[obol] Re: unusual SPOTTED TOWHEE
- From: David Irons <llsdirons@xxxxxxx>
- To: <dawning@xxxxxxx>, OBOL Oregon Birders Online <obol@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2013 06:42:19 +0000
Joni,
As you have likely figured out, the resident Spotted Towhees that inhabit the
Willamette Valley are the least spotted of the Spotted Towhee populations. They
are of the subspecies oregonus. That said, we get some transient Spotted
Towhees, particularly at this season when some of the more migratory
populations are on the move. It's hard to say what subspecies the more spotted
versions represent, as there are several heavily-spotted populations, including
P. m. montanus or P. m. curtatus, with the latter's range covering much of
eastern Oregon.
Keep in mind that when you start talking about subspecies you can't necessarily
apply the same thinking that you do when talking about species. Since all of
these populations are Spotted Towhees and their ranges overlap, we can presume
that there is interbreeding occurring between the populations. Further, age
will affect the amount of spotting that you see. It's probably most appropriate
to refer to the heavily-spotted birds in w. Oregon as "interior" types
(arcticus/montanus/curtatus), rather than trying to assign a subspecific name.
In essence, any heavily-spotted Spotted Towhee seen in the Willamette Valley is
to some degree out of range.
I commend you for paying attention to the common species in your yard. During
migratory seasons you can expect to see some "out of towners" (a term that
Mike Patterson has used on occasion) interspersed with the locals. If you
happen to get photos of one of these birds, I, for one, would love to see them.
Dave IronsPortland, OR
> Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2013 19:24:12 -0700
> To: obol@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> From: dawning@xxxxxxx
> Subject: [obol] unusual SPOTTED TOWHEE
>
> This afternoon our Eugene backyard was visited by a male Spotted
> Towhee that had more numerous white back and scapular spots than I've
> ever seen here before. It resembled the illustration of the arcticus
> subspecies as illustrated in the Nat. Geo. field guide. I am hoping
> that one or two of you more experienced birders would share some info
> about the likelihood of an out of range subspecies appearing here.
> We will try for a photo if it reappears.
> Thanks,
> j
>
>
>
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