[obol] Allen's Hummingbird reporting in Oregon.....future sightings in eBird

From: Russ Namitz <namitzr@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "obol@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <obol@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Tue, 26 May 2020 17:07:36 +0000

Calling all Curry County eBirders, birdwatchers, listers, lurkers, birders,
photographers & curmudgeons~

You may be aware of a recent behavioral study and subsequent article on a
Rufous/Allen's Hummingbird hybrid zone (see attached pdf) and that the
epicenter of said proposed hybrid zone predominates in northern Curry County.
As it states in the paper, there will be a follow-up genetic study and article
in the next year that is expected to collaborate the hybrid zone.

In light of that AND due the near impossible task of differentiating
female/immature migrating Rufous from those same age classes of Allen's in
July, I have lowered the filters in eBird (seen below).

[cid:a134b11c-e3e9-4e1e-baba-0688e8ff2982]

As you can see, I have accounted from migrating male RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRDS in
spring that should be very easy to ID at feeders with the first migrants
arriving around mid-January (filter Jan 15 - Feb 1 =1).

I have a "place holder" for the arrival of male ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRD during the
2nd week of February (filter Feb 8 - Feb 15 = 1), but will probably move it
down to zero and be looking for photos, sound recordings and written
descriptions of male display flights to validate territorial males. This will
be the new "norm" for validating ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRD in Oregon.

Furthermore, I will probably go through records for the last 10 years and
remove those records that don't pertain to displaying male birds.  As hybrid
zones are known to shift over the years due to multiple variables, records
older than 10 years will be left for historical value.

Believe me, this a pain...not only for observers, but also for eBird Reviewers
as well as there is no current way to set filters to a specific region within a
county or to a specific time frame with a cutoff date.  So, I now have over 400
Allen's Hummingbird records to sift through.  Evolution and biology are messy
and we do the best we can with documenting and understanding the ebb and flow,
so please bear with me. My point is, don't be offended if your sighting doesn't
make it into the public database.

David Rankin, one of the authors of the aforementioned study, said, "My
experience is that reasonably pure Allen's Hummingbirds can be found in Curry
County, though they are outnumbered by hybrids."  So, there is no need to go
taking Allen's Hummingbirds off one's list as they genuinely do occur and,
after all, your list is YOUR list.

Finally, although this email mainly pertains to eBird and eBird filter
treatment, it appeals to the broader issue of avian knowledge and geographic
distribution of bird species in Oregon.

Thank you for your understanding,
Russ Namitz
Coos/Curry eBird Reviewer

PS: Comments and thoughts are certainly welcome.

Attachment: Rufous_Allens_Hybrid_Zone.pdf
Description: Rufous_Allens_Hybrid_Zone.pdf

Follow-Ups:
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  - From: whoffman

[obol] Allen's Hummingbird reporting in Oregon.....future sightings in eBird

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