A Tentative Key to the Species of Kingbirds, with Distributional Notes

j. Field OJnithol., 65(3):295-306

A TENTATIVE KEY TO THE SPECIES OF KINGBIRDS, WITH DISTRIBUTIONAL NOTES

ALLAN R. PHILLIPS Reforma825-A, ColoniaChapultepec San Nicolds de los Garza 66450 Nuevo Le6n, M•xico

Abstract.-•A key to the known speciesof ;I}'rannusis presented,with their corrected distributions.The subgenusMuscivora (Scissor- and Fork-tailedFlycatchers) is included. A main problem, the Tropical Kingbird group (T melancholicusand allies), is now clarified on the Caribbeanslope of Mexico (Gulf of Mexico) and of Guatemala;it remains uncertain on the Pacificslope. Though two (or more?) speciesare involvedhere, all are more similar to each other, in appearance,than to the subspeciesTm. melancholicus,of South America. Specific limits in certain other groups (T savana, T caudifasciatus)may require adjustmentwhen thorough biological studiesare undertaken. A number of errors in the literature are corrected.

CLAVE TENTATIVA PARA LA IDENTIFICACION DE TIR•NIDOS (TYRANNUS)Y NOTASSOBRE SU DISTRIBUCION Sinopsis.--Seconstruye una clavepara la identificaci6nde las especiesconocidas dentro del gfinero 2•rannus (incluyendo al subg{SneroMuscivora) y se dan datos corregidos sobre su distribuci6n.Se elucida el problema principal del grupo de Tiranos Tropicales (T. melan- cholicusy afines) en la vertiente del Caribe Mexicano (Golfo de M•xico) y de Guatemala; aunque todaxSaqueda por resolverseel problema taxon6mico de la vertiente del Pacffico. Afin cuando existen al menos dos especiesen dicha vertiente, en apariencia todas se ase- mejan m/•s entre si que a la subespecie7• m. melancholicusde Sur Am6rica. Los limites taxon6micosde algunasespecies (•/: (Muscivora) savanay •[?caudifasciatus) muy bien pu- dieran necesitarajustes cuando se 11evena cabo estudiosbio16gicos m/•s detaliados. Phillips and Lanyon (1970:192) long ago warned that stray "Tropical Kingbirds" should be preserved as specimensuntil a useful key, then in preparation, was published. The complex variations within this group (Tyrannus melancholicusand allies) had led to their all being thought conspecificfor almost a century. Even a special study of kingbirds and their vocalizations(Smith 1966) concluded that couchiiintergraded vocally, and morphologically,with the other forms; no specimenswere taken, however. Unforeseenproblems delayed publication, however. On learning that the American Ornithologists' Union would now publish "check-lists"of speciesonly, it seemed best to present anyone interested with a more complete check-listof our ten-primaried oscines.This covered both spe- ciesand subspecies,including new forms, with accuratebasic information (Phillips 1986, 1991). Meanwhile I did send identified specimens,with a note on some of their characters,to Traylot (1979a:233). Thus we made the existenceof two Caribbean-slopespecies known to ornithologistsand to the continu- ation of Peters'Check-list of Birds of the World (Traylot 1979b), though we did not agree on every detail. Even now I would prefer to postpone publication, could the key be

295 296] A.R. Phillips j FieldOrnithol. Summer 1994 improved.I stronglysuspect that the Pacific slope, too, has two sibling speciesof the Tropical Kingbird group. But far from supportingthe dis- covery (and thus conservation)of further avian biodiversity,bureaucrats and "conservationists"now forbid it; see Phillips 1991:xix-xx. (I still, in February 1993, am not permitted to apply for a permit to collectany bird without givingits correct scientificname, or to import it into U.S. for the necessarycomparisons with known species.) Thus my key must exclude the probable secondspecies of the Tropical Kingbird group on the Pacificslope. Its biologyand voice are unknown; if a race of couchii,the charactersof that specieswill very probablyneed modification. Fortunately, these complications do not seem to reach northern Nayarit, the type locality of occidentalisHartert and Goodson; so nomenclature seems stable. Despite their highly distinctiveshapes, I include here the Fork- and Scissor-tailedFlycatchers as a subgenusMuscivora. The former wasknown until recentlyas M. tyrannus;,but in Tyrannusthis waspreoccupied, so it became T. savana.

KEY TO THE SPECIES AND SOME SUBSPECIES (EXCLUDINGJUVENALS) A. Tail deeplyforked. Outer rectricesvery narrow and much more than twiceas long as central pair. (SubgenusMuscivora) ...... I. I. Pale,with orange-redpatches on crownand axillars.(Breeds on plainsof central U.S. south to northeastern Mexico. Winters from southern Mexico to western Panama,and sparinglyin southernFlorida. Casual widely in U.S. and Canada) ...... Scissor-tailedFlycatcher, T. forficatus(Gin.) I'. Crown (exceptyellow patch), nape, sidesof head, and whole tail black;no red- dishin plumage.(Southern Mexico to northern Argentina.Accidental in eastern U.S., Cuba, and Bermuda) ...... Fork-tailedFlycatcher, T. sayariaVieillot [group?] A'. Tail slightlyor not forked. Outer rectricesnormal, lessthan twiceas long ascentral pair. (Subgenera7]yrannus and Tolmarchus)...... II. II. Rectricesblack, broadly tipped with white (for more than 5 mm on outer pair). Black,dark gray,and white, withoutyellow or olive tones.(Breeds in much of Canadaand U.S. Wintersfrom Peru to northern Argentina,casually Chile. Mi- grant in Middle and northern South America. Accidentalelsewhere) ...... Eastern Kingbird, T. tyrannus(L.) II'. Little or no white on tips of rectrices.(Outermost may have white outer web.) a. a. Tail black, nearly even;if slightlynotched, furca [= longestminus central rectrices] not over 5 min. (Southern Canada south, on mainland chiefly, wintering to Nicaraguaand sporadicallyCosta Rica. Also in and near western Ecuador) ...... 1. 1. Outer rectrix (if present and unworn) with outer web white to near tip, in abrupt contrastto rest of tail; head pale except ocular stripe (see below). (Breeds from southern Canada to northwestern Mexico. Winters from southernMexico to Nicaragua,sporadically Costa Rica; alsosparingly in southeasternU.S.) .... WesternKingbird, T. verticalisSay 1'. Websof rectriceswithout sharpcontrasts distally, if anywhere.(Western U.S. to Guatemalahighlands, casually Honduras, and in and near Ecuador) ...... B. B. Blackishocular stripe,black tail and upper tail-coverts,and dusky wingssharply contrasted to white throat and graycrown, back, and rump. (Pacificslope of Andes in and near Ecuador) ...... Snowy-throatedKingbird, 7: niveigularisSclater vol.6,5, No..• Keyto Ki,•,•bird Species [297

B'. Backlittle paler than wingsand ocularstripe, which is not much darker than lower throat and crown. (These are darker than in verticalis, more contrasted to whitish chin.) (Breeds from western [except northwestern] U.S. south, mainly in interior highlands,to southernMexico. Winters fi'om northern Mexico to highlandsof Guatemala,casually from central California to Honduras) ...... Cassin'sKingbird, T. vociferansSwainson a'. Tail paler, or if blackishnotched, with furca [= longestminus central rectrices] 5 mm or more. (Southernmost U.S. and Antilles to southern South America) ...... 2. 2. Bill relatively long and narrow (subgenus 7blmarchus);tail slightly rounded (outer rectrices about 4 ram, or more, shorter than central pair). Crown blackish;whitish ventrally,except crissumand nearby in some sub(?)species.(Greater Antilles and Bahama Islands;reported from southern Florida) ...... LoggerheadFlycatcher or Kingbird, 7: caudifasciatusd'Orbigny [group?] 2'. Bill wider; tail even or notched (outer rectricesnot distinctlyshorter than central). (Subgenus7}rannus, part) (Widespread) ...... C. C. Crown dusky,distinctly darker than back. Bill swollen, DBN [= depth of bill at nostril] 10 mm or more. Tail furca 5 mm or less. (Cuba to southeastern Bahama Islands; also western Mexico, breeding sparinglyin adjacent U.S.; winters casually[?] south to Guatemala) ...... III. III. Larger, with bigger bill; exposedculmen over 30 ram. White ventrally.(Cuba and [breeding?]Isla de Pinos,also Caicos Is. and Great Inaguain the southeasternBahamas. Casual on Isla Mujeres off Quintana Roo, YucatanPeninsula) ...... Giant Kingbird, 7: cubensisRichmond III'. Smaller,exposed culmen lessthan 25 mm. Underpartstinged with yellowishposteriorly. (Western Mexico, breeding north in recent decadesto southern Arizona. Winters, normally, from southern Sonorasouth, reaching[casually?] Pacific Gua- temala) ...... Thick-billedKingbird, 7• crassirostrisSwainson C'. Crowngray, little if at all darker than back (often lessolive). Tail furca over 5 mm, or elseDBN [= depth of bill at nostril] lessthan 9 mm. (Southern U.S. to southern South America) ...... IV. IV. Gray above; white below. (Breeds from southeasternU.S. through Antilles, locally from Hispaniola east and south, spreadingto northern South America east to the Guianas; winters west to Panama. Accidental north to southernmost Canada) ...... Gray Kingbird, 7: dominicensis(Gin.) IV'. Breast to crissumyellow or yellowish;back and rump more or lessolive or greenish. (SouthernmostU.S., east to Texas, and south, chiefly on or near mainland) ...... b. b. Bill and f•et slender, DBN [= depth of bill at nostril] approx. 6.5 min. Tail black, deeply notched (furca 15 mm or more). Yellowchest contrasts abruptly to all-white throat. (Central Brazil and eastern Peru north to Suri- nam, Guyana,and southernVenezuela) ...... White-throatedKingbird, 7• albo•ffularisBurmeister b'. Bill and feet thicker; DBN 7.2 or more. Tail fi•scous to duskyor blackish,furca usuallyless than 15 mm. Often an olive wash on chest or its sides (and adjacent lower throat grayishin some subspecies).(Southernmost U.S. to southern South America) (Tropical Kingbird group) 3. 298] A.R. Phillips J.Field Ornithol. Summer 1994

%•hitish chin contrasted to wholly gray throat and slate-graycrown. (Southern, central, and western South America, northwest to easternmost Dari6n, Panama,where variable. Southern populationswin- ter to north, but not known beyondSouth America) .... Tropical Kingbird (part), Tm. melancholicusVieillot 3 t' Gray of lower throat paler, not contrastedto whitish of chin, which extendsonto upper throat;crown paler (ash gray). (SouthernmostU.S. to northern South America) ...... D. D. Tail (at least on Gulf of Mexico/Caribbean slope) somewhatpaler fuscous,especially when worn, and with shallowernotch than in sympat- ric T melancholicu

DISTRIBUTIONAL NOTES

Dubious to erroneousreports in winter, outsideof normal winter ranges, are ahnostroutine on "ChristmasBird Counts," where long "lists" are the goal and collectingprohibited. Thus (among other errors) both Tropical and Western Kingbirds (T. melancholicusand verticalis)were listed from Sonora in Am. Birds 38:820 (plus Gassin'sKingbird [T. vociferans]from Yucatan). More formal literature also errs, however. This report wasnot the first "WesternKingbird" on a SonoraChristmas Count (seeAm. Birds37:783). My extensivetravels in northwesternMexi- co, however,at timeswith other reliable ornithologists(R. W. Dickerman, J. S. Weske,L. D. Yaeger),plus observationsof G. Monson (pers. comm.), found none of the conspicuousWestern Kingbirdsin Sonora, Sinaloa, or even Nayark in winter. In southern Sinaloa it was "first seen in April" (Miller 1905: 358). Tropical Kingbirds we found in winter north to southern Sinaloa (Ma- Vol.6,•, No. 3 Keyto Kingbird ,Species [299

zatlftn area, and sporadically[?] farther, as noted below). I,ikewisethe important Sinaloacollections of the Moore I,aboratoryof Zoologyhave none taken after 20 September,even asfar north asMazatlan. Farther north only Cassin'sand Thick-billed Kingbird (7/?crassirosttis) winter (regularly). One might expect recent formal summariesof easilyidentified birds to be reliable.And indeed AmericanOrnithologists' Union (1957:332)did correct its 1931 statementthat Eastern Kingbirds (T. tyrannus)winter in southern Mexico: "recordsfrom Colombia northward apparentlyrefer to migrants." Yet AmericanOrnithologists' Union (1983) now claimsit winterscasually from Hondurassouth, and regularlyin Colombia (to which Traylot 1979b adds Venezuela,occasionally). Ridgely and Gwynne therefore speculated (1989:233) that it might winter "possiblynorthward to CostaRica," though found in Panama "mostlyearly September-lateNovember." Actually,it is known to be a "Passagemigrant" in CostaRica (Stilesand Skutch 1989) and a transientin Colombia (Hilty and Brown 1986). The recent confusionis basedprimarily on Monroe'sundocumented (1968) "rare winter visitant"in Honduras,despite the warningsof AmericanOr- nithologists'Union (1957) and others (Eisenmann1952; Slud 1964). The only approach to a winter record cited by Monroe was an Underwood specimen,10 December,doubtless a late migrant if correctlylabeled. (Con- ceivablyMonroe had winter sightrecords, as he alsoreported seeingit in January in E1 Salvador:Thurber et al. 1987.) More likely he considered10 December "winter" and acceptedUnder- wood's date, though questioning (on the same page) his "23 July" label on a Western Kingbird. Further (Monroe 1968:349), an Underwood Or- chard Oriole (Icterusspu•ius) "may be mislabeled;"and "I have found obviouserrors relating to sex and date" (Monroe 1968:34), so Under- wood's "labels should be usedwith caution." (Nonethelesshe alsoaccept- ed an "11 December" Canada Warbler [Wilsonia canadensis] not taken otherwisebetween October and April north of Panama.This too became a winter visitant in Honduras and even farther north in American Orni- thologists'Union 1983:633.) Still easier should be the striking Scissor-tailedFlycatcher ( T. forficatus). Yet a far straywas called a "WesternKingbird" by local "experts" until collected (Griscomand Snyder 1955)! And neither Traylot 1979b nor American Ornithologists'Union 1983 give correct breeding and winter ranges.It breedsonly "southto northern NuevoLe6n and southernTex- as" (AmericanOrnithologists' Union 1983); but I find it in summersouth to near Monclova, Coahuila (June 1988), to not far north of Montetrey and (2 Jul. 1970) southeastof Gadereyta,central Nuevo I.e6n, and east towardReynosa, Tamaulipas. It rangessouth to Tres Palos,near 24ø30'N south of San Fernando, Tamaulipas(Davis 1950), and was seen to north- east,and to east,of GiudadVictoria on 3 Jul. 1970 (fideR. W. Dickerman, pers.comm.); also seen south to San Fernando17 Jun. 1956 by Zimmer- man ("1957"). The winter range is usuallygiven as including southernTexas. Thus it 300] A.R. Phillips .I.I•ield Ornithol. Summer 1994

"wintersfrom southernTexas through easternMexico" (Traylor 1979b: 225). The only Texaswinter specimenof a Muscivora,however, is a Fork- tailed Flycatcher(T. s. savana);and there are no winter recordsfor northeastern Mexico (north of Veracruz). AmericanOrnithologists' Union (1983:475)omits this claim, but says Scissor-tailedFlycatcher winters "primarily on the Pacificslope." This distribution may have been true long ago, but there were alwaysopen areas on the Caribbeanslope also.It now winterswidely there: regularlynorth to at leastLerdo de Tejada, southeastof Veracruzand Alvarado,Veracruz, and probablynear Champot6n, Campeche.In Guatemalait is "Transient and winter visitor. . . over much of the country" (Land 1970:209). Though the WesternKingbird is much lessstriking, its rangeswere given quite accuratelyby AmericanOrnithologists' Union (1957); it wintered chiefly from Guerrero and Morelos to northern Nicaragua.Then confu- sionentered. Oberholser and Kincaid(1974), aswith almostall kingbirds, had winter "sightings"in Texaswhich (except for Couch's Kingbird [T. couchiz•and Scissor-tailedFlycatcher) were promptly discreditedby Wolfe et al. (1974). YetAmerican Ornithologists' Union (1983:473)said it "Win- ters from southern Mexico (casuallynorth to northern Mexico and southern Texas) south through Middle America ... to central and southwestern CostaRica, and in smallnumbers .... "PresumablyChristmas Bird Counts were computed, for I know of no other winter reports from northern or eastern Mexico. The true winter range is much farther south, along the Pacific slope and adjacentarid valleysnorth and west only to central Mi- choacfin (southwestof P•tzcuaro); also to southern, coastalMichoacfin (Vil- lasefior 1988). But in far-southwestern Mexico (Colima), Schaldach (1963) had recordsonly for October and probably early November. Nor does it normally reach eastern Mexico, much less extend thence north to Texas. In Veracruz (as in the coastallowlands of Tamaulipas), Western Kingbird is evidentlymerely a casualtransient; it was not even listed as hypotheticalby I,oetscher (1955). Apparently the report of one collectedon the Oaxaca border by Areadon and Eckelberry (1955) wasa lapsus;,only a Tropical Kingbird was taken 12 May 1952 (fideJ. Farrand, Jr., in litt. to R.J. Oehlenschlager). Nor is it more than sporadic anywhere in Costa Rica (Slud 1964, Stiles and Skutch 1989), whereasa report of one "carefullystudied" in central Panamais dubious(Ridgely and Gwynne1989). I suspectthat breeding "reported" or implied in southern Sonora,in July (or early August) and late June (Short 1974, van Rossem1945) was alsobased on misidentification.The true breeding range of WesternKing- bird in Mexico seemsto be limited. Supposedspecimens taken south of near 31øN in Baja California proved to be Cassin'sKingbirds (Grinnell 1928). The southernmostrecent report, still well north of 30øN (Short and Banks1965, Wilbur 1987), is doubted by S. H. Levy (in litt.). The lack of authenticrecords of migrantson the main peninsula,farther south, sug- gestsrelatively recent spreadinto Baja California from the north. Cassin'sKingbird breedssouth (AmericanOrnithologists' Union 1983: vol.6.•, No. :• Keyto Kingbird3•Oecies [SO1

472) "throughthe Mexicanhighlands" in "dry savanna,open scrub,and pinyon-juniper-oakwoodland." Like other kingbirds, however,it nestsin trees (including open pine forests).And from the highlands it extends down and south, along wooded Pacific rivers,far into the Tropical Zone: on the Rio Yaqui near Ciudad Obreg6n, near sea-levelin southernSonora, I sawabout eight on 28 Jun. 1959; on 21 Aug. 1968 it wasfeeding young there, and was heard (18 August) at Culiac/m, Sinaloa.Farther north in Sinaloa (Guamfichiland west,and Guasave),I sawit 28 Aug. 1956). It does winter in northern Mexico (American Ornithologists'Union 1983); but eastof the Pacificslope and north of the highlandsof southern Nuevo Le6n (A.M. Sada,pets. comm.), it is then hardly more regular than in Texas,where the variouswinter reports are generallyconsidered dubious. On migration it extends (casually?)to the lowlandseast-southeast of Xalapa,Veracruz, where I took one on 19 Apr. 1970. Although the usual northwesternlimit of wintering Tropical Kingbird seemsto be southern Sinaloa,on 19 Dec. 1985J. S. Weskeand I sawone a bit north of E1 Espinal and one at the Rio Elota crossing,103 road km north of Mazatl/m; and two were almost certainly identified 3 d earlier, 21.5 km south of Rio San Lorenzo. We saw none farther north, however, near Culiachn.American Ornithologists'Union's statement(1983:471) that it wintersnorth to Sonoradisagrees with ours and all reliable data. Miller et al. (1957) gaveno winter recordsfor Sonoraor Sinaloa.C. C. Lamb lived in Culiachnwhile collectingfor Moore, but took no winter or near-winter Tropical Kingbirds;nor did I find any in my winter work there or to the north. Even in far-southernSinaloa, Batty reported that it "arrivesin April" (Miller 1905:358). The importance of subspeciesfor understandingvagrancy is illustrated by a Maine Tropical Kingbird taken 31 October.Perceptive ornithologists reported this bird, repeatedly,as a young exampleof a pale northern race. More recently,however, it is suggested(Roberson 1983:126) that it "orig- inated in southern South America." But were this true, earlier workers would have seen its darker colors;and it would not be obviouslyyoung in the southern hemisphere spring. AmericanOrnithologists' Union (1983:471-472)confuses the insulardis- tributions of Couch's and Tropical Kingbird; both breed or are resident on "most islandsoff the coast." Tropical Kingbird is indeed resident on various islands,both off the coast and farther inland in coastallagoons. I never found Couch's Kingbird on islands,however, nor did I find any insularspecimens of Couch'sKingbird in museums.(Few if any othershave visited islands,even inshore islands,whenever possible; and if they had, they would not have distinguishedthe two species.) The Gray Kingbird (T dominicensis)is repeatedlysaid to breed on Isla Cozumel, Quintana Roo (or in Yucathn:Blake 1953, Phelps and Phelps 1963, Traylot 1979b); but it is merely casualthere. There is no evidence of its breeding in or near Central America, contraTraylot and others;it is regularonly in Panama,where a winter resident(Wetmore 1972). 302] A.R. Phillips j. FieldOrnithol. Summer 1994

R.•qGE EXPANSIONS

With the massivedestruction of American forests,and in arid regions the planting of shade trees, we may expect savannabirds to expand their ranges.Unlike some icterids (Quiscalusgrackles, Molothrus cowbirds) and others, however,kingbirds have been slowto advance,as far as known. Nor were all advances due to habitat alterations. In 1931 American Or- nithologists'Union knew of breedingWestern Kingbird eastand southeast to western Iowa, central Kansas, Oklahoma, and western Texas. This ex- pandedin 1957 to Tarrant County,Texas, northeastern Oklahoma, central easternKansas, and rarelynorth-central Missouri. By 1983 it bred to southern and south-centralTexas, rarely or sporadicallyeastward to westernMis- souri, central Arkansas, and southwestern Louisiana. In southernmost Tex- as it began to nest in Edinburg in 1966 (P. James, pets. comm.); nesting in northeastern Tamaulipasnow would not be surprising,were there ob- serversthere. Yet much recently occupied territory wasnot forested origi- nally. This lack of observers in most of Mexico also obscures the extent of the northward expansion,into Arizona, of Tropical Kingbird and (more recently)the Thick-billedKingbird. Absence of ornithologistsdoes not prove absenceof birds.Thus althoughit is quite certain that Tropical Kingbird invaded the Tucson area in this century, we cannot tell if this was a local or long-distancemovement. The aboveare true range expansions,resulting in breeding populations in previouslyunoccupied regions. They should not be confusedwith the occasionalspectacularly extralimital nestingsof the Scissor:tailedFlycatch- er; these nestingsdo not establishcolonies. But lessremote nestings,apparently "casual" at the time, can lead to range expansions;three such mentioned by American Ornithologists'Union (1931) are all within the regular breeding range it gave in 1983, when it in turn listed three "iso- lated breedingreports" east and north to northeasternMississippi, central Tennessee, and central Iowa. There have, however, been still more extreme cases:a pair fledgedyoung in southwesternIndiana in 1974 (Howell and Theroff 1976); and R. S. Crossin(pets. comm.) took eggsof a pair of Scissor-tailedFlycatchers at Sarabia,Oaxaca (north of Mattas Romero on the Isthmusof Tehuantepec) soon after the passageof a migratory wave in May! Equallyremote were two nestingattempts in Californiaby a Scissor-tailed Flycatcherwhich, in the absenceof another,mated with a WesternKingbird (Monson and Phillips 1981). In the other cases,mating in winter or on migration is indicated, and migration in pairs. All these data are hard to explain. Expansionof winter ranges may also be expected, but apparently the only clear caseis that of Scisso•tailedFlycatcher west to the Acapulcoarea, Guerrero. Here it was apparently only casual in winter earlier, but was regularfrom 1973 to at least1977, at timesin somenumbers (C. S•tnchez- Mejorada, pets. comm.). Its present statusis unknown. Vol.6.5, r•,,. :• Keyto Ki,gt, i,'d .•;pecies [303

ACKNO%•LED(;MENTS

Important data on kingbirds' distributionsat dift•rent seasonswere contribnted by Robert W. Dickerman,Aldegundo Garza de Letn, SexmourH. I,exy,Joe T. Marshall,Gale Monson, Andr•s M. Sada and Le•4s D. Yaeger,besides others mentioned above.Other helpful field companionsincluded the late SantosFarf•n B., Gilbert V. Herman, Roberto Phillips,William J. Schaldach,Jr. and John S. Weske.The notesof the late Heltnuth O. Wagner,and his speci- inensin Brexnenl•berseemuseuxn, were also very helpt•l. Specixnenswere exaxninedin many collections,including those of fi•e AxnericanMuserim of Natural History,Louisiana State University Museu•n of Zoolog3',Moore Laboratoryof Zoology at OccidentalCollege, Carlos Sfinchez-Mejorada (private collection), United StatesNational Museum,and Bell Museumof Natural History,University of Minnesota. To all these,and otherstoo numerousto list, I extend my thanksßThe inanuscriptwas ixnprovedby the coxnmentsof W. E. Lanyon,Jaines D. Risingand Ken ¾asukawa.

LITERATURE CITED

AMADON, D., AND D. R. E(:KELBI:;RRY.195.5. Observations on Mexican Birds. Condor 57:65-80. AMERICANORNITHOLOGISTS' UNION. 1931ß Check-list of North American birds, tburth edition. LancasterPress, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. 526 pp. ß 1957. Check-list of North Alnerican birds, filth edition. The Lord Balticnote Press, Baltixnore,Maryland. 691 pp. ß 1983. Check-listot' North American birds, sixth edition. American Ornithologist's Union, Lawrence,Kansas. 877 pp. BAN(;S,O., ANDT. E. PENARD.1921ß Notes on some,•erican Birds,chietly Neotropical. Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool. 64:3&%397. BL•.KE,E. R. 1953. Birds of Mexico/A guide for field identification.Unix'. Chicago Press, Chicago,Illinoisß 644 pp. DAVIS,L. I. 1972ßA field guide to the birdsof Mexicoand CentralAlnerica. Univ. TexasPress, Austin,Texas. 282 pp, DAVIS,W. B. 1950. Stuninetrange of the Scissor-tailedFlycatcher. Condor 52:138. EISENM.•N, E. 1952. Annotated list of birds of Barro Colorado Island, Panama Canal Zone. SxnithsonianMisc. Collections117, No. 5. 62 pp. GR•NNEt.L, J. 1928ßA distributionalsurexnation of the ornithologyof Lower California. Unix,. Calif. Publ. Zool. 32:1-300. GRISCOM,L., .ANDD. E. SN'•I)ER. 19.5.5. The birds t)f Massachusetts. An annotated and rex4sed checklist. Peabody Museuxn, Salem, Massachusetts. 295 pp. I-[AVERSCHMIDT,E 1975ß More bird records ti•om Surinmn. Bull. Brit. Orn. Club 95:74-77. H•I•aW,S. L., ^N•)W. L. BR()WN.1986. A guide to the birdsof Colombia.Princeton Unix'. Press, Princeton,New Jersey. 837 pp. HOWELL,D., ^XD E. TrIEROFF.1976. Scissox:tailedFlycatcher breeding in southwesternIndianaß Auk 93:644-645. iAN•), H. C. 1970ßBirds of Guatemala.I•ix4ngston Publishing, Wynnewood, Pennsylvania. 381 PP. LkNYON,W. E. 1967. [Rex4ewof] Communicationand relationshipsin the genus •lyr(tnntts. Auk 84:606-609. LOETSCHER,E W., JR. 195•5. North Axnericanmigrants in the state of Veracruz, M•xico: a suxnxnary.Auk 72:14-.54. MILLER, A. H., H. FRIEDMANN,L. GRISCOM,AND R. T. MO()RI•.. 1957. Distributional check-list of the birdsof Mbxico.Part II. PacificCoast Axdthuna No. 33. 436 pp. MILLER,M r. DEM,r. 1905. List of birds collectedin southern Sinaloa,Mexico, by J. H. Batty during 190,3-1904.Bull. 3an. Mus. Nat. Histß21:339-369. MONROE,B. L., JR. 1968. A distributionalsurvey of the birdsof Honduras.Ornithol. Monogr. No. 7, 3anericanOrnithologists' Unionß 458 pp. MONSON, G., AND A. R. PHILLIPS. 1981. Annotated checklist of the birds of Arizona. 2nd Edn. Univ.Ariz. Press,Tucson, Arizona. 240 pp. OBERHOLSER,H. C., ANDE. B. KINCAll),JR. 1974. The bird litb of TexasßVol. 2. Univ. Texas Press,Austin, Texasß pp. 531-1069. 304] A.R. Phillips 1.Field Ornithol. Summer 1994

PHELPS,W. H., ANDW. H. PHELPS,JR. 1963. I,ista de lasAves de Venezuelacon su distribuci6n. Tomo I, Parte II. Passeriformes.Segunda edici6n. Bol. Soc.Venez. Cienc. Naturales:Nos. 104 and 105:1-479. PHILLIPS, A. R. 1986. The known birds of North and Middle America/distributions and variation, migrations,changes, hybrids, etc. Part I. Privatelypubl., Denver,Colorado. 259 pp. 1991. The known birds of North and Middle America/distributions and variation, migrations,changes, hybrids, etc. Part II. Privatelypubl., Denver, Colorado. 249 pp. , AND ¾¾'.E. L&NYON'.1970. Additional notes on the flycatchersof eastern North America.Bird-Banding 41:190-197. PIDt;ELY,R. S., •ND J_A._•5•NE. 1989. A guide to the birdsof Panama(2nd edn.) with Costa Pica, Nicaragua,and Honduras.Princeton Unix: Press, Princeton, New Jersey. ,535 pp. RIDGWAY, R. 1907. The birds of North and Middle America. Part IV. U.S. National Mus. Bull. 50, Part IV. 973 pp. RO•E•,SON,D. 1983. Introducing the "new" ABA birds. Birding 15:116-130. SCH^LD^CH,W. J., J•,. 1963. The avifauna of Colima and adjacent Jalisco, Mexico. Proc. Western Foundation Vert. Zool. 1:1-100. SHO•,T,L. L.,J•,. 1974. Nesting of southern Sonoranbirds during the summerrainy season. Condor 76:21-32. , ^ND R. C. B,4N•S. 1965. Notes on birds of northwesternBaja California. Trans. San Diego Soc. Nat. Hist. 14:43-52. SLUD,R 1964. The birds of CostaPica. Distribution and ecology.Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., vol. 128. 430 pp. SMITH,W.J. 1966. Communicationand relationshipsin the genus •'rannus. PubIs.Nuttall Orn. Club No. 6. 2,50 pp. ST•LES,E G., .•?•'DA. F. SKi,Tell. 1989. A guide to the birds of Costa Pica. Cornell Univ. Press,Ithaca, New York. 511 pp. THURBER,•r. A., J. F. SERRANO,A. SEPOdENO,AND M. BENITEZ. 1987. Status of uncommon and previouslyunreported birds of E1 Salvador.Proc. Western Foundation Vert. Zool. 3: 109-293. T•x,n•o•,,M. A., J•,. 1979a. Two siblingspecies of Tyrannus(Tyrannidae). Auk 96:221-233. 1979b. SubfamilyTyranninae. Pp. 186-229, in M. A. Traylor,Jr., ed. Check-listof birds of the world. ¾•fi.VIII. Mus. ComparativeZool., Cambridge,Massachusetts. •;a.• ROSSEM,A.J. 1945. A distributionalsurvey of the birds of Sonora, Mexico. Occ. Pap. Mus. Zool. Louisiana State Univ. 21:1-379. V•Lk•SE.•'O•,G., J. E 1988. Aves Costerasde Michoac'an,M6xico. Tesis Profesional,Escuela de Biologia,Univ. Michoacanade San Nicolfisde Hidalgo, Morelia, Michoacfin.164 pp. WETMO•,E,A. 1972. The birds of the Republic of Panamfi. Part 3. Passeriformes:Dendro- colaptidae (woodcreepers)to Oxyruncidae (sharpbills).Smithsonian Inst. Press,Wash- ington, D.C. 631 pp. WIL•t'•',, S. R. 1987. Birds of Baja California. Univ. Calif. Press,Berkeley, California. 253 pp. WOL•E, L. R., W. M. Pt'L•CH,.•XD J. A. Tt•c•,. 1974. Check-listof the birds of Texas. Texas Orn. Soc. Waco, Texas. 118 pp. Z•MME•M^?•,D. A. "1957." Notes on Tamaulipan birds. Wilson Bull. 69:273-277. Received 28 Oct. 1992; accepted 19 Feb. 1993.

APPENDIX

Taxonomic Remarks

The forms of Fork-tailed Flycatcher (T. savana) are universallyconsid- ered conspecific.Curiously, the range of T. s. monachusHartlaub of Mid- dle America is interrupted by another race in northern Colombia, yet includesareas farther southand east.Hayerschmidt (1975) pointed out that these southern Surinam birds breed in January, when non-breeding migrants from the north are present in northern Surinam. This situation vol.6•, No. :• Keyto Kingbird Species [305

is so unusual, for a single subspecies,as to call for a critical study, both biological and morphological. Biological studies should also be undertaken in the 7?.caudifasciatus group. Here Ridgway(1907:678-685) recognizedseveral species. I omit T. apolites,following Traylot (1979b) in acceptingMeise's identification of the unique type as a hybrid, T. m. melancholicusX Empidono- m•ts v. I cannot believe Smith's (1966) conclusion of vocal intergradation of Couch's Kingbird and Tropical Kingbird. I have heard none, and all my specimens(he took none) are clearlyof the specieswhose calls they gave. Traylot (1979a) also mentioned supposedhybrids; he kindly sent me a list of the doubtful specimens.To me, most of these show that, in this case, bills and tails are more reliable, in and near the area of known sympatry,than the wing tip index. (One bird that puzzled Traylor, un- derstandably,was a strayTropical Kingbird from Brownsville,Texas, where Couch's Kingbird is the normal species.) Neither in field nor museum, then, have I found evidence of "limited hybridizationin easternand southernMexico" (American Ornithologists' Union 1983:472);though of courseoccasional strange matings occur in many groupsof birds. As Lanyon (1967:608) pointed out, we still lack thorough field studies,with seriesof specimensof known vocalizations, in the extensiveareas of overlap. The opposite extreme from Smith's conclusion was that of Davis (1972), who recognizedthree speciesof this group in Mexico. He cor- rectly noted Couch's Kingbird's overlap with Tropical Kingbird in eastern Mexico and its paler tail. Westernbirds, however,became "WesternKing- bird, Tyrannusoccidentalis." This supposedlydiffered from Tropical King- bird vocally,particularly "when a recording is played back at one-fourth speed" (Davis1972:131). Davisportrayed occidentalisas paler than melancholicus.Bangs and Pe- nard (1921) had also called occidentalis"a very well-markedform. Its pale under parts and clear white throat distinguishit at once from its nearest allies, T. m. chloronotusand T. m. couchii."Its tail was lessdeeply forked than chlorontus'and averagedshorter. (Though claimed to be "smaller," the wing averagewas almost identical.) Like Traylor, however,I seeno differencesin useful,unworn specimens. Nor does "occidentalis"differ vocally in the field, to my ear. (And if it did, how many "species" of White-crowned Sparrow [Zonotrichia leuco- phrys]should we recognizein central California alone?)To me all Trop- ical Kingbirdssound alike, from Arizona and Tamaulipasto Venezuela. As Tropical Kingbird leavesArizona and Sonora in autumn, few specimens from there have full, unworn tails. In these few the furca is usually about 6 mm, thus like Couch's Kingbird. I do not, however,find "occidentalis"consistently less forked than "chloronotus"of Bangsand Penard [= T. m. satrapa plus probably some T. couchii].The furca seemsless reliable on the Pacific slope. Clearly,the northern speciesall look much alike; it is the subspeciesof 306] A.R. Phillips J.Field Ornithol. Summer 1994 most of South America that is decidedly darker. Subspeciesare often ig- nored, or even decried, at present. But as caseslike this show, they can be essentialto understandNature's complexityor biodiversity(and birds' movements,as shown above; see also Phillips 1991, notably on Catharus spp.). For clarity,then, I do not entirely restrictmy key to full species.

NORTH AMERICAN BLUEBIRD SOCIETY 1995 RESEARCH GRANTS

The North A•nerican Bluebird Societyannounces the 1lth annual grants-in-aidfor ornitho- logicalresearch directed toward cavity-nestingspecies of North A•nericawith emphasison the genusSialia. Three singleor multiple-awardgrants are awarded. Bluebirdresearch grant. Availableto student,professional or individual researcherfor a re- searchproject tbcusedon any of the three speciesof bluebird in the genus Sialia. Generalresearch grant. Available to student, professionalor individual researcher for a re- searchproject focusedon any North American caxSty-nestingspecies. Studentresearch award.--Available to fidl-time college or universitystudents for a research projectfocused on any North Annericancavity-nesting species. Guidelinesand applicationmaterials are availablefi'om KevinL. Berner,Research Com- mittee Chairman, College of Agriculture and Technology,State Universityof New York, Cob- leskill,NY 12043. Completedapplications must be receivedby 1 Dec. 1994;funding decisions will be announced by 15 Jan. 1995.