[obol] Re: Heto Warblers in Oregon: Why aren't there more reports?
- From: Steve Kornfeld <sbkornfeld@xxxxxxx>
- To: "whoffman@xxxxxxxx" <whoffman@xxxxxxxx>, Alan Contreras <acontrer56@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 19 May 2014 09:24:32 -0700
Heto's are not uncommon at all along the Cascade Eastern slope extending down
into Bend and Sisters. In fact I expect to run into a few on any given outing.
This is also a excellent Sapsucker Hybrid zone. It all seemed to go
together.
For a long time I was often confused separating out Townsends from Hermit songs
in this area. I still struggle but I concluded some of the difficulty came
from the vocalization's of Heto's
All part of the fun of birding Central Oregon
Steve Kornfeld
Bend
Date: Mon, 19 May 2014 08:44:53 -0700
Subject: [obol] Re: Heto Warblers in Oregon: Why aren't there more reports?
From: whoffman@xxxxxxxx
To: acontrer56@xxxxxxxxx
CC: greenfant@xxxxxxxxxxx; obol@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sievert Rohwer and associates have been studying these hybrid zones for quite a
while. They mapped 3 zones - 2 in Washington and one in Oregon.
The current breeding range of Townsend's Warbler is from Alaska down through
British Columbia into the Washington Cascades, and also into the Olympic
Peninsula, with hybrid zones in both areas. Townsend's breeding range also
extends through SE British Columbia into the northern Rockies and loops SW into
the Wallowas, Blue Mtns, and Ochocos, and into the Oregon Cascades in the
region west of the Ochocos - basically from near Mt. Jefferson, south toward
the Three Sisters. It is my understanding that most of the overlap is east of
the crest of the Cascades. I have seen hybrids in the area just west of the
Metolius River.
Wayne
On Sun, May 18, 2014 at 9:25 PM, Alan Contreras <acontrer56@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
My understanding is that hybrids have been reported in the c Oregon Cascades.
Townsend's is a rare local breeder south to the Santiam Pass area, at least. I
once found a breeding pair at Fish Lake, Linn Co. I think they have bred
occasionally to the Newberry-Winter Rim area, but that may be faulty
recollection.
An expert on this issue is Stewart Janes at Southern Oregon U.
Alan ContrerasEugene, Oregon
acontrer56@xxxxxxxxx
Sent from my iPhone
On May 18, 2014, at 9:16 PM, Stefan Schlick <greenfant@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Townsend's Warbler does NOT breed in the OR Coast Range, so all high elevation
"dendroica" (now "setophaga") are Hermits. The OR Cascades host both. I've
always wondered why there are no reports of hybrid Hermit warblers from Oregon.
[Btw, Heto warbler refers to Hermit x Townsend's Warbler hybrids]. Partly, this
has to do with that it's just not on the Oregon birder's radar to look for
appropriate field marks.
These birds do come through Oregon, but there may not be a hybridization zone
in OR. There are 2 hybridization zones in WA state, one in the southern
Cascades near Packwood, the other in the SE Olympics.
In terms of song, one should not rely on songs with respect to hybrids. I've
personally heard a classic Hermit song, yet when I got a glimpse, it was an
obvious hybrid. I have heard tweener songs in both Mason and Jefferson County
in WA state, where the bird ended up being the expected hybrid. I've also seen
pure Hermit in both counties.
So, please inspect your local Hermits for aspects of hybridization. The 3 best
field marks are:
-Yellow on the breast: A Hermit with yellow on the breast is not pure
-Black streaking on the flanks: Should be very limited to nil on Hermit-Back
color: Gray on Hermit, green on Townsend's
Stefan SchlickHillsboro, OR
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