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Box 744, Rick Wright, Frank Izaguirre Celebrations: Ioana Seritan 93 Clinton Street, Suite ABA, Delaware City, Delaware, 19706. Frontiers in Ornithology: Periodicals postage paid at Newark, Delaware and additional mail- Paul Hess, Nick Minor ing o¤ces. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Birding, P.O. Featured Photo: Peter Pyle Box 3070, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 80934. Membership EDITORIAL INTERN prices are as noted above. Copyright © 2019 by the American Frank Izaguirre Birding Association, Inc. Printed by Publishers Press, Shepherds- ville, Kentucky. All rights reserved. The views and opinions expressed in this magazine are those of each contributing writer and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of the PUBLISHER American Birding Association or its management. The ABA is not American Birding Association responsible for the quality of products or services advertised in GRAPHIC DESIGN Birding, except those products or services o§ered directly by the & PRODUCTION association. Return postage guaranteed: Send undeliverable cop- Ed Rother, ER Graphics ies and POD Forms 3579 to P.O. Box 3070, Colorado Springs, ADVERTISING Colorado, 80934. For Canadian returns mail to WDS, Station A, John Lowry P.O. Box 54, Windsor, Ontario, N9A 6J5. GST registration No. MAP PRODUCTION R135943454. Canadian Publications Agreement No. 40033104. Kei Sochi EDITORIAL CONSULTANT Twitter: twitter.com/BirdingMagazine Peter Pyle Facebook: facebook.com/Birders WEBSITE & SOCIAL MEDIA David Hartley Blog: blog.aba.org Greg Neise Nate Swick Birding Online: aba.org/magazine About Birding Magazine I Birding is the bimonthly members’ magazine of the American Birding Association. Coverage in Birding extends to all topics having to do with the awareness, understanding, and appreciation of wild birds and their habitats. Identification, conservation, and basic biology are major thematic emphases for Birding. We especially welcome submissions that address the human dimension of bird study. Along with six regular issues of Birding, all ABA members receive two additional special issues of Birding, with each special issue focusing on a particular theme or topic. Birding Online I Birding and the ABA provide a wide array of e-resources for the association’s membership, as well as for the broader birding community. Get access to all ABA publications, including Birding, at aba.org/magazine. From there, you are just one click away from the current issue of Birding (including expanded online content) and a complete run of all recent issues of Birding. Also get access to Birder’s Guide archives and North American Birds (subscriber username required), plus The ABA Blog, the American Birding podcast, Listing Central, and classified ads. Instructions for Contributors I Birding welcomes contributions from all members of the birding community. We solicit contributions on anything having to do with wild birds and their habitats, and we particularly favor contributions that focus on North America, the joy of birding, and nature study in the digital era. If you are interested in contributing, an excellent first step is to acquaint yourself with Birding and the ABA membership. Browse Birding Online (aba.org/magazine) to view recent content. Then contact Editor Ted Floyd (tfl[email protected]) with an idea or proposal, and we’ll go from there. 2 BIRDING | JUNE 2019 Additional Additional online CONTENTS online content content exclusively for everyone for members vol. 51 • no. 3 | June 2019 ON THE COVER: 8 18 Suleka Deevi (left) and Jessica Birding Together A Birding Interview Melfi (right, with daughter The Cause of Birding, Part II with HOLLY MERKER Francesca) birding together Rethinking why we support Paying it forward: Nature therapy, in West Virginia. See p. 9 for more. birding and the ABA citizen science, community building Photo by © Jerey A. Gordon. JEFFREY A. GORDON 6 24 10 Frontiers in Ornithology About the Celebrations Contributors Data & discoveries in the world of birds ABA members’ milestones and other birding joys I “Blue” vs. “White”— Species or Subspecies? compiled by I Swifts’ Endless Flight IOANA SERITAN Is Nearly E­ortless I Great Gray Owls Revisit Habitat Ravaged by Fire Extended content available to members in the digital edition. Go online: aba.org/magazine PAUL HESS continued on p. 5 Conservation&Community Get a roomful of birders—or, better, a field trip full of birders—all together, and the conversation inevitably turns, sooner or later, to bird conservation. In this issue of Birding, we focus on the diverse ways in which the birding community is proactively and eectively engaging the cause of bird conservation. 34 48 Desert Avicaching To Play or Not to Play? Citizen science, technology, What science can tell us about conservation the use of playback in birding JENNIE DUBERSTEIN and LAURYN BENEDICT CHRISTOPHER McCREEDY 58 42 Conservation The Scorpion Milestones Rock Project Celebrating and appreciating Habitat restoration in ABA members’ bird conservation Ornithologist Kasha Strong California’s Channel Islands initiatives studies a Rock Wren. See article, p. 48. RAYMOND VanBUSKIRK CHUCK GRAHAM Photo by © Lauryn Benedict JUNE 2019 | ABA.ORG/MAGAZINE 3 Birding is published by the American Birding Associa- tion, Inc., a not-for-profit organization that inspires all people to enjoy and protect wild birds. The American Birding Association, Inc., seeks to encourage and represent the North American birding community and to provide resources through publica- tions, meetings, partnerships, and birder networks. The ABA’s education programs develop birding skills, an understanding of birds, and the will to conserve. The ABA’s conservation programs oer birders unique ways to protect birds and their habitats. CHAIR Scott Fraser DIRECTORS Carl Bendorf • Julie Davis • Matthew Fraker Neil Hayward • Ann Nightingale Jennifer Owen-White • Terry Rich Paul Riss • Linda Rockwell • Bill Sain Lili Taylor • Arnella Trent • Magill Weber PRESIDENT Jerey A. Gordon FINANCE Lisa Slocum MEMBERSHIP & COMMUNICATIONS David Hartley, Webmaster LeAnn Pilger, Member Services Greg Neise, Web Developer Nathan Swick, Social Media Kelly Smith, Headquarters Operations Manager CONSERVATION & COMMUNITY Liz Gordon, Birders’ Exchange Logistics Jennie Duberstein, Young Birder Liaison EVENTS Liz Gordon, Coordinator PUBLICATIONS Ted Floyd, Birding Michael L. P. Retter, Birder’s Guide Mike Hudson, North American Birds John Lowry, Advertising Ed Rother, Design & Production PAST BOARD CHAIRS Louis Morrell (2010–2017) Dick Ashford (2009–2010) Tom Pincelli (2007–2009) Bettie R. Harriman (2006–2007) Richard H. Payne (1999–2006) Allan R. Keith (1997–1999) Daniel T. Williams, Jr. (1993–1997) Allan R. Keith (1989–1993) Lawrence G. Balch (1983–1989) Joseph W. Taylor (1979–1983) Arnold Small (1976–1979) G. Stuart Keith (1973–1976) G. Stuart Keith (1970 pro tem) 4 BIRDING | JUNE 2019 Additional Additional online CONTENTS online content content exclusively for everyone for members vol. 51 • no. 3 | June 2019 continued from p. 3 62 Featured Photo The White Rump Revisited Another look at white rumps and upper-tail coverts: A sandpiper case study Join the online conversation about the featured photo: aba.org/magazine TONY LEUKERING 66 Book & Media Reviews Analysis & appreciation of the birding literature edited by RICK WRIGHT and FRANK IZAGUIRRE ■ New field guides for birding Central America a review by KNUT EISERMANN ■ Starlings and humans on the continuum of life a review by CAPPER NICHOLS ■ “Ask Rick Wright”— thoughts on being birderly a quasi-review by TED FLOYD Extended online book reviews! Read the reviews, discuss the reviews, buy the books: aba.org/magazine 74 Featured Photo Quiz yourself! Before you read the author’s answer and analysis (p. 62), join the online discussion about these mystery birds: aba.org/magazine Ruby-crowned Kinglet. See article, p. 34. Photo by © Christopher McCreedy JUNE 2019 | ABA.ORG/MAGAZINE 5 ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTORS Raymond VanBuskirk Christopher McCreedy is a Re- is co-owner of BRANT Na- search Associate at Point Blue Conserva- ture Tours, a New Mexico– tion Science and an Environmental Con- based nature travel company sultant with Atwell, a consulting, engi- committed to environmental neering, and construction services rm. and social justice. Raymond For 20 years, Christopher has directed also leads birding tours for research on the birds and ecosystems of WINGS, instructs young the Mohave and Sonoran desert regions. birding camps for National He lives with his wife in Tucson, Arizona. Audubon and the ABA, and is Sales and Marketing Man- Lauryn Benedict is As-