Spring 2014 www.bbbo.org The Marsh Wren Braddock Bay Bird Observatory

A non-profit organization dedicated to ornithological research, education, and conservation. Birds of a Different Color

Leucism in Wild Birds During the fall of 2013, we captured several birds that had unusually pale feathers in atypical locations. While there has recently been some discussion about the proper terminology for such birds, both David Sibley and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology call these birds leucistic. The colors in birds’ feathers come from two sources: from pigments and from the structure of the feather itself. Melanins are the pigments responsible for brown, black, and some yellow; carotenoids are responsible for yellow and orange; and porphyrins are responsible for a range of hues including pink, red, brown, and some green. Iridescence as well as most blue comes not from pigment but from the structure of the feathers and the way they refract light. Leucism refers to the abnormal lack of melanin (and perhaps other pigments) in feathers. In most cases, leucism is caused by a genetic mutation that affects the way melanin More common are leucistic birds that have some white is deposited. Consequently, leucistic birds will have some patches but which are normally colored otherwise. These white or exceptionally pale feathers. birds are termed pied or piebald. A third variation is a fairly Leucistic birds come in three general varieties. Some uniform reduction in color all over the bird. leucistic birds are completely white, but with dark eyes. Albinism, a genetic mutation that prevents the production of melanin, is a similar condition but is far less common. It is interesting that not all albino birds are the stereotypical white-with-pink-eyes. Because albinism only affects the production of melanin, an albino bird might still produce other pigments and hence appear colored. These birds do not survive long in the wild, as the lack of melanin in the eyes affects their sight. Since leucism is typically a genetic mutation, it affects each generation of feathers. However, sometimes we see birds that appear to be leucistic one year, and normal the next. In most cases, it is likely to be tail feathers that switch between the typical and atypical condition. The Cedar Waxwing tail to the left may be an example of this phenomenon. The four white rectrices may have regrown after an accidental loss,

Top: American Robin with pied leucism. Photo by Andrea Patterson. Above right: White-throated Sparrow with pied leucism. Photo by Peggy Keller. Left: Cedar Waxwing with white tail feathers. Photo by Andrea Patterson. and they may be replaced with normal gray feathers during genetic mutation is affecting just one type of melanin. It is the next regular molt cycle. Some sources count this as an also possible that it is affecting all types, such that they are example of leucism while some do not, as it is likely not a deposited at much lower concentrations. genetic condition. Finally, leucism isn’t just a condition that affects the feathers. The White-throated Sparrow to the left displays a “common” In the case of the Gray Catbird above, it has affected the pattern of leucism in this species. BBBO volunteer Cindy claws. Marino reports seeing one at her feeders, Black Swamp Keep an eye out for leucism. These birds are uncommon, Bird Observatory has banded two in the last 25 years, and but with a careful eye you may well see leucistic birds at multiple photos and videos exist on the internet of similar your feeders, in your yard, or on your bird walks. birds. We joke that there are actually three morphs of the White-throated Sparrow: white, tan, and the rare bald- Top left: Leucistic and typical Bay-breasted Warblers. The bird on the eagle! left may simply have a lower concentration of melanistic pigments, or it may be missing a particular type of melanin. Photo by Kyle Horton. When the bird is pale and washed out, as the Bay-breasted Top right: Gray Catbird with leucistic claws. Photo by Cindy Marino. Warbler above (banded fall 2011), it is possible that the BBBO Honors Betsy’s Commitment to Education!

On October 3, BBBO hosted its first ever science talk in the newly renovated education space. Sara Morris’s talk was well attended, interesting, and engaging . . . and it was all a cover! The real purpose of the evening was to honor Betsy Brooks and her many years of service. Given all the work Betsy has done educating banders, volunteers and the public, it is exceptionally fitting that the Board of Directors has chosen to name the education space theElizabeth W. Brooks Center for Learning about Migratory Birds. Congratulations Betsy! Photos by Kathy Habgood. Fall 2013 Banding Report T There were record-high numbers banded of 5 species of5species Therebanded were record-high numbers and twoGray Catbirds years. intheir fifth Yellowthroat Vireo andaRed-eyed intheir sixthyears; Robin,andaCommon anAmerican Chickadee, capped a Black- years; in their Cardinal seventh and a Northern Redstart anAmerican Catbird intheir each eighth years; Vireos andaGray were twoRed-eyed among these station. Noteworthy at the MAPS Kaiser-Manitou Beach banded being after and 8 returned season, a previous from 62returned recaptures, Ofthese birds. banded previously 1,375 werecaptured birds, In additionto the “new” Year birds. (HY) 84.9%were Hatch bandings, Ofthe new were banded. when27species and2Oct on26Sep diversity occurred greatest species The and four additional100+bird days. (19%).There wereKinglet additional200+bird days three White-throated (32%) Sparrow and Golden-crowned Onthatwere day, banded. were the predominant species when241birds of25species Sep 25 daywas The busiest 2012. hours infall 100net 37.8birds compared per with hours, 100net per inacapture resulted ratehours ofbanding of29.5birds at which 130forms. nowstands list, for form the cumulative fall anew was Sparrow crowned Gambel’sHummingbirds unbanded. were released White- Anadditional26Ruby-throated by1,058birds. total 2012’s offall short which falls were banded, 87 species 4,512birds of on17Aug. starting the intensive season began on 21 Jul and ended on 25 Oct 2013, with 2013,with on21Jul on25Oct andended began at the Station Kaiser-Manitou Banding Beach banding offall year he twenty-eighth consecutive Fall Banding 2013 A total of 15,292 net A totalof15,292net pictured onthe cover.pictured Waxwing maleCedar 200,00th bird its -the second-year banded on22Jul, reached whenBBBO was A milestone 18years. in14ofthe past banded being were after missing Nuthatch, Tanagerbreasted Scarlet andIndigoBunting andWhite- 18years; in15ofthe banding last being after missing Rusty Blackbird was 18years; in 16ofthe last Yellow-bellied banded being after missing Sapsucker was totalever. fall ourlowest was Black-capped Chickadees Warbler9 Blackburnian (7).Onthe side,19 negative Waxwing Flycatcher (39);126Cedar bellied (110);and Woodrecord 10);18Eastern high (9);42Yellow- Pewee including Hummingbirds 22Ruby-throated (previous a science talk that served as cover of for as the dedication that talk a science served gave Sarah Morris events. The station held twospecial book. our guest signed Visitorssession. andKenya Ontario, ten from states, certification Council Banding American aNorth hosted ran station staff the station andfor we a also weekend, of the banding Appledore Lab) Marine Island (Shoals Part groups. home-school andseveral School, the Harley ESF, andWilliam Hobart Smith Colleges, Geneseo, SUNY SUNY from wewelcomed guests season, the fall During inourFall Training Bander participated Class. Amherst), andRobbieTietge (Two MN) Harbors, Schofield (Holley, Lisa (UMass Stephanie Slonka NY), NY), Lake, (Saranac (Hillard, OH),Kendra Ormerod Lamont Elizabeth NY), Lake, Belford (Saranac Alan Course. Bander ever Summer in ourfirst participated Training (Northampton, MA) Zimmerman University), and Robert Nichole Whyland (Cornell Hill,MA), (Chestnut Schaffer-Smith University), (Duke Pam Westrom Danica (Hull,University), Nephshinsky Megan MA), PA),Amy Haus (Germansville, Howell Jessica (Ohio Education andEvents the education room to Betsy. room the We education held a also WXXI inRochester.WXXI of guests the with Birds” for special “Breakfast developing a better paternity test, inorder to paternity test, abetter developing University,of Cornell whoare interested in Blue Warblers and Scott Taylor for Kaiser Sara Black-throated samples from blood collected We birds. ofthese site use and stopover also rates to anddiet study the physiology migration indicators offattening plasma using who is for Dr.Sparrows SusanSmith ofR.I.T., Pagano WarblersBlackpoll andWhite-throated We samplesthrushes, from blood collected trailer this fall. MARS Katie the Little operating and herassistant from Technical Dr. problems prevented Morris Sara Research Top 10 species banded during fall 2013 Banding Report Fall 2013 With numbers captured during previous 10 fall seasons

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 White-throated Sparrow 1569 1146 1516 674 1037 554 839 1459 551 785 848 Golden-crowned Kinglet 193 473 502 458 295 341 324 360 176 343 456 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 221 702 722 619 510 420 521 321 193 341 287 Magnolia Warbler 220 188 170 270 309 350 316 295 132 183 284 Gray Catbird 163 102 175 138 236 266 157 230 164 290 273 Hermit Thrush 414 307 450 171 200 186 186 217 210 288 203 Blackpoll Warbler 40 47 78 65 162 343 52 280 760 575 182 Yellow Warbler 58 49 123 31 142 180 157 321 30 126 162 Swainson’s Thrush 150 159 165 123 177 147 60 176 75 306 134 Cedar Waxwing 96 13 36 69 85 59 110 56 33 28 126

more effectively study the mating system of these warblers. special thank you goes to Bill Kaiser, Nancy Britton and The Genesee Land Trust for permission to band on their land. Jenna Holzschuh of SUNY Brockport and Dr. Mark Deutschlander of Hobart and William Smith Colleges Ryan Kayhart was our Research Assistant, Jenna Holzschuh studied White-throated Sparrows to determine how our Field Assistant, and Elizabeth Lamont our Data Tech. energetic condition affects bird orientation (migratory Banding was done by licensed banders David Bonter, direction) near a large ecological barrier (Lake Ontario). Elizabeth Brooks, Kelly Dockery, Jon Dombrowski, Erin Karnatz, Ryan Kayhart, Hippoboscid flies were Peggy Keller, Marian collected for Jason Klik, Tom Klotzbach, Mayberry of Canisius Cindy Marino, Dave College, and fecal Mathiason, Andrea samples were collected Patterson, Doug Smith, from several species and John Waud. Banding for John Maddux assistants were Cathy who is studying avian Belair, Claire Buck, predation of honeybees. Virginia Duffy, Laura Evans, Greg Lawrence, Appreciation Gayle Lazoration, Katie Thanks to Tom Muller Little, Pat Lovallo, for mowing paths Maggie MacNeil, Ann and to Jim Gillette for Nash, Emily Patterson, mowing the field; to Jesse Rubenstein, Rick Sue Dougherty, Lyn Shearman, Claire Jacobs, Willie Norton, Trombley, Leanna Rosemary Reilly and Twohig, Barb Wagner, Doug Smith for their Bella and Cici Weber, help with habitat Aggie Windig, and maintenance; to Allen Nash for spreading woodchips on Brenna Zanghi. our trails; and to Jeanne Verhulst for helping with data - Compiled by Betsy Brooks and Ryan Kayhart entry. Much appreciation goes to all our faithful volunteers: Bob Ames, John Boettcher, Jane Capellupo, Mark Catlin, Barb French, Marilyn Guenther, Kathy Habgood, Gary Far left: Summer Bander Training Class: Danica, Jessica, Nichole, Herbert, John Lehr, Pat Martin, Chita McKinney, Shirley Robert, Pam, Amy, and Meghan. Photo by Andrea Patterson. Top: Meston, Terry Perry, the Podulka family, Rosemary Reilly, Wilsons’s Warbler. Photo by Ryan Kayhart. Center: Fall Bander Training Class: Lisa, Alan, Elizabeth, Andrea, Kendra, Robbie, Sonya Rooney, Lee Schofield, Ruth Stork, Andy Thiede, Stephanie, and Betsy. Photo by Andrea Patterson. Alice VandeMoere, Tom Verhulst, and Willem Windig. A Mourning Dove 1 Lawrence’s Warbler 1 Eastern Screech Owl 1 Black-and-white Warbler 3 Ruby-throated Hummingbird 22 Tennessee Warbler 7 Downy Woodpecker 10 Orange-crowned Warbler 2 Hairy Woodpecker 1 Nashville Warbler 21 Yellow-shafted Flicker 1 Connecticut Warbler 1 Intergrade Flicker 1 Mourning Warbler 2 Eastern Wood Pewee 18 Common Yellowthroat 120 Yellow-bellied Flycatcher 42 Hooded Warbler 1 “Traill’s” Flycatcher 18 American Redstart 98 Least Flycatcher 27 Cape May Warbler 7 Eastern Phoebe 5 Northern Parula 5

Birds Banded Fall 2013Birds Banded Fall Great-crested Flycatcher 2 Magnolia Warbler 284 Blue-headed Vireo 3 Bay-breasted Warbler 16 Warbling Vireo 24 Blackburnian Warbler 9 Philadelphia Vireo 16 Yellow Warbler 162 Red-eyed Vireo 96 Chestnut-sided Warbler 12 Blue Jay 6 Blackpoll Warbler 182 Black-capped Chickadee 19 Black-throated Blue Warbler 46 Tufted Titmouse 2 Western Palm Warbler 2 Red-breasted Nuthatch 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler 42 Brown Creeper 70 Black-throated Green Warbler 14 House Wren 15 Canada Warbler 5 Winter Wren 90 Wilson’s Warbler 27 Marsh Wren 1 Eastern Towhee 1 Carolina Wren 3 American Tree Sparrow 1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 6 Chipping Sparrow 4 Golden-crowned Kinglet 456 Field Sparrow 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 287 Fox Sparrow 8 Veery 12 Song Sparrow 101 Gray-cheeked Thrush 99 Lincoln’s Sparrow 16 Gray-ch./Bicknell’s Thrush 40 Swamp Sparrow 49 Swainson’s Thrush 134 White-throated Sparrow 848 Hermit Thrush 203 White-cr. Sparrow (Eastern) 16 Wood Thrush 4 White-cr. Sparrow (Gambel’s) 1 American Robin 34 Dark-eyed Junco 119 Above: Birds banded during fall 2013 include an early Tennessee Warbler, the first White- Gray Catbird 273 Northern Cardinal 26 crowned Sparrow banded as a Gambel’s Brown Thrasher 1 Rose-breasted Grosbeak 4 instead of the Eastern sub-species, and a rare Lawrence’s Warbler. Photos by Andrea European Starling 1 Baltimore Oriole 4 Patterson and Peggy Keller. Cedar Waxwing 126 Purple Finch 4

Right: Golden-winged Warbler. Photo by Ryan Ovenbird 10 House Finch 8 Kayhart. Northern Waterthrush 24 American Goldfinch 20

*“Traill's” Flycatcher includes both Willow Golden-winged Warbler 1 House Sparrow 1 Flycatcher and Alder Flycatcher. These species Blue-winged Warbler 4 are difficult to distinguish from one another except by their calls.

Check out our facebook page at www.facebook.com/BraddockBayBirdObservatory Volunteer Spotlight Ann and Allen Nash

nn began volunteering in 2009 and took the Bander Training Class in Spring 2011. Since then she has been aA regular at the banding table, an excellent net- picker, and a strong component of the BBBO educational team. Allen got involved at BBBO in Spring 2011, prompted by a bad fall Ann took on a slippery path near the #10 net! Since then, Allen has personally taken pitchfork and shovel and moved seven truckloads of wood chips and mulch delivered by the Town of Greece to the network of trails at BBBO. He has turned the paths used for checking nets into soft, dry, cushiony lanes, and you can feel the difference at the end of a long day of net- checking. Ann and Allen spend their winters in Florida, but we are exceptionally grateful that they spend the other three seasons with us, warming us all with their cheerful smiles. THANK YOU Ann and Allen!

2013 Financial Summary and Notice of 2014 Annual Meeting

INCOME EXPENSES Membership & Donations $13,079.00 Personnel $7,950.00 Merchandise Sales 1,359.00 Equipment 426.00 Bander Training Courses 5,850.00 Banding Station Expenses 4,122.00 Housing Receipts 2,225.00 Printing & Mailing 1,313.00 Interest on Investments 149.00 Administrative 1,088.00 Total $22,662.00 Merchandise for Sale 1,093.00 House Expenses 3,710.00 ASSETS Depreciation of Property 6,982.00 Cash on Hand $74,625.00 Total $26,684.00 Buildings & Equipment $173,012.00 BALANCE ($4,022.00)

The 2014 Annual Membership Meeting will be held on September 19 at 5:00. All members are invited to join us in the Elizabeth W. Brooks room at Braddock Bay Bird Observatory.

Has your membership expired? Braddock Bay Bird If so, this may be your last issue of The Marsh Wren. Please check your membership status by finding the Observatory A non-profit (501(c)(3)) organization dedicated to ornithological expiration date printed on the mailing label below. research, education, and conservation. The organization is operated Memberships expire at the end of the year printed. To entirely by volunteers, and financially supported by our members. join BBBO, please mail a check to: BBBO Officers and Advisers: Braddock Bay Bird Observatory President David Mathiason; Vice-President Susan Smith Pagano; Treasurer Secretary Directors PO Box 12876 Chita McKinney; Linda Boutwell; Matthew Belanger, David Bonter, Elizabeth Brooks, Mark Deutschlander, Rochester, NY 14612 Richard Marx, Andrea Patterson, and John Waud. For a complete list of committees and committee memberships, visit our web site. Membership categories are: Student $15, Individual $25, Family $30, Contributing $100, Corporate $250. Thank Cedar Waxwing photo (cover) by Andrea Patterson, and Rose-breasted you for your support! Grosbeak (below) by Ryan Kayhart. Newsletter by Andrea Patterson.

Did you know that BBBO runs a summer banding camp for teenagers? Check out the website for more information!

The Marsh Wren Braddock Bay Bird Observatory PO Box 12876 Rochester, NY 14612

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