I didn’t see this reported on OBOL yet. Sorry if it’s already been posted.
From Nathan Swick in ABA.org:
“Treat Northwestern Crow *Corvus caurinus* as conspecific with American Crow
*C. brachyrhynchos*
Lumps have been out of fashion for some time, but this is one that many
birders have been expecting nonetheless. Northwestern Crow has been
controversial since it was described in the 19th Century. The crows of the
northwest coast differ slightly from American Crows in behavior and
vocalization, and the ABA Area birders have tied themselves in knots trying
to find a “pure” Northwestern Crow for decades. A recent study that looked
at the genetics of crows in northwestern Washington and southwestern
British Columbia makes clear what many birders have suspected, that
hybridization is extremely common among American Crows and “Northwestern”
Crows in moderns times. While the populations may have been diverging
thousands of years ago, they have been coming back together for some time
now. At least we don’t have to pretend anymore.”
Amy Summerfelt
Dallas, TX/Newport, OR
