Condor 7:91- 98, Dixon, J. B. 1917. A collecting trip in Southern California. Oologist 34:48-52. Herman, S. G. 1971. The Peregrine Falcon decline in California. II. Breeding Status in 1970 . Am . Birds 25:818-820. Hickey, J. J. 1969. Peregrine Falcon Populations: Their Biology and Decline. Univ. of Wise. Press, Madison. Howell, A. B. 1910. Notes from Los Coronados Islands. Condor 12:184-187. Linthicum, J. 1989. Peregrine Falcon Monitoring, Nest Management, Hack Site, and Cross- Fostering Efforts. Unpublished report for Santa Cruz Predatory Bird Re- search Group, University of California, Santa Cruz. Linthicum, J., and Walton, B. J. 1990. Peregrine Falcon Monitoring, Nest Manage- ment, Hack Site, and Cross -Fostering Efforts. Unpublished report for Santa Cruz Predatory Bird Research Group, University of California, Santa Cruz. Ratcliffe, D. 1980. The Peregrine Falcon. T. & A. D. Poyser Ltd., Calton, England. Sharp, C. S. 1919. Duck Hawk notes. Oologist 36:39-43. Accepted 12 January 1991 183 NOTES FIRST RECORD OF THE WESTERN KINGBIRD (TYRANNUS VERTICALIS) IN BAJA CALIFORNIA SUR RICARDO RODRIGUEZ- ESTRELLA, LAURA RIVERA RODRIGUEZ, EUSTOLIA MATA, and RAYMUNDO DOMINGUEZ, Centro de Investigaciones Biologicas, Div, Biol, Terr., Apartado Postal 128, La Paz 23000, Baja California Sur, Mexico The Western Kingbird (Tyrannus uerticalis ) is the most widespread kingbird in the western USA, being common in dry and open country (Peterson 1990). Its breeding dis- tribution ranges from southern Canada to northern Mexico, and it winters south to Costa Rica (Peterson and Chalif 1973). In Baja California, the Western Kingbird is considered a spring transient and summer resident species in the north (Wilbur 1987), being recorded south just to El Salto and Rancho Rosarito (30° 25 ' N, 115° 25 ' W) (Short and Banks 1965) . However, on 29 September 1990 we recorded two individuals of the species in the southern tip of the peninsula. The birds were perched on fences and mesquites, catching insects at Ejido La Trinidad (37.5 km south of La Paz; 23° 48 ' N, 110° 19 ' W), where disturbed areas surrounded by open woodland and field crops dominated the landscape. Vegetation of the area was composed of mesquite (Prosopis articuiata), Choya ( Opuntia cholla) , palo verde ( Cercidium praecox ), Tacote ( Viguiera deltotdea), and isolated Dagger Cactus (Machaerocereus gummosus) , Organ Pipe Cactus ( Lemaireo - cereus thurberi), and Cardon ( Pachycereus pringlei) . We recognized these Western Kingbirds by their bright lemon yellow bellies, pale grayish throats and breasts, and gray heads, and particularly by the narrow white edging on each side of their black tails. The white edges on the outer feathers of the tail helped us to differentiate this species from Cassin’s Kingbird ( Tyrannus vociferans) , a regular winter visitor to Baja California Sur. Our records suggest that Western Kingbirds in the southern tip of Baja California must have been overlooked before. The avifauna of Baja California, especially of the southern part of the peninsula, has not been very well determined, and we want to call attention to the need for more intensive studies year round, mainly in the winter season, because Baja California Sur seems to receive a considerable number of overwintering bird species (Rodriguez 1988). We thank Amado, Franco, and Abelino Cota and Marcos Acevedo for field company. Support was provided by Centro de Investigaciones Biologicas, Secretaria de Pro- gramacion y Presupuesto, and Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia. LITERATURE CITED Peterson, R. T. 1990. A Field Guide to Western Birds. Houghton Mifflin, Boston. Peterson, R. T. , and Chalif, E. L. 1973. A Field Guide to Mexican Birds. Hough- ton Mifflin, Boston. Rodriguez, R. E. 1988. Avifauna, in La Sierra de La Laguna de Baja California Sur (L. Arriaga and A. Ortega, eds.), pp. 185-208. Centro de Investiga- ciones Biologicas Publ, 1. Short, L. L., Jr., and Banks, R. C. 1965. Notes on birds of northwestern Baja California. Trans. San Diego Soc. Nat. Hist. 14:41-52. Wilbur, S. R. 1987. Birds of Baja California. University of California Press, Berkeley. Accepted 1 December 1990 184 Western Birds 21:184. 1990 CORRIGENDUM Owing to a printer’s error at the final stage of production, Figure 10 in “The Tax- onomy, Distribution, and Status of Coastal California Cactus Wrens,” by Amadeo M. Rea and Kenneth L. Weaver (Western Birds 21: 81-126, 1990) was replaced by a dupli- cate copy of Figure 11. The correct Figure 10, with its legend, appears below. Also, in the tabulation on page 94, the numeral “22” should be “2.” The sum is correct. Western Birds regrets these errors. San Diego Vicinity Population Minimum number of distinguishing characters Figure 10. Number of characters (horizontal axis) distinguishing the San Diego-area population of the Cactus Wren (C. b. sandiegensis) from desert anthonyi (left) and peninsular bryanti (right). (Number of individuals on vertical axis.) Black bars, speci- mens scored for all possible character states; white bars, defective specimens lacking scores for one or more character states. All but six specimens from the San Diego area were distinguishable from desert anthonyi on the basis of three or more characters, while all but two were distinguish- able from peninsular bryanti on the basis of three or more characters (four speci- mens could not be scored for all characters). 185 WESTERN BIRDS, INDEX, VOLUME 21, 1990 Compiled by Mildred Comar Aegithalos minimus , 35-36, 114, 127, 130, 132, 133, 134 Aegolius acadicus, 12, 13, 14, 15 Aeronates saxatalis , 130 Aimophila cassinii , 165, 166 rujiceps , 114 Alauda arvensis , 146 Albatross, Laysan, 140, 177 Short-tailed, 149-150 Ammodramus caudacutus, 165 Amphispiza belli, 114 bilineata , 131 Anderson, Clifford M., and David M. Batchelder, First Confirmed Nesting of the Black-shouldered Kite in Washington, 37-38 Anhinga, 145, 147, 151 Anhinga anhinga, 145, 147, 151 Anser albifrons, 171 Anthus cervinus , 159 Aphelocoma coerulescens, 127, 128, 130, 132, 133, 134 Aquila chrysaetos, 128, 182 Archilochus alexandri, 157 colubris , 157. 162 Asiootus, 12, 14, 15, 129, 132, 133 Atwood, Jonathan L., see Collins, C. T. Avocet, American, 54, 56, 58, 60, 62, 63 Aythya fu/igula, 152 Batchelder, David M., see Anderson, C. M. Bevier, Louis R., Eleventh Report of the California Bird Records Committee, 145- 176 Black-Hawk, Common, 169 Bombycilla cedrorum , 131 Booby, Blue-footed, 168 Brown, 151 Brambling, 167 Branta leucopsis, 170-172 bernicla, 171, 172 canadensis , 171 Bubo virginianus , 12, 13, 14, 129 Bunting, Lazuli, 131 Painted, 165 Snow, 166, 167 Bushtit, 35-36, 114, 127, 130, 132, 133, 134 Buteo albonotatus , 152, 169 jamaicensis, 128 Buteogallus anthracinus, 169 Western Birds 21: 187-192, 1990 Calcarius pictus, 146 Calidris alpina, 54, 57, 60-63 mauri, 54, 57, 59-63 minutilla, 54, 56, 60 ruficollis, 153 Callipepla californica, 113 gambelii , 128 Calonectris leucornelas, 150 Calypte anna, 130 costae, 114, 130 Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus, 81-126, 130, 185 Caprimulgus carolinensis, 77, 137-138 Cardinal, Northern, 164-165, 172 Cardinalis cardinalis, 164-165, 172 sinuatus, 165 Carduelis flammea, 167-168, 170 hornemanni . 168 lawrencei, 131, 132, 133 psaltria, 33-34, 131, 133 Carpodacus cassinii, 131 mexicanus, 131, 179 Catbird, Gray, 159, 172 Catharus fuscescens, 159 guttatus, 130 minimus, 159 Catherpes mexicanus, 130, 133 Catoptrophorus semipalmatus, 54, 55, 62 Chamaea fasciata, 114 Charadrius alexandrinus, 39-40 hiaticula, 169 uociferus, 177 Chen canagica, 152 Chickadee, Mountain, 130 Chloroceryle americana , 170 Chordeiles acutipennis, 129 Chuck-will’s- widow, 77, 137-138 Cistothorus platensis , 158-159, 163, 164 Coccyzus erythropthalmus, 156 Colaptes auratus, 130 Collins, Charles T., and Jonathan L. Atwood, First Records of the Thick-billed Kingbird in Baja California, Mexico, 75-76; Dale Delaney, and Jonathan Atwood, First Record of the Great Kiskadee in Baja California. Mexico, 73-74; see also Foerster, K. S. Columbina talpacoti, 145, 147, 155-156 inca, 155 passering, 155, 156 187 Contopus pertinax, 158 sordidulus, 130 Cormorant, Olivaceous, 151 Corvus corax, 130 Coturnicops noveboracensis, 153, 169 Cowbird, Brown-headed, 35-36, 179 Cuckoo, Black-billed, 156 Curlew, Long-billed 54, 55, 62 Cygnus buccinator, 152 cygnus, 168 Cynanthus latirostris, 156-157 Cypseloides niger , 1-9 Delaney, Dale, see Collins, C. T. Dendrocygna autumnalis, 151 Dendroica sp., 179 cerulea, 160 coronata, 131 dominica, 160 graciae, 160 riigrescens, 131 occidentalis, 131 pinus , 160 toumsendi, 131 Diomedea albatrus , 149-150 immutabilis, 140, 177 Dominguez, Raymundo, see Rodriguez- Estreila, R. Dove, Common Ground, 155, 156 Inca, 155 Mourning, 128, 179 Ruddy Ground, 145, 147, 155-156 White-winged, 177 Dowitcher spp., 54, 56, 58, 60, 63 Long-billed, 56, 57 Short-billed, 57 Duck, Black-bellied Whistling, 151 Tufted, 152 Dumetella carolinensis, 159, 172 Dunlin, 54, 57, 60-63 Eagle, Golden, 128, 182 Egret, Reddish, 151 Egretta rufescens , 151 Eider, King, 152 Elanus caeruleu s, 37-38 Empidonax difficilis, 130 flauiventris, 158 Ernpidonomus uarius, 146 Eugenes fulgens, 169-170 Falco peregrinus, 181-183 rusticolus, 153 sparuerius, 132, 133, 177 Falcon, Peregrine, 181-183 Finch, Cassin’s, 131 House, 131, 179 Flicker, Northern (Red-shafted), 130 Flycatcher, Ash-throated, 130 Dusky-capped, 158 Great Crested, 158 Scissor-tailed, 158, 172 Sulphur-bellied, 146 Variegated, 146 Western, 130 Yellow-bellied, 158 Foerster, Kevin S., and Charles T. Collins, Breeding Distribution of the Black Swift in Southern California, 1-9 Fringilla montifringilla , 167 Garrett, Kimball L., Leucistic Black- vented Shearwaters {Puff in us opisthomelas ) in Southern Califor- nia, 69-72 Gauia adamsii, 17-24, 148-149, 168, 172 immer, 17-22 Glaucidiurn gnoma , 12, 14, 15 Gnatcatcher, Black-Tailed, 101 Blue-gray, 130, 133 California, 81, 114, 115 Godwit, Marbled, 54, 56, 60, 62 Goldfinch, Lawrence’s, 131, 132, 133 Lesser, 33-34, 131, 133 Goose, Barnacle, 147, 170-172 Canada, 171 Emperor, 152 White-fronted, 171 Grackle, Common, 167, 170 Grosbeak, Black-headed, 131 Ground-Dove, Common, 155, 156 Ruddy, 155-156 Gubanich, Alan A., and Howard R. Panik, Cowbird Parasitism on the Lead-colored Bushtit, 35-36 Gull, Common Black-headed, 145, 155, 169 Little, 154 Ring-billed, 177 Western, 177 Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus , 132, 133 Gyrfalcon, 153 Haematopus palliatus, 153 Harris, Stanley W., and Ben Hawkins, A Specimen of Chuck-will’s-widow from Humboldt County, California, 77 188 Hawk, Common Black, 169 Red-tailed, 128 Zone-tailed, 152, 169 Hawkins. Ben, see Harris, S, W. Helmitheros vermivorus, 161 Heron, Yellow-crowned Night, 151 Holway, David A., Patterns of Winter Shorebird Occurrence in a San Francisco Bay Marsh, 51-64 Howell, Steve N. G., Identification of White and Black-backed Wagtails in Alternate Plumage, 41-49 Hummingbird, Anna’s, 130 Black-chinned, 157 Broad-billed, 156-157 Costa’s, 114, 130 Magnificent, 169-170 Ruby- throated, 157, 162 Icterus galbula , 131 parisorum, 131, 132, 133 Ictinia mississippiensis, 152, 168 plumbea, 152 Ixoreus naeuius, 179 Jay, Pinyon, 132, 133 Scrub, 127, 128, 130, 132, 133,134 Junco, Dark-eyed, 131, 179 Junco hyemalis, 131, 179 Kestrel, American, 132, 133, 177 Killdeer, 177 Kingbird, Thick-billed, 75-76, 158 Western, 130, 184 Kingfisher, Green, 170 Kinglet, Ruby-crowned, 130 Kiskadee, Great, 73-74 Kite, Black-shouldered, 37-38 Mississippi, 152, 168 Plumbeous, 152 Lanius ludovicianus, 131 Larus delawarensis, 177 minutus, 154 occidentalism 177 ridibundus, 145, 155, 169 Limnodromus spp., 54, 56, 58, 60, 63 griseus, 57 scotopaceus, 56, 57 Limosa fedoa, 54, 56, 60, 62 Longspur, Smith’s, 146 Loon, Common, 17-22 Yellow-billed, 17-24, 148-149, 168, 172 Mata, Eustolia, see Rodriguez-Estrella, R. McCaskie, Guy, First Record of the Band-rumped Storm-Petrel in California, 65-68; and Richard E. Webster, A Second Wedge-tailed Shearwater in California, 139-140 Meadowlark, Western, 179 Melanerpes erythrocephalus, 157 formicivorus, 130, 132 Mellink, Eric, and Eduardo Palacios, Observations on Isla Guadalupe in November 1989, 177-180 Mimus polyglottos, 131, 179 Mockingbird, Northern, 131, 179 Molothrus ater, 35-36, 179 Morlan, Joseph, see Webster, R. E. Motacilla alba, 41-50 flava, 159 lugens, 41-49, 159 Myadestes townsendi, 130 Myiarchus cinerascens , 130 crinitus, 158 tuberculifer , 158 Myiodynastes luteiuentris, 146 Nighthawk, Lesser, 129 Night-Fleron, Yellow-crowned, 151 Noble, Paul L., Distribution and Density of Owls at Monte Bello Open Space Preserve, Santa Clara County, California, 11-16 Numenius americanus, 54, 55, 62 Nyctanassa oiolacea, 151 Nyctea scaridiaca, 156 Oceanites oceanicas, 66, 147, 150-151 Oceanodroma castro, 65-68 leucorhoa , 65, 66, 140, 177 meiania, 65, 66, 140 microsoma, 65, 66, 140 Oporornis agilis, 161 formosus, 161, 170 Philadelphia, 161 Oreortyx pictus, 127, 128, 132, 133, 136 Oriole, Northern (Bullock’s), 131 Scott’s, 131, 132, 133 Otus kennicottii, 12, 13, 14, 15 Owl, Barn 12, 15 Barred, 147, 156 Great Horned, 12, 13, 14, 129 Long-eared, 12, 14, 15, 129, 132, 133 Northern Pygmy, 12, 14, 15 189 Northern Saw-whet, 12, 13, 14, 15 Snowy, 156 Western Screech, 12, 13, 14, 15 Oystercatcher, American, 153 Palacios, Eduardo, see Mellink, E. Panik, Howard R., see Gubanich, A. A. Parus gamheli, 130 inornatus, 127, 128, 132, 133 Passerella iliaca, 131 Passerina amoena, 131 ciris, 165 Pavelka, Mark A,, Peregrine Falcons Nesting in San Diego, California, 181-183 Peterson, A, Townsend, Birds of Eagle Mountain, Joshua Tree National Monument, California, 127-135 Petrel, Cook’s, 140, 147, 168 Mottled, 150 Pewee, Greater, 158 Western Wood, 130 Phainopepla, 131, 179 Phainopepla nitens, 131, 179 Phalacrocorax oliuaceus , 151 Pheucticus melanocephalus , 131 Phillips, Allan R., Identification and Southward Limits, in America, of Gavia adamsii , the Yellow-billed Loon, 17-24 Philomachus pugnox , 153-154 Phoebe, Say’s, 130 Piazza, John J., First Documented Record of Chuck-will’s- widow in New Mexico, 137-138 Picoides scalaris, 130, 133 tridactyfus, 157 Pipilo chlorurus , 131 crissalis, 114 erythrophthalmus , 114, 131, 132, 133 Pipit, Red-throated, 159 Piranga ludoviciana, 131 oliuacea, 164 Pitangus sulphuratus, 73-74 Plectrophenax niualis, 166, 167 Plover, Black-bellied, 54, 56, 57, 59 Common Ringed, 169 Snowy, 39-40 Pluuialis squatarola, 54, 56, 57, 59 Polioptila caerulea, 130, 133 californica , 81, 114, 115 melanura, 101 Protonotaria citrea, 161 Psaltriparus minimus, 35-36, 114, 127, 130, 132, 133, 134 Pterodromo cookii, 140, 147, 168 inexpectata, 150 Puffinus bulled , 140 carneipes, 139 griseus , 139, 140 opisthomelas, 69-72 pacificus, 139-140, 150 tenuirostr is, 139 Pyrrhuioxia, 165 Quail, California, 113 Gambel’s, 128 Mountain, 127, 128, 132, 133, 136 Quiscalus quiscula, 167, 170 Rail, Yellow, 153, 169 Raven, Common, 130 Rea, Amadeo M., and Kenneth L. Weaver, The Taxonomy, Distribution, and Status of Coastal California Cactus Wrens, 81-126 Recurvirostra cimericana, 54, 56, 58, 60, 62, 63 Redpoll, Common, 167-168, 170 Hoary, 168 Redshank, Spotted, 153, 172 Regulus calendula, 130 Rivera R., Laura, see Rodriguez-Estrella, R. Roberson, Don, see Webster, R. E. Robin, Rufous-backed, 159 Rodriguez-Estrella, Ricardo, Laura Rivera Rodriguez, Eustolia Mata, and Raymundo Dominguez, First Record of the Western Kingbird ( Tyrannus verticals) in Baja California Sur, 184 Ruff, 153-154 Salpinctes obsoletus , 130, 179 Sandpiper, Buff-breasted, 153, 154, 169 Least, 54, 56, 60 Rufous-necked, 153 Western, 54, 57, 59-63 Sagornis saga, 130 Screech-Owl, Western, 12, 13, 14, 15 Shearwater, Black-vented, 69-72 Buller’s, 140 Flesh-footed, 139 Short-tailed, 139 Sooty, 140 Streaked, 150 Wedge-tailed, 139-140, 150 Shrike, Loggerhead, 131 190 Skylark, Eurasian, 146 Solitaire, Townsend’s, 130 Somateria spectabilis, 152 Sparrow, Black-chinned, 131, 132, 133 Black- throated, 131 Cassin’s, 165, 166 Fox, 131 Rufous-crowned, 114 Sage, 114 Sharp-tailed, 165 White-crowned, 131, 179 Spizella atrogularis, 131, 132, 133 Starling, European, 179 Stephens, Daniel A., Cheryl Webb, and Charles H. Trost, First Report of Nesting Lesser Goldfinch in Idaho, 33-34 Sterna anaethetus, 30 caspia, 78-80 fuscata , 25-32 sanduieensis, 155 Stint, Rufous-necked, 153 Storm-Petrel, Band-rumped, 65-68 Black, 65, 66, 140 Leach’s, 65, 66, 67, 140, 177 Least, 65, 66, 140 Wilson’s, 66, 67, 147, 150-151 Strix uaria, 156 Sturnella neglecta, 179 Sturnus vulgaris , 179 Sula ieucogaster, 151 nebouxii, 168 Swallow, Violet-green, 130 Swan, Trumpeter, 152 Whooper, 168 Swift, Black, 1-9 White-throated, 130 Tachycineta thalassina, 130 Tanager, Scarlet, 164 Western, 131 Taylor, Daniel M,, The Caspian Tern in Idaho, 78-80 Tern, Bridled, 30 Caspian, 78-80 Sandwich, 155 Sooty, 25-32 Thrasher, California, 114, 132, 133 Thrush, Gray-cheeked, 159 Hermit, 130 Varied, 179 Thryomanes bewickii , 114, 128, 130, 133, 134 Titmouse, Plain, 127, 128, 132, 133 Towhee, California, 114 Green-tailed, 131 Rufous-sided, 114, 131, 132, 133 Toxostoma rediuivum, 114, 132, 133 Tringa erythropus , 153, 172 Troglodytes bewickii, 114, 128, 130, 133, 134 Trost, Charles H., see Stephens, D. A. Tryngites subruficollis , 153, 154, 169 Turdus rufopalliatus, 159 Tyrannus crassirostris, 75-76, 158 forficatus, 158, 172 verticalis, 130, 184 Tyto alba, 12, 15 Veery, 159 Vermivora celata , 131 pinus, 160 Vireo, Gray, 131, 132, 133 Hutton’s, 131 Philadelphia, 159, 170 Solitary, 131 Warbling, 131 Yellow-green, 159-160, 170 Yellow-throated, 145, 159 Vireo flauifrons, 159 flauoviridis, 159-160, 170 gilvus, 131 huttoni, 131 philadelphicus, 159, 170 solitarius, 131 vicinior , 131, 132, 133 Wagtail, Black-backed, 41-49, 159 White, 41-50 Yellow, 159 Warbler, sp., 179 Black-throated Gray, 131 Blue-winged, 160 Cerulean, 160 Connecticut, 161 Grace’s, 160 Hermit, 131 Kentucky, 161, 170 Mourning, 161 Orange-crowned, 131 Pine, 160 Prothonotary, 161 Townsend’s, 131 Wilson’s, 131 Worm-eating, 161 Yellow-rumped, 131 Yellow-throated, 160 Waxwing, Cedar, 131 191 Weaver, Kenneth L., see Rea, A. M. Webb, Cheryl, see Stephens, D. A. Webster, Richard E., Joseph Morlan, and Don Roberson, First Record of the Sooty Tern in California, 25-32; see also McCaskie, G. Whistling-Duck, Black-bellied, 151 Willet, 54, 55, 62 Wilsonia pusilla, 131 Winchell, Clark S., First Breeding Record of the Snowy Plover for San Clemente Island, 39-40 Woodpecker, Acorn, 130, 132 Ladder-backed, 130, 133 Red-headed, 157 Three-toed, 145, 157 Wood-Pewee, Western, 130 Wren, Bewick’s, 114, 128, 130, 133, 134 Cactus, 81-126, 130, 185 Canyon, 130, 133 Rock, 130, 179 Sedge, 158-159, 163, 164 Wrentit, 114 Zenaida asiatica , 177 macroura, 128, 179 Zonotrichia leucophrys, 131, 179 Ruddy Ground-Dove Sketch by Tim Manolis 192 Volume 21, Number 4, 1990 Eleventh Report of the California Bird Records Committee Louis R. Bevier 145 NOTES Observations on Isla Guadalupe in November 1989 Eric Mellink and Eduardo Palacios 177 Peregrine Falcons Nesting in San Diego, California Mark A. Pauelka 181 First Record of the Western Kingbird (Tyrannus verticalis ) in Baja California Sur Ricardo Rodriguez- Estrella, Laura Rivera Rodriguez, Eustolia Mata , and Raymundo Dominguez 184 Corrigendum 185 Bulletin Board 186 Index Mildred Comar 187 Cover photo courtesy of Sea & Sage Audubon Nature Library/ photo by James R. Gallagher: Red-breasted Sapsucker ( Sphyraplcus ruber daggetti), San Bernardino Mountains, California. Western Birds solicits papers that are both useful to and understandable by amateur field ornithologists and also contribute significantly to scientific litera- ture. The journal welcomes contributions from both professionals and amateurs. Appropriate topics include distribution, migration, status, identifica- tion, geographic variation, conservation, behavior, ecology, population dynamics, habitat requirements, the effects of pollution, and techniques for censusing, sound recording, and photographing birds in the field. Papers of general interest will be considered regardless of their geographic origin, but particularly desired are reports of studies done in or bearing on the Rocky Mountain and Pacific states and provinces, including Alaska and Hawaii, western Texas, northwestern Mexico, and the northeastern Pacific Ocean. Send manuscripts to Philip Unitt, 3411 Felton Street, San Diego, CA 92104. For matter of style consult the Suggestions to Contributors to Western Birds (8 pages available at no cost from the editor) and the Council of Biology Editors Style Manual (available for $24 from the Council of Biology Editors, Inc. , 9650 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20814. Reprints can be ordered at author’s expense from the Editor when proof is returned or earlier. Good photographs of rare and unusual birds, unaccompanied by an article but with caption including species, date, locality and other pertinent information, are wanted for publication in Western Birds. Submit photos and captions to Photo Editor. 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