[va-richmond-general] Re: An immodest proposal

Jim

As you have noticed, White-throated Sparrows come in two "morphs", white stripe 
and tan stripe.? They're the same species.? Interestingly there is a preference 
in choosing a mate of the opposite morph.? This is because they have different 
temperaments as well as different plumages.? The white stripe ones are more 
aggressive, the tan stripe ones are more nurturing.? The explanation is that 
two white stripes would neglect the kids and two tan stripes would be wimps.? 
So, the ideal parents would be one of each.? Doesn't matter which sex is tan 
stripe or white stripe.? Ain't natural selection wonderful?

Wendy Ealding
Powhatan County


-----Original Message-----
From: Jim Blowers <jimvb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: va-richmond-general@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Thu, 24 Apr 2008 1:12 pm
Subject: [va-richmond-general] Re: An immodest proposal



We still have White-Throated Sparrows, or as I call them, Chipmunk Birds.
But the White-Throated Sparrows we have now have a brilliant white stripe
near their eyes instead of a tan stripe, which I saw most of the winter.
Evidently there are two varieties of them.

Jim Blowers

-----Original Message-----
From: va-richmond-general-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:va-richmond-general-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Lewis Barnett
Sent: Thursday, 2008 April 17 08:46
To: CLAPPR@xxxxxx
Cc: va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx; va-richmond-general@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [va-richmond-general] Re: An immodest proposal

It may be a little early to call "last of year" on Juncos. I still had 
one in my yard yesterday, as well as four or five White-throated 
Sparrows. Still waiting for my FOY hummingbird.

Lewis

-- 
Lewis Barnett -- Chair, Dept. of Math & CS, U. of Richmond, VA 23173
              -- lbarnett@xxxxxxxxxxxx | lbarnett@xxxxxxx
              -- http://www.mathcs.richmond.edu/~lbarnett/

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