THE EUPHONIA Quarterly Journal of Mexican Avifauna

Editor: Kurt Radamaker Associate Editors: Michael A. Patten, Kurt F. Cambell Spanish Consultants: Luis Santaella, Corina Easley Consultant: Steve N.G. Howell Proofreaders: Richard A. Erickson, Bob Pann Circulation Manager: Cindy Ludden

The Euphonia encourages you to send in manuscripts. Appro- priate topics range from recent sightings to scientific studies of Mexican birds. Feature articles in Spanish are encouraged. Please send manuscripts, preferably on diskette written in Wordperfect (although almost any major word processor file will suffice) to Kurt Radamaker, P.O. Box 8045, Santa Maria, California, .93456-8045, U.S.A. Please send summaries for Recent Ornithological Literature to Michael A. Patten at P.O. Box 51959, Riverside, California, 92517-2959, U.S.A. Recent sightings (with details) should be sent to Luis Santaella, 919 Second St., Encinitas, California, 92024, U.S.A.

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For membership to The Euphonia, please send a check or money order in U.S. dollars payable to The Euphonia P.O. Box 8045, Santa Maria, California, 93456-8045, U.S. A. Checks drawn on Bancomer in Pesos accepted.

I thank Sophie Webb for the beautiful cover illustration, andEd Berresi and his staffat Reproxfor the generous donation and production ofthe cover. Contents

46 PREVOST'S GROUND-SPARROW IN EASTERN CHIAPAS Claudia Macias Caballero and Charles Duncan

51 STATUS OF THE PIPING PLOVER IN MEXICO Steve N.G. Howell

55 MAGNIFICENT FRIGA TEBIRDS CROSSING THE BAJA CALIFORNIA PENINSULA, MEXICO William H. Clark and David M. Ward, Jr.

58 A RECORD OF BAR-TAILED GODWIT FOR MEXICO Kurt A. Radamaker and Cindy Ludden

66 PHOTO SPOT: WHITE-NAPED AND WHITE-COLLARED SWIFTS Steve N.G. Howell

69 RECENT ORNITHOLOGICAL LITERATURE Michael A. Patten

Annual membership includes Aves Mexicanas Newsletter THE EUPHONIA

Volume 2, Number 3, Fall 1993

PREVOST'S GROUND-SPARROW IN EASTERN CHIAPAS

1 CLAUDIA MACIAS CABALLERO AND CHARLES D. DUNCAN , Pronatura-Chiapas and Centro de Investigaciones Ecologicas del Sureste, Carretera Panamericana y Periferico Sur, San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas, CP 29290 Mexico.

The A.O.U. (1983) described the range of Prevost's Ground-Sparrow (Me/ozone biarcuatum) as highlands, from Chiapas, Mexico, to Costa Rica. Peterson and Chalif(l973) and Edwards (1989) also included the Pacific slope of Chiapas, with the highlands, in their descriptions of the species' Mexican range. We have observed the species outside of these areas on three occasions and have discovered reports of other such sightings in the literature. During April and May 1993, we found Prevost's Ground- Sparrow in the lowlands of the Lacandon Forest on the Gulf slope of Chiapas. Our observations occurred at the edge of a milpa [household garden] near intact lowland rainforest in Lacanja (l6°46'N, 91 °06'W) at an elevation of325 m. On 28 Aprill993, Duncan saw an individual of this species two meters offthe ground in tangled vegetation. The sighting was brief, and only the head was seen. The bird was easily identified, however, by its prominent facial pattern of white, bordered with brown and black at the crown and below the auricular.

1Permanent address: Institute for Field Ornithology, University ofMaine at Machias, 9 O'Brien Avenue, Machias, Maine 04654, USA.

The Euphonia 2: 46-50, 1993

46 PREVOST'S GROUND-SPARROW IN EASTERN CHIAPAS

Four days later, 2 May 1993, Macias Caballero, aware of Duncan's observation, found possibly the same individual, about 50 m from that site. She studied it thoroughly for fifteen minutes, concurring with the identification as Prevost's Ground-Sparrow. The bird stayed in or near dense vegetation at the edge of the milpa from one to three meters above the ground. Neither observer heard any vocalization from the species. On 27 August 1993, Macias Caballero, surveying the avifauna at Ya'altzemen, Municipality ofChi16n (17°02'N, 92°15'W, elev. 1500 m), found three more Prevost's Ground-Sparrows. She observed two at amilpa for about 10 minutes, and another was seen for about one minute, some 800 m from the first sighting, between a milpa and secondary scrub. Again, none ofthe three birds vocalized. This little-known part ofChiapas is also on the Gulf slope and is transitional between the highlands of Chiapas and the Lacandon Forest. In reviewing the literature, some of it not readily available outside of Mexico, we found conflicting and changing range descriptions for Prevost's Ground-Sparrow. Two highland records are particularly curious. Miller et al. (1957) listed not only the Pacific Coast and Sierra Madre Sur de Chiapas, where Brodkorb (1939) had collected specimens, but also Tuxtla Gutierrez (16°45'N, 93°l0'N) in the north-central part of the state, and Tumbal

47 PREVOST'S GROUND-SPARROW IN EASTERN CHIAPAS

Our sightings are not the first from the Lacandon Forest. Nocedal ( 1981) reported a single sighting (21 April 1977, in shrubby second-growth) during 102 days of field work in the Lacanja Chansayab region of the Lacandon Forest. This sighting occurred only 8 to 10 km from ours and at virtually the identical time of year. Gonzalez-Garcia (1992), summarizing the avifauna of the Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve of the Lacandon Forest, listed Prevost's Ground-Sparrow as resident in secondary vegetation, though poco comun [uncommon]. Curiously, he neither annotated this as a new record nor cited previously published reports. Steve N.G. Howell (1993, pers. comm.) informed us that the species is ''fairly common'' in the area around Tziscao and the Ruins of Chinkultic (16°06'N, ca. 92°45' W, elev. 1400 m). This locality is approximately midway between the Sierra Madre Sur de Chiapas of western Chiapas and the Lacandon Forest of the east. The Lacandon Forest sightings occurred at elevations signifi- cantly below those inferable from the ''highlands'' of the A.O.U. (1983). In fact, the A.O.U. 's statement has always been inadequate as it ignored the type and other specimens ofMe/ozone biarcuatum hartwegi collected at an elevation of only 150 m along the Pacific coast of Chiapas (Brodkorb 1938). More significant than their elevation, however, is the fact that the sightings in the Lacandon Forest and Ya' altzemen represent an extension of the accepted range of 100 km, and of the published range of some 200 km, toward the northeast, well away from both the Pacific slQpe and the highlands. We believe that a statement of current knowledge of the species' range in Mexico would be ''locally distributed, from 50 to 2000+ meters, in southern portions ofChiapas from the Pacific Coastal Plain and Sierra Madre del Sur, to the Eastern Highlands (Chil6n) and Lacandon Forest (Lacanja)."

RESUMEN

Se describen dos observaciones del Rascador patilludo (Me/ozone biarcuatum) en del Estado de Chiapas, Mexico: en las tierra bajas del este el28 de abril y el2 de mayo 1993 allado de una milpa proxima a un bosque tropical bien conservado, yen las montaftas del norte, el27 de agosto de

48 PREVOST'S GROUND-SPARROW IN EASTERN CHJAPAS

1993, en milpa tambien. Anteriormentevarias referencias han considerado el rango de esta especie en Chiapas en las tierras altas y Sierra Madre ademas de la vertiente del Pacifico del Estado. Existen escasos reportes de la especie para las regiones aqui descrita, dos de los cuales parecen problematicos; sin embargo uno de estos no esta muy lejos de los que aqui se reportan. Estas observaciones representan una extension de 200 km al noreste de la distribuci6n publicada de la especie y ademas a una altitud muchomasbajaqueladescritaporelA.O.U. Enbaseaestasobservaciones, se propone una descripci6n actualizada del rango en Chiapas.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We thank K'in Bor and his family for their hospitality in Lacanja and for their interest in conservation of the Lacandon forest. Eduardo Espinosa Medinilla graciously granted us permission to review the catalog of the Institute for Natural History's specimen collection. Emesto Ruelas Inzunza and SteveN. G. Howell offered helpful comments on earlier versions of the manuscript. Duncan is grateful to the Trustees of the University of Maine System for providing support during a sabbatical leave.

LITERATURE CITED

Alvarez del Toro, M. 1964. Lista de las aves de Chiapas. Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas, Mexico, Instituto de Ciencias y Artes de Chiapas. Alvarez del Toro, M. 1980. Las aves de Chiapas, 2da. ed. Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas, Mexico, Univ. Aut6noma de Chiapas. American Ornithologists' Union. 1983. Check-list of North American birds, 6th ed. Am. Omithol. Union. Washington, D.C. Brodkotb, P. 1938. New birds from the District ofSoconusco, Chiapas. Occ. Papers Museum Zool. Univ. Mich., 369, Edwards, E. P. 1989. A field guide to the birds of Mexico, 2nd ed. Sweet Briar, Virginia. Published by the author. Gonzalez-Garcia, F. 1992. Avifauna de la Selva Lacandona,

49 PREVOST'S GROUND-SPARROW IN EASTERN CHIAPAS

Chiapas, Mexico, in Reserva de la Bi6sfera Montes Azules, Selva Lacandona: investigaci6n para su conservaci6n (M. A. V3squez-&lnchez and M A. Ramos, Eds.) pp. 173-200 Publ. Esp. 1. San CristObal de las Casas, Mexico, Ec6sfera. Miller, A. H., H. Friedman, L. Griscom and R. T. Moore. 1957. Distnbutional check-listofthe birdsofMexico. Part2. Pacific CoastAvif. 33. Nocedal, J. 1981. Avifauna de la Region Lacanja-Chansayab, Selva Lacandona, Chiapas in Estudios ecol6gicos en el tr6pico mexicano (Castillo, P. R., Ed.). Publ. No. 6. Mexico, D. F. Instituto de Ecologia. Peterson, R. T. and E. L. Chalif, 1973. A field guide to Mexican birds. Boston, Massachusetts, Houghton Miffiin Co. Secretaria de Programaci6n y Presupuesto, Direcci6n General de Geografia, 1983. Carta topogr3fica, 1:50 000, TumbaJ.aE15D33 Chiapas.

50 STATUS OF THE PIPING PLOVER IN MEXICO

STEVEN. G. HOWELL, Point Reyes Bird Observatory, 4990 Shoreline Highway, Stinson Beach, California 94970-9701, U.S.A.

The Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) breeds locally in the interior of North America from Alberta east to the Great Lakes, and on the Atlantic coast from Newfoundland to South Carolina. It winters primarily on the Atlantic/Gulf of Mexico coast of the United States from North Carolina to Texas, and in the Bahamas and Greater Antilles (A.O.U. 1983, Haig 1992, Haig and Plissner 1993). Haig (1992) noted winter records "also from ... southern Tamaulipas, Veracruz, northern Yucatan, eastern Quintana Roo, ... Sonora, and ... Nayarit.'' The species was unrecorded in Mexico by Friedmann et al. (1950), and AOU (1983) noted the only occurrence of the Piping Plover in Mexico as ''casual in ... northwestern Sonora,'' although Peterson and Chalif (1973) stated, with no reference, "winters south to coast of Tamaulipas. '' Despite the considerable recent attention paid to this threatened species, records from Mexico remain few, although censuses have included parts of Mexico's Gulf coast from Tamaulipas to Yucatan (Haig 1987,HaigandPlissner 1993). In this paper, I summarize published and unpublished records of the Piping Plover in Mexico in the hope of stimulating further work to identify the winter distribution ofthis species in the country.

ATLANTIC COAST

Tamaulipas: Haig and Plissner (1993) noted 27 Piping Plovers at 18 sites pers. comm). Howell and Webb (1992) saw one in alternate plumage (with complete black chest band) on the beach at La Pesca on 9 Apr 1990. Veracruz: Winker et al. (1992) reported the first Piping Plovers from Veracruz: single birds collected on the coast near Jicacal, Sierra de Los Tuxtlas, in Feb 1974 and Aug they also saw one there in Jan 1983. Haig (1987) noted a total of 17 Piping Plovers between Tuxpan and AntOn Lizardo (just south of

The Euphonia 2: 51-54, 1993

51 STATUS OF THE PIPING PLOVER IN MEXICO

Veracruz City) in the winter of 1984. Howell and Webb (1992) saw an altemate- plumagedPipingPlover(withcompletechestband)on the beach atAnt6nLizardo, 21 Apr 1990. Yucatan: R. G. Wilson (pers. comm.) first noted Piping Plover in the Yucatan Peninsula at Rio Lagartos in Dec 1981. I saw 2-3 Piping Plovers at Rio Lagartos on 1 Feb 1982, and P. Pyle and I saw 4 there on 5 Feb 1984. These birds were on sand bars in the lagoon off the town's dock. Quintana Roo: Howell and Johnston (1993) reported up to 12 Piping Plovers per day at IslaHolbox in Sep 1984, and up to 18 per day in Nov 1984. These birds were along a 2 km stretch of sandy beach on the north (i.e. Gulf ofMexico) side of the island

PACIFIC COAST

Sonora: There are seven records of up to five Piping Plovers on estuarine sandflats and mudflats at Puerto Pefiasco between 14 Nov and 17 Apr, although none has been seen since 1982 (S. M. Russell pers. comm.). The first record was in Apr 1965 (5 birds), withoneinNov 1971 and 4 in Feb 1972 (Russell and Lamm 1978). Christmas Bird Counts recorded up to 4 Piping Plovers in each winter from 1979/80 to 1982/83. None was seen, despite searches in the same areas, in the 1991/92 and 1992/93 winters (K. Kaufman, pers. comm.). Nayarit: All records are from tidal sandflats and mudflats at-Matanchen, near San Bias: singles on 5-11 Dec 1980 (P. Pyle), 1 Jan 1981 (Christmas Bird Count; possibly the same bird, though none was seen between these dates), 14 Nov 1981 (D. E. Wolf), and 26 Mar 1982 (pers. obs.). Subsequent Christmas Bird Counts have not found Piping Plovers in the San Bias Area.

DISCUSSION

The Piping Plover appears to be a regular transient and winter visitor (extreme dates 4 Aug and 21 Apr) to the Gulf coast of eastern Mexico from Tamaulipas to central Veracruz, and along the north coast ofthe Yucatan Peninsula. In both areas, large lagoons lie behind extensive sandy beaches. Given low level observer coverage of suitable habitat, and that most birders and ornithologists have paid little attention to shorebirds in Mexico, the records for Sonora and Nayarit suggest that small numbers of Piping Plovers wintered regularly in northwestern Mexico. The lack

52 STATUS OF THE PIPING PLOVER IN MEXICO of records since 1982, despite the same or higher level of observer coverage, may mirror the general decline in North American breeding populations. The 1984 Piping Plover winter census failed to detect winter sites for 2000 to 3000 birds (Haig 1987), and 2000 birds remained unaccounted for in the more comprehensive 1991 winter census (Haig and Plissner 1993). Haig and Plissner ( 1993) noted ''we are currently left with a dilemma'' regarding the winter distribution of Atlantic coast breeding birds, although major Piping Plover winter sites had been largely identified in the United States. Haig ( 1992) implied that winter sightings of Piping Plovers from northern Yucatan and eastern Quintana Roo referred to interior birds, although it seems more likely on geographic grounds that they are Atlantic coast breeders. Comprehensive winter censuses of eastern Mexico, in particular northern Tamaulipas and the north coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, may reveal some major wintering sites for Piping Plovers. It is also possible that many of the ''missing'' 2000 birds are widely scattered in the Caribbean and along Mexico's Gulf coast. No specific census has been made of the large areas of beaches and coastal lagoons from Sonora to Nayarit, in northwestern Mexico, where small numbers of Piping Plovers may winter regularly. In mid-winter (November to February), Piping Plovers in the United States prefer sand:flats adjacent to beaches, rather than open beaches which are used during August-October and March-April (Haig and Oring 1985, Haig 1987). Known areas and 5 potential areas of Piping Plover winter occurrence in both eastern and northwestern Mexico appear, at least superficially, to contain suitable habitat, although this may be ephemeral and difficult to census. Birders active in Mexico should be aware of the possible occurrence of Piping Plovers and note details of all sightings. New data can be sent to: Susan M. Haig, South Carolina, Coop. Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, G08Lehotsky Hall, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634-0362, U.S.A.

RESUMEN

El autor recopila ladistribuci6n invemal del Chorlito chiflador ( Charadrius melodus) en Mexico. Las areas principales de esta ocurrencia parecen ser en las costas de Tamaulipas y de Veracruz, ademas en el Norte de las peninsula de Yucatan. En recientes estudios invernales del Chorlito

53 STATUS OF THE PIPING PLOVER IN MEXICO chiflador, concentrados mayormente en los Estados Unidos, se ignor6la presencia de 2,000 pajaros. Se les advierte a los observadores de Mexico para que esten concientes de buscar esta especie amenazada.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I thank Kenh Kaufman, Peter Pyle, Stephen M. Russell, Richard G. Wilson, and David E. Wolf for contributing information to this note. The manuscript benefitted from comments by Susan M. Haig. This is contribution number 600 ofPRBO.

LITERATURE CITED

American Ornithologists' Union. 1983. Check-list of North American birds. A.O.U., Washington, D.C. Friedmann, H., L. Griscom, and R. T. Moore. 1950. Distributional check-list of the birds of Mexico. Part 1. Pac. Coast Avif. 29. Haig, S. M 1987. Wmter distnbution and status ofPiping Plovers on the Gulf of Mexico. Prov. Mus. Alberta Mus. Nat Hist. Occ. Paper 9:251-257. Haig, S. M. 1992. Piping Plover. In The Birds of North America, No. 2. (A. Poole, P. Stettenheim, and F. Gill, eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia; A.O.U., Washington, D.C. Haig, S.M. and L. W. Oring. 1985. Distribution and Piping Plover throughout the annual cycle. J. Field Omithol. 56:334-345. Haig, S.M. and J. H. Plissner. 1993. Distribution and abundance of Piping Plovers: Results and implications of the 1991 international census. Condor 95:145-156. Howell, S. N. G. and S. Johnston. 1993. The birds of Isla Holbox, Mexico. Euphonia 2:1-18. Howell, S. N. G. and S. Webb. 1990. Notes on migrants in eastern Mexico, Spring 1990. Aves Mexicanas 2(90-2):5-7. Russell, S.M. and D. W. Lamm. 1978. Notes on the distribution of birds in Sonora, Mexico. Wilson Bull. 90:123-131. Winker, K., R. J. Oehlenschlager, M.A. Ramos, R. M. Zink, J. H. Rappole, andD. W. Warner. 1992. Aviandistributionandabundance records for the Sierra de los Tuxtlas, Veracruz, Mexico. Wilson Bull. 104:699-718.

54 MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRDS CROSSING THE BAJA CALIFORNIA PENINSULA, MEXICO

WILLIAM H. CLARK and DAVID M. WARD, JR. Orma J. Smith Museum of Natural History, Albertson College of Idaho, Caldwell, Idaho, 83605, U.S.A.

At 0835 hrs on 12 June 1990, we observed a flock of 56 Magnificent Frigatebirds (Fregata magnificens) fly over Mesa Palmarito (Lat. 2 9° 4 7 'N Long. Elevation 800m), in the Catavifia area, a few km NW of Rancho Santa Ines, Baja California, Mexico. The site is in an area generally known as the Central Desert and is approximately 30 km from the Gulf of California and 58 km from the Pacific Ocean. The birds passed over the top and western edge of the mesa in a generally westward direction. As they passed the mesa, they dropped in elevation and continued west following a depression in the hills. The mesa has an elevation ofapproximately 250m above the surrounding desert. The birds were too distant to determine sex or age. Brown (1982) noted that breeding individuals must be confined to an area near the colony in order to feed the young thus, presumably only non-breeding birds were in this flock. Moreno and Carmona ( 1988) reported a hatching peak from February to May on Isla Santa Margarita, the northernmost colony in Mexico. Wilbur ( 1987) lists only one record for Magnificent Frigatebird over the interior of Baja California: ''six soaring over La Encantada, 9 . Aug. 1977. ''D.W. Anderson(per. comm., 8Aug.1990) stateshehasseen Magnificent Frigatebirds ''on numerous occasions at literally the same spot you did.'' Howell and Webb ( 1992) reported inland records for Baja California Sur on 11 and 12 June 1991: a single bird soaring in the Ciudad Constituci6narea and 34 birds heading north at kilometer post 45 between Ciudad Insurgentes and Loreto. Howell and Webb ( 1992) also noted that the birds' 'commonly cross the peninsula via the Santo Domingo Valley.'' These sites are south of ours.

The Euphonia 2: 55-57, 1993

55 MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRDS CROSSING BAJA

Magnificent Frigatebird Sketch by Jamie Chavez

Moreno and Carmona ( 1988) found a dispersal radius of540 km. for 108 individuals banded at Isla Santa Margarita's breeding colony They observed these birds crossing at many places on the peninsula. E. Palacios (pers. comm., 1992) stated that he had seen Magnificent Frigatebirds crossing the peninsula from San Felipe to the Ocean. Palacios also stated that the crossing between Bahia Magdalena and Bahia de la Paz is very well known. Grinnell ( 1928) noted that only stragglers occur north of about latitude 26° on the peninsula. McCaskie (1970), Small (1974), and Garrett and Dunn ( 1981) record the Magnificent frigatebird in the Salton Sea area of southern California, indicating that the birds occasionally stray north and inland. In discussing Brown Pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis)Ander- son et al. (1977) list the following factors for inland movements: active dispersal, passive dispersal, weather patterns, and use of inland habitat. They concluded that the movements ofpelicans were most strongly related to weather patterns at the time ofpost- breeding dispersal. We do not know if pelicans and frigatebirds are comparable in dispersal. Palmer (1962) gives records for the species crossing both the Isthmus of Panama and the Isthmus of Tehuantepec (Mexico). In Florida, Magnificent Frigatebird

56 MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBJRDS CROSSING BAJA

is irregular (but at times common) inland, usually following storms (Robertson and Woolfenden 1992). Although scattered references indicate that Magnificent Frigatebirds do cross the peninsula of Baja California at times, it seems useful to publish these collected records so that the information is available for a more complete analysis of this behavior in the future.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We thank D.W. Anderson for information concerning Magnificent Frigatebirds. K. Garrett, R. Rodriguez-Estrella, E. Palacios, and E. Yensen offered valuable suggestions on an earlier manuscript. S.M. Fullerton, E. Palacios, and W.K. Taylor assisted with the literature.

LITERATURE CITED

Anderson, D.W., L.R. Deweese, and D.V. Tiller. 1977. Passive dispersal of California Brown pelicans. Bird-Banding 48:228-238. Brown, R.G.B. 1982. Birds and the sea. Oceanus 26:4-10. Garrett, K. and J. Dunn. 1981. Birds of Southern California: status and distribution. Los Angeles Audubon Soc., Los Angeles, CA. Grinnell, J. 1928. A distributional summation of the ornithology of Lower California. Univ. Calif. Publ. Zool. 32:1-300. Howell, S.N.G and S. Webb. 1992. Noteworthy bird observations from Baja California, Mexico. West. Birds 23:153-163. McCaskie, G. 1970. The occurrences of four species ofpelecaniformes in the southwestern United States. Calif. Birds 1:117-142. Moreno, L.A and R Carmona. 1988. Ecologia reproductiva de Fregata magnificea en Isla Santa Margarita, B.C.S. Bachelor's Thesis. Biol. Marino, Univ. Auton. de Baja California Sur, La Paz. 74 pp- . Palmer, R.S. 1962. Handbook of North American birds. vol. 1: Loons through flamingos. Yale Univ. Press, New Haven, CT Robertson, W.B., Jr. and G.E. Woolfenden. 1992. Florida bird species: An annotated list Florida Ornithological Soc. Spec. Publ. 6. Gainesville. Small, A 1974. The birds of California Winchester Press, New York, NY. Wilbur, S.R 1987. Birds ofBaja California Univ. Calif Press, Berkeley.

57 A RECORD OF BAR-TAILED GODWIT FOR MEXICO

KURT RADAMAKER, P.O. Box 8045, Santa Maria, California 93456, U.S.A.

CINDY LUDDEN, 1220 Pacific Blvd., Apt. A, Oceano, California 93445, U.S.A.

On 12 September 1992, while birding the mudflats at the south end of the harbor in Ensenada, Baja California, we discovered ajuvenal-plumaged Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica baueri) among a flock ofabout forty Marbled Godwits (L. fedoa). These mudflats are on the south side of Ensenada, about 80 km south of San Diego, California. The bird was with a large congregation of waders during low tide (0800). We studied the godwit with binoculars and a telescope for about two hours under overcast skies and took several photographs in poor light. We returned at about 1600 and relocated the bird. The sky had cleared, and the afternoon lighting was excellent for photographs (Figures 1-4 ). During both observations, the godwit spent most of its time sleeping and was observed as close as lOrn. RichardE. WebsterandThomasE. Wursterwereunable to locate the bird the following day. Typical of the genus Limosa, the Bar-tailed Godwit had a long, bicolored, upturned bill. In size and shape the bird was similar to Marbled Godwit, but direct comparison showed the Bar-tailed Godwit was slightly smaller, shorter-legged, and paler overall (Figure 1). A close inspection showed the scapular feathers had dark centers, with light buff spots along the edges, typical ofa juvenile Bar-tailed and quite different from the adult Marbled Godwits present that showed black feathers, notched with cinnamon (Figure 2). For a thorough discussion ofjuvenile godwits see Hayman et al. (1986). Based on a review ofliterature (Roberson 1980, Schmidt 1989, Campbell et al. 1990) and recent issues of American Birds and Winging It, and information from the California Bird Records Committee (M. A. Patten in litt. ), there are about 60 records ofBar-tailed Godwit for the west coast of North America south of Alaska, including six records of multiple invididuals (see the Appendix). Eighty-percent ( 48 of60) ofthese records

The Euphonia 2:58-65, 1993

58 A RECORD OF BAR-TAILED GODWIT FOR MEXICO are for fall, with dates of occurrence extending from 11 July ( 1968, Arcata, California) to 30 November ( 1973, one present since 27 October at Bolinas Lagoon, California).

DISCUSSION

Although Bar-tailed Godwit occurs regularly along the West Coast of North America, most records are from Monterey County north, despite the high density ofbirders in southern California. South of Monterey, Bar- tailed Godwit has only been recorded 3 times: once in San Diego County, 4 to 27 November 1981 (Unitt 1984), once in Los Angeles County, 11 February to 11 March 1976 (Garrett and Dunn 1981 ), and once in Ventura County, 30 August 1991 (Patten and Erickson 1994). The paucity of records in southern California remains a mystery and may suggest the birds are continuing southward out to sea. The only previous account of Bar-tailed Godwit in Mexico was published by Grinnell ( 1928) as hypothetical based on a specimen collected at La Paz, Baja California Sur, by Lyman Belding in the winter of 1882-83. The following passage, taken directly from Grinnell ( 1928), details the unusual circumstances surrounding this specimen:

Known only from the one most extraordinary record, or capture by Belding of a single bird at La Paz in the winter of 1882-83 (Belding, 1883b, p. 545, under the name Limosa lapponica novae-zealandiae; Nelson, 1921, p. 112, under Veto/a lapponica baueri). The place of capture has been given wrongly in several publications, as "Cape St. Lucas." Brewster (1902, p.64), by correspondence with Belding, found that the latter, when he shot the bird, was ''not aware'' that he ''had taken anything but the common kind until Profes- sor R[ idgway]. informed'' him to the contrary. Belding saved "only a head and wings," he believes. When Brewster wrote, in 1902, the head of the bird was in the National Museum, and was, he considered, ''without question. . . that of an adult L. l. baueri in winter plumage,'' thus confirming Ridgway's determination. At this writing (January 24, 1927), I have before me, on loan, the head in question, which is no. 86418, U. S.

59 A RECORD OF BAR-TAILED GODWIT FOR MEXICO

Nat. Mus., as specified by Brewster. At first glance, one is impressed by the small size of the bill, but upon comparing it with a series ofLimosa fedoa, individuals ofthe latter are forthcoming which are just as small, and which differ otherwise in no slightest way that I can perceive from it. Mr. H. S. Swarth, and also Mr. J. H. Riley, after independent examination of the specimen, arrive at the same conclusion as I do, namely, that is indistinguishable from a small male ofthe common, to- be-expected,fedoa. Since it is true thatfedoa averages decidedly longer billed, it is possible that the material available to Ridgway and to Brewster happened seem- ingly to exclude it from consideration as within the range of fedoa. On the other hand, there is the chance that the wings of the bird were saved and preserved at least until after Ridgway had examined them, and that they showed characters placing them with baueri. But there is no evidence now as to this; and Dr. C. W. Richmond has, at my request, kindly looked into the matter. Under all these circumstances, I see no choice but to consider the record of Limosa lapponica baueri somewhat in doubt, and to give it hypothetical status accordingly.

Based solely on Grinnell's conclusions, the Bar-tailed Godwit was included as hypothetical in the Checklist ofBirds ofMexico (Friedman et al, 1950) and The Birds ofBaja California (Wilbur 1987). The only recent examination of this specimen was performed by SteveN. G. Howell and Robert Berhstock, both of whom came to the conclusion that it is not identifiable to species (S. N. G. Howell pers. comm.). Intrigued by the 1882/1883 account, we began to investigate the record, thinking that the great Ridgway was probably correct and that with current technology, maybe Ridgway could be corroborated, possibly with the use of spectral analysis or DNA testing. We spoke with Dr. Roxie Layboume, an expert on feather analysis from the U. S. National Museum, and we were informed that the feather structure of these two species was very similar and feather spectrography would not provide an answer. We then asked about the possibility ofhaving DNA analysis done, but we were informed it was unlikely the Museum would allow the specimen to be

60 A RECORD OF BAR-TAILED GODWIT FOR MEXICO

Figure 1. Juvenile Bar-tailed Godwit (note bold supercillium)

Figure 2. Marbled Godwits with Juvenile Bar-tailed (note the shorter tarsi ofBar-tailed)

61 A RECORD OF BAR-TAILED GODWIT FOR MEXICO

Figure 3. Bar-tailed Godwit in flight (note the white primary shafts and feet extended beyond the tail)

Figure 4. Juvenile Bar-tailed Godwit

62 A RECORD OF BAR-TAILED GODWIT FOR MEXICO altered for this purpose. The identification of the 1882/1883 specimen must therefore remain unknown. RESUMEN

El autor describe la primera observaci6n del Picopando colipinta (Limosa lapponica baueri) en Mexico. Se incluye un resumen de todos los records del Picopando colipinta en la costa oeste del norte de America. A traves de este resumen, se ilustra que aun cuando esta es la primera observaci6n en Baja California, este registro encaja con el ya establecido patron de dispersaci6n.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We thank Michael A. Patten for providing considerable information on the occurrence ofBar-tailed Godwit in western North America. We thank SteveN. G. Howell and Bob Berhstock, who communicated their results ofthe specimen examination from the U.S. National Museum, and Roxie Layboume for information regarding methods to potentially identtlY that specimen.

LITERATURE CITED

Campbell, R. W., N. K. Dawe, I. McTaggart-Cowan, J. M. Cooper, G. W. Kaiser, and M. C. E. McNall. 1990. The Birds of British Columbia, vol. II. Royal Brit. Columbia Mus., Victoria, BC. Friedmann, H., L. Griscom, and R. T. Moore. 1950. Distributional checklist of the birds of Mexico, Part I. Pacific Coast Avif. 29. Garrett, K. and J. Dunn. 1981. Birds of Southern California: Status and Distribution. Los Angeles Audubon Soc., Los Angeles. Grinnell, J. 1928. A distributional summation ofthe ornithology ofLower California. Univ. Calif. Publ. Zool. 32:1-300. Patten, M.A. and R.A. Erickson. 1994. Fifteenth report of the California Bird Records Committee. W. Birds 25: 1-34 Roberson, D. 1980. Rare Birds of the West Coast. Woodcock Publ., Pacific Grove, CA. Schmidt, 0., ed. 1980. Rare birds of Oregon. Ore. Field Ornithol. Spec. Publ. 5. Unitt,P. 1984. ThebirdsofSanDiegoCounty. San Diego Soc. Nat. Hist., Memoir 13. Wilbur, S. R. 1987. Birds ofBaja California. Univ. Calif. Press, Berkeley.

63 A RECORD OF BAR-TAILED GODWIT FOR MEXICO

APPENDIX

RECORDS OF BAR-TAILED GODWIT FOR WESTERN NORTH AMERICA SOUTH OF ALASKA

Date Location Source

11 Feb-2 Mar 1976 Culver City CA W. Birds 10: 176 21-28 Apr 1991 Ocean Shores WA Am. Birds 45:490 25 Apr 1980 Newport OR Schmidt 1989 13 May 1979 (2) Tokeland WA Roberson 1980 24 May 1980 Dungeness Spit W A Am. Birds 34:809 28 May 1978 Neha1emOR Schmidt 1989 1 Jun 1980 S. jetty Columbia R. OR Schmidt 1989 3-5 Jun 1984 near Crescent City CA W. Birds 19:143 7-14 Jun 1981 (2) Sandspit BC Am. Birds 46:140 8 Jun 1974 (6) Leadbetter Pt. WA Roberson 1980 10 Jun 1980 (2) Dungeness Spit WA Am. Birds 34:923 10 Jun 1983 Willapa Bay WA Am. Birds 37:1020 11-17 Ju1 1968 Arcata CA W. Birds 24:129 12 Jul 1992 Boundary Bay BC Am. Birds 46:1168 mid-July 1993 Newport OR Winging It 5(8):3 17 Jul-3 Sep 1974 Arcata HUM W. Birds II :165 30 Jul1993 Leadbetter Point WA Winging It 5(9):3 1-12 Aug 1979 Dungeness WA Roberson 1980 8 Aug 1986 Boundary Bay BC Campbell et al. 1990 9 Aug 1983 Dungeness River Mouth WA Am. Birds 38:237 11 Aug-22 Sep 1991 Berkeley CA M. A Patten in litt. 14-28 Aug 1982 Bottle Beach WA Am. Birds 37:217 16 Aug 1987 Clover Pt. BC Campbell et al. 1990 18 Aug-3 Oct 1987 Tokeland WA Am. Birds 42:123 18 Aug-18 Sep 1992 Leadbetter Pt. WA Am. Birds 46:307 20 Aug 1985 Ocean Shores WA Am. Birds 40:322 20 Aug-9 Sep 1989 Pecadero Lagoon CA W. Birds 23:109 20 Aug-1 Sep 19921 Abbott's Lagoon CA M. A Patten in litt. 21-23 Aug 1987 Boundary Bay BC Campbell et al. 1990 25-29 Aug 1980 Coos Bay OR Schmidt 1989 25 Aug-6 Oct 1990 Wallapa Bay WA Am. Birds 45:310 26 Aug 19892 Tokeland WA Am. Birds 44:151 26 Aug-6 Oct 1990 MacKerricker State Park CA Patten and Erickson 1994 27-30 Aug 1987 Bandon OR Schmidt 1989 30 Aug 1990 Pt. MuguCA Patten and Erickson 1994 late Aug-9 Sep 197 Sidney BC Campbell et al. 1990 4 Sep 1973 Pt. Brown W A Roberson 1 980

64 A RECORD OF BAR-TAILED GODWIT FOR MEXICO

10 Sep-11 Oct 1988 Tokeland WA Am. Birds 43:189 10-16 Sep 1992 Ocean Shores WA Am. Birds 47:141 11-15 Sep 1977 Bandon OR Schmidt 1989 11 Sep-9 Oct 1981 3 Dungeness Spit WA Am. Birds 36:210 11 Sep 1988 Salinas R. mouth CA W. Birds 23:109 12 Sep 1992 Ensenada, Baja Calif. details herein 14 Sep 1992 Lake Tallowa Am:Birds 47:145 14-22 Sep 1979 Newport OR Roberson 1980 16-30 Sep 1972 Reifel I. BC Campbell et al. 1990 17-19 Sep 1985 Dungeness Spit WA Am. Birds 40:322 20 Sep 1988 Bolinas Lagoon CA W. Birds 23:109 22 Sep 1984 Leadbetter Pt. WA Am. Birds 39:93 22-24 Sep 1984 MudBayBC Campbell et al. 1990 23-26 Sep 1976 Bandon OR Schmidt 1989 23 Sep-14 Qct 1984 Coburg Peninsula BC Campbell et al. 1990 25 Sep-1 Oct 1977 Ocean Shores WA Roberson 1980 1 Oct 1977 Ocean Shores WA Roberson 1980 4-5 Oct 1980 (2) Bandon OR Schmidt 1989 2-8 Oct 1992 Point St. George CA Am Birds 47:145 11 Oct 1986 Tacoma WA Am. Birds 41:134 15-18 Oct 1989 Boundary Bay BC Am. Birds 44:147 22-28 Oct 1979 Dungeness WA Roberson 1980 26 Oct 1992 1 Bodega Bay CA M. A Patten in litt. 27 Oct-30 Nov 1973 Bolinas Lagoon CA W. Birds 6:140 31 Oct 1931 MudBayBC Campbell et al. 1990 4-27 Nov 1981 Coronado CA W. Birds 16:35

1Not yet reviewed by the California Bird Records Committee. 2Possibly the same bird since 1987 (Am. Birds 44:151 ). 3Two different birds were likely involved (Am. Birds 36:210)

Bar-tailed Godwit Records graphed by arrival date

65 PHOTO SPOT: WHITE-NAPED AND WHITE-COLLARED SWIFTS

STEVEN. G. HOWELL, Point Reyes Bird Observatory, 4990 Shoreline Highway, Stinson Beach, California, 94970-9701, U.S.A.

The White-naped Swift (Steptoprocne semicollaris) is endemic to west- em Mexico. The White-collared Swift (Streptoprocne zonaris) occurs from eastern and southwestern Mexico south to Bolivia and northwestern Argentina (A. 0. U. 1983 ). I am aware of only one substantiated record of the White-collared Swift south of Guerrero: a specimen collected on the Pacific slope of Chiapas on 3 March 1942, and deposited at the Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology, Camarillo, California. Both species are locally common and wide-ranging in Mexico, although rarely do their ranges overlap. The White-naped is among the largest swifts in the world, with a wingspan of22-23 .2 inches (56-59 em). The White-collared Swift is somewhat smaller, with a wingspan of 19-21 inches ( 48-5 3 em). The white collar across the chest ofthe White-collared can be difficult to see on birds high and against the sky, and this feature can be indistinctto lacking in some immatures. Thus, while the white nape band of the White-naped is thick and can be quite obvious in profile (but invisible from below), this pattern can be matched by immature White- collareds. With the potential exception of partially albino birds, White- napeds do not show white across their chest. One of the best identification marks is the shape of the tail, although the literature has varied somewhat in its treatment ofthis feature. Blake ( 1953) incorrectly stated ''tail moderately forked'' for both White- naped and White-collared. Edwards (1972, 1989) said "tail square or slightly notched for White-naped and, for White-collared, ''tail rather short, very slightly forked: (1972) or "medium, notched" (1989). For White-naped, Peterson and Chalif (1973) noted "tail lacks notch of White-collared,'' and for White-collared, ''tail slightly forked,''

The Euphonia 2:66-68, 1993

66 PHOTO SPOT: WHITE-NAPED AND WHITE -COlLARED SWIFTS

Figure 1. White-naped Swift, near Tacimbaro, Michoacan. March 1993.

Figure 2. White-collared Swift, near Palenque, Chiapas. Apri/1992.

67 PHOTO SPOT: WHITE-NAPED AND WHITE -COllARED SWIFTS

Photos by SteveN. G. Howell

Figure 3. White-naped Swift, near Tacimbaro, Michoacan. March 1993

As with many birds, the shape ofthe tail varies depending on how widely it is spread. In gliding flight with the tail closed to slightly spread, the tail of White-collared is distinctly forked while the tail ofWhite-naped is only slightly notched or almost squared (Figure 1). While soaring, when the wings ofboth species tend to be spread into distinctive paddle-shaped bulges, the tail of White-collared can look squared or at best only slightly notched (Figure 2), while that ofWhite-naped can appear rounded (Figure 3 ). It is always important to consider if a bird is molting. That is, shorter outer or inner rectrices will greatly affect tail shape.

LITERATURE CITED

A.O.U. 1983 Check-list ofNorth American birds, 6th ed. Am. Ornithol. Union. Washington, D.C. Blake, E. R. 1953. Birds of Mexico. Univ. Chicago Press, Chicago. Edwards, E. P. 1972. A Field Guide to the Birds of Mexico. Publ. by author. Sweet Briar, Virginia. Edwards, E. P. 1989. A Field Guide to the Birds of Mexico, 2nd ed. Publ. by author. Sweet Briar, Virginia. Peterson, R. T. and E. L. Chalif. 1973. A Field Guide to Mexican Birds. Houghton Mifflin Co .. Boston.

68 RECENT ORNITHOLOGICAL LITERATURE

Edited by MICHAEL A. PATTEN, P. 0. Box 51959, Riverside, California, 92517-2959

Castellanos, A. and R. Rodriguez-Estrella. 1993. Current status of the SocorroMockingbird. Wilson Bulletin 105:167-171. Theauthorsmade multiple visits to Isla Socorro from 1988 through 1990 and conservatively estimated the total population of this formerly common endemic species at fifty to sixty pairs. This estimate is considerably larger than those made by previous workers in the last fifteen years. Their analysis concluded that, since habitat degradation and other factors had not improved or were even worse than earlier, the most likely explanation is that earlier estimates, ''probably were a mistake because they spent few days in the field and surveyed a restricted area of the island.'' The primary threat to Socorro Mockingbird appears to be overgrazing by sheep, although predation by feral cats and competition with recently introduced Northern Mockingbirds are additional concerns. Some habitat associations and food preferences are noted, a good map is provided, and specific sugges- tions for protection and further investigation are made. [Centro de Investigaciones Biol6gicas de Baja California Sur, Apartado Postal128, La Paz, 23000, Baja California Sur, Mexico] - K.F.C.

Howell, S. N. G. and S. J. Engel. 1993. Seabird observations off western Mexico. Western Birds 24:167-181. The authors detail observations ofseabirds they encountered up to 100 km offshore between Cabo Corrientes, Jalisco, and Acapulco, Guerrero, from 28 April through 6 May 1992. Of particular interest in this paper are the , determination that Christmas Shearwaters (Pu.ffinus nativitatis) are a "fairly common visitor, at least during some years from April to September, to waters off southern Mexico,'' the identification informa- tion presented for Townsend's Shearwater (P. auricularis), and the discussions of wintering Sabine's Gulls (Xema sabini), including a photograph, and of nesting Bridled Terns (Sterna anaethetus) as far northwest as offNayarit. [Point Reyes Bird Observatory, 4990 Shoreline Highway, Stinson Beach, California 94970-9701, U.S.A.] - M.A.P.

The Euphonia 2:69-70, 1993

69 RECENT ORNITHOLOGICAL LITERATURE

Hutto, R. L. 1992. Habitat distributions of migratory landbird species in western Mexico, in Ecology and Conservation ofNeotropicalMigrant Landbirds(J.M. Hagan, III, andD. W.Johnston,eds.),pp. 221-239. Proc. Manomet Symposium, 1989. This paper describes and compares patterns of habitat use by resident and migratory landbirds based on point counts at 36 sites in western Mexico, from southern Sinaloa and Durango south to Oaxaca. These sites were divided into four general habitat types. Bird species were classified as migrants ''if individuals were not known to breed in Mexico.'' Furthermore, Hutto states that ''all other species were categorized as residents, even though individuals from the northernmost populations of some ... (so-called partial migrants) ... migrate south in winter.'' Hutto commendably attempts to address important basic ques- tions about migrants in winter. The results and conclusions of this paper, however, like every other ''ecological study'' I have read on migranrs in Mexico, are compromised by numerous errors. Hutto uses cloud forest as a habitat, although from his site descriptions (given in an appendix) one ''cloud forest'' is largely coffee tinea whose avifauna (including diversity and abundance of migrants) is strikingly different from true cloud forest (pers. obs. ). In some cases, species identifications are wrong (e.g., Black- crowned Tityra and Slate-colored Solitaire, both of which are unknown from western Mexico). In others, habitat allocations are inaccurate (e.g., in Table 2, Yell ow-headed Parrot and White-crowned Sparrow are listed as pine-oak-fir forest specialists!). Perhaps the most common error is the classification of species as migrant, resident, or partial migrant. It is no secret that at least 19 (40%) of Hutto's 47 "migrants" breed in western Mexico (e.g., Red-faced Warbler and Summer furthermore, at least 17 of Hutto's ''residents'' are partial migrants, yet are not indicated as such (glaring examples are Vermilion Flycatcher and Varied Bunting). The broad-brush results of such studies reflect general the specific, statistical results are false when the data are flawed. [Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana 59812, U.S.A.] - S.N.G.H.

Contributors: Kurt F. Cambell, Steve N.G. Howell, and Michael A Patten

70