Western BirdBander A Quarterly Publication of the Western Bird-Banding Association

~an.- Mat:' 1974 Table of Contents From the President 3 Some Precautions to be Used in Banding Studies of Nestling Raptors by Pete Bloom 4 Cooperative Banding Projects ,...... 6 W.B.B.A.'s Annual Meeting...... 7 Simple Noose Method for Capturing Nesting Gulls by Don E. Miller 10 Recent Literature 12

The Western Bird Bander is published four times a year by the Western Bird-Banding Association. Applications for membership should be sent to the Business Manager. Membership classifications are: Ac- tive Member, $4.50 per year; Associate Member, $4.50 per year; Student and/or Sub-permittee. $3.50 per year; Sustaining Member, $9.00 per year; Life Member, $100.00.

President Dr. Charles T. Collins Department of Biology, California State University Long Beach, California 90840 First Vice President Mrs. Shirley Wells 31443 La Vista Drive, San Pedro, California 90732 Second Vice President Michael San Miguel 409 Meadow Lane, Monrovia. California 91016 Secretary Otis D. Swisher 1002 S. Oakdale, Medford, Oregon 97501 Business Manager Dr. L. Richard Mewaldt 4150 Golf Drive, San Jose, California 95127 Editor Mrs. Eleanor Radke P.O. Box 466, Cave Creek, Arizona 85331

Recent Literature Richard W. DeHaven Worksheets Dr. Charles T. Collins Auxiliary Marking David W. Foster Annual Report David W. Foster Jan.-Mar. 1974

From the President

Sometimes I think bird banders are punishment- is due to increased levels of environmental oriented! Who else would utilize most or all of pollution or simply increased numbers of their "spare" time in an activity which demands observers. Either way, banders are in a unique so much associated drudgery in the form of position to monitor this in that we handle large paperwork and record keeping? However, it is numbers of birds each year. Gochfeld hoped this very fact that sets banders aside from that a central repository for this information regular listers and bird watchers. They want to could be established. However that will take accomplish something! It is also this particular some time. In the meantime banders, and group, and not the birdwatchers, that Western hopefully W.B.B.A. in particular, can take the Bird Bander is designed to serve. One of lead in establishing a monitoring program. All Western Bird Bander's major functions in this that would be necessary would be for each of us respect is to suggest additional ways of making to carefully record any physical abnormalities the role of banders even more effective and or deformities we note in the birds we handle. significant in today's environment. Accordingly, However it is equally important that we keep a I would like to enlist your support of another tally of the exact numbers of "normal" birds. program. Thus we can determine not only the occurrence by locality or species but also the incidence of As most of you are aware, abnormal and deform- occurrence. Negative results [no deformities ed birds have long been noticed by birders and noted) are of equal importance if we are to use banders alike. To date countless kinds of abnor- this program as an early warning system for malities have been described and many of them, further environmental degradation. the crossed-bill condition in particular, have been extensively recorded in the scientific I have already said that banders are a different literature. In fact it has been suggested (Parkes, and special sort of people. Let's prove it again by Wilson Bull., 1969, 81:342) that further documen- taking the lead in this program, and making tation is no longer necessary. Gochfeld others follow our example! Until we find a coor- (American Birds, 1972, 26:705) has recently voic- dinator [any volunteers?) to collect these ed the opposite view! His article is well worth records for W.B.B.A., hold on to these figures. each of us reading. In particular he felt that the Don't be discouraged by low numbers, or increased implication of chemical pollutants as negative results. Every bit counts and starting a cause of these conditions makes it imperative now, if not yesterday, is imperative if in the that we continue to carefully note the incidence future we are to have birds to band and an en- of all abnormalities in birds. Only in this way vironment worth living in. Let's get at it! can we tell if the apparent increase in these ab- normalities and occurrence in additional species

New Members Charles R. Munson, 433 W. 8th, No.2. Eugene, OR 97401 Tony Barnard, 15519 17-A Ave., Surrey, B.C., John L. Rieger, 13235 Wildcat Canyon Rd., Canada Lakeside, CA 92040 J.E. Bell, P.O. Box 13135, Edwardsville,KS 66113 Dr. Stephen I. Rothstein, Dept BioI. Sc., U.C., Dana Butters, 412 Melcanyon, Duarte, CA 91010 Santa Barbara, CA 93106 Donald H. DeFoe, R-2, Box 176, Gatlinburg, TN Deane Swickard. c/o Natural Resources, U.S. 37738 Marine Corps Base, Bldg. 25154, Camp Dr. Richard Doutt, 9274 South Smith, Reedley, Pendleton. CA 92055 CA 93654 Marjorie Elmore, 1728 Hudson Dr., San Jose, CA 95124 Life Member Richard Esposito, 10 Longs Peak, Longmont, CO Dorothy B. Hunt, 4111 Trout Gulch Rd., Aptos, 80501 CA 95003 Robert N. Hansen, 665 W. Dovewood Lane, Fresno, CA 93704 Wayne Hoffman, Dept. Zool., O.S.U. Corvallis, Deceased OR 97331 Thomas Burleigh, Monterey, California Beverly L. McIntosh, Box 435, Trabuco Canyon, Josephine Michener, Pasadena, California CA 92678 Johnson Neff, Englewood, Colorado Some Precautions to be Used in Banding Studies of Nestling Raptors Pete Bloom

Visiting the nests of some species of raptors when the nests contain eggs, or young less than two weeks of age, may result in nest failure. This has been observed for the Red-tailed Hawk, Red-shouldered Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, Great Horned Owl, and Barn Owl.

Recently I have been engaged in studies of the from a nest cavity, it does not appear to return breeding biology and movements of birds of for some time and possibly not until darkness prey in southern California. In the course of this, sets in. This means that if an adult Barn Owl is nearly 1,500 hawks and owls have been banded disturbed on the nest at 9:00 in the morning it since the spring of 1970 and, of this total, ap- will not return until that evening. Eggs or very proximately one half were banded as nestlings. young nestlings left unattended for this length of The gathering of data on various aspects of the time are extremely vulnerable. The embryo or breeding biology of these rap tors has made it young chick will frequently succumb to ex- necessary to observe the contents of nests at posure, because of the lack of body heat provid- various times in the reproductive cycle as well ed by the adult or from too much heat in those as when young are to be banded. nests receiving direct sunlight. During my four years of banding and also during The problem of nest failure of this sort in Barn the many years previous to this that I spent Owls is an easy one to prevent. If one needs to observing raptor nests, I have noted what conduct a study of mortality throughout the appeared to be cases of nest desertion. It also period from egg laying to flying young, instead of appeared that nests which were observed while just waiting and banding young when they are they still contained eggs or very young nestlings known to be greater than two weeks old, ap- had a higher failure rate than nests checked proach the nest near dusk so that the adult owl when the young were more than two weeks old. will only be away a short time. This of course By nest failure I mean that in most cases all eggs requires that you get in and out as quickly as or young, and not just one or two young, were possible and before it gets too dark to see what lost. Nests that contained young birds older than you are doing. two weeks never showed instances of total Often times it is very easy to capture either one failure that couldn't be explained by predation or both adult Barn Owls in the nest cavity. Cap- or natural causes. This situation seemed to hold turing these birds in this way, and banding or true for the following species: Red-tailed Hawk, taking measurements during the spring when Red-shouldered Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, Great Horned Owl and Barn Owl. Other species that I they are known to be nesting, almost always results in nest failure. If capture of the adults is observed and for which this did not seem to hold necessary, either wait and capture them at some true were Burrowing Owl, Screech Owl, and other season or trap them outside using a Bal American Kestrel. Chatri or Verbail trap. I should mention that This does not mean that banding of nestling rap- capture of the adults inside the nest cavity is tors in California should be discontinued. It possible without causing desertion when the does, however, indicate that precautions should young are older than two weeks or when no eggs be taken. In particular, the nests of those species are present. The period when eggs are in the in which I noted possible increases in nest nest and also when nestlings are less than one failures should only be approached when week old is a particularly critical period for nestlings are known to be greater than two Barn Owls. weeks old. Careful consideration should be Barn Owls are usually non-aggressive toward given before studies are undertaken which human visitors. This is because most people would entail inspection of nests and contents at check nests during the daytime and not at night. an earlier stage. However, when climbing into a nest cavity after dark, one is then "in the owl's element" and may be at a significant disadvantage when facing the onslaughts of the occasional more aggressive Special precautions must also be taken when pairs. Under these conditions, they are capable working with some owls. If a Barn Owl is flushed of inflicting painful wounds. Great Horned Owls react differently from the more common Barn Owl when they are disturb- ed. Their typical behavior when flushed is to stay in the immediate vicinity until the human intruder has left and then quietly return to the nest. They will do so at any time of the day-unlike the Barn Owl. Even so, the same procedures recommended for the Barn Owl would apply here, because not all Great Horned Owls return immediately. ~ (I might also mention that the Great Horned Owl is hardly the animal you would want to confront on a limb 50 feet up in a Sycamore tree after dark. It might be a better idea to wait until the young are large enough for banding and can be safely approached in daylight before visiting nests. Then, if the adults attack, at least you'll see it coming.)

Although the Great Horned Owl usually returns shortly after it is flushed, this is not always true. In some cases, it leaves its 1 to 3 large white eggs exposed in the open, where they are easily spotted by Ravens. Destruction of hawk and owl eggs by Ravens is something I have noted only a single nest by various parties interested in when the nest has been previously checked by "ripping off" one or all of the young can be ap- people. Apparently the destruction occurs preciable-and the resultant repeated distur- between the time the observer leaves and the bance alarming. This disturbance is clearly in- adult bird returns. This type of predation does creasing and may eventually result in as great, occur in natural situations, but probably not to or greater, damage to raptor populations than the same extent that can result from careless the actual numbers of young that are human disturbance. "harvested." Red-tailed Hawks also suffer from Raven preda- I believe that anyone doing studies involving tion of eggs. This is especially true for pairs that those species mentioned should proceed are non-aggressive to the observer. These hawks cautiously, keeping the above observations in will fly a considerable distance and not return mind. Much detrimental influence can be avoid- for some time,-allowing time for a Red-tailed ed by means of the precautions I have noted. Hawk omelet. Failure to take these precautions will not only endanger the populations being observed but also seriously bias the data obtained in studies of breeding success and egg and nestling mor- tality.

Although all the species of hawks mentioned here normally return to the nest quickly after disburbance, they all seem to share to some degree the same problem of nest failure when This paper probably would not have come into nests with eggs or very small young are visited. being had I not encountered these problems Admittedly, this is not true in all or in most while involved in other studies. I wish to thank cases, but it does seem to occur more frequently Dr. Charles T. Collins for his acceptance of me in those pairs that are disturbed with very small as a sub-permit bander, for his advice concer- young or eggs, than in those birds observed with ning this paper, and for reviewing it. No less im- older young. portant, I wish also to thank James Aron and In parts of the country such as southern Califor- Richard Jackson for their many weekends spent nia, where there are large numbers of falconers in the field. and "bird keepers," the number of visits made to 13611 Hewes Ave., Santa Ana, California 92705 New W.B.B.A. Venture: Cooperative Banding Projects

All banders from the Western Region are asked to participate in a new series of projects. W.B.B.A. is launching these cooperative banding projects in a effort to gather d<1ta simultaneously from a wide geographical area. Coordinator, Dr. Arthur E. Staebler, gives details of the first pro- ject-a study of White-crowned Sparrows-which goes into high gear this fall. However, you may begin at once to record such information as completion of pre-nuptual (pre-alternate] molt and time of departure from or arrival at your station.

The White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia 4. Time of arrival and departure of these birds leucophrys) is an excellent subject for a at each station. cooperative study by the banders of the Western Bird Banding Association. This species is Banders who would like to participate in this widespread throughout much of Western United project are urged to examine the four areas of States during the winter months and is easily study and determine the necessary preparations identified. It has been the subject of many field and modifications which may be required in studies in various part~ of its range as well as their own procedures-if they plan to contribute numerous laboratory studies. King, Farner, and to this cooperative project next fall. The need to Mewaldt (Condor, 67 (1965): 489-504) found some closely coordinate the activities so that max- interesting variations in age and sex ratios of this imum value can be obtained from the data bird from several localities on both the breeding collected is illustrated by the recording of body and wintering grounds. A great deal can still be weights. Weights should be recorded to the learned about this sparrow, and much valuable nearest tenth of a gram, a level of accuracy ob- data can be obtained from the many W.B.B.A. tainable by most of the spring scales. Excessive banders who regularly handle it. variation due to birds with empty or full crops The success of a cooperative project will depend can be avoided by taking weights during the first largely upon the extent to which participants are half of the day; all weights recorded should in- willing to gather and record data. The informa- clude the time of capture of the bird. tion sought from each station should be relevant Banders who desire to participate in this to the four areas of study listed below. cooperative venture for the 1974-75 winter season are urged to contact me. Before the fall arrival of the migrant White-crowns, detailed directions for the recording of the data for this project will be sent to each bander who has ex- 1. Determination of the ratio of hatching-year pressed an interest. A summary of the data ob- birds to adults. tained during the first year will be made in suf- 2. Body weights of individuals throughout the ficient time to determine if the project should be season. continued for an additional season or seasons. 3. Time of commencement and completion of Biology Department, California the pre-nuptial molt. State University, Fresno, CA 93740

If you have not already done so, please complete and return your Annual Report questionnaire to David Foster. We plan to publish the Report in the next issue of Western Bird Bander. In order to make the Report meaningful, we need data from a large percentage of the banding stations in the Western Region. W.B.B.A.'s Annual Meeting • Flagstaff, Arizona W.B.B.A. will hold its 1974 Annual Meeting in members, probably on Saturday afternoon, 11 conjunction with the Cooper Ornithological May. A.n auxiliary mailing, giving further details Society (its parent organization) at Northern of the W.B.B.A. portion of the program will be Arizona University, Flagstaff, on 8 May through sent to all W.B.B.A. members in late March or 12 May at the invitation of Northern Arizona early April. University and the Museum of Northern Arizona. All those wishing to attend the Flagstaff meeting A separate papers session and a business should complete the enclosed registration form meeting will be scheduled for W.B.B.A. and send it to Dr. Russell P. Balda by 15 April.

c.o.S. Program Wednesday, May 8 3:00 PM Registration and information, main lobby, Holiday Inn, until 10:30 PM.

Thursday, May 9 Registration all day, N.A.U. Creative Arts Auditorium lobby, se- cond floor. Opening session: business meeting and presentation Of papers, Creative Arts Auditorium. Evening reception for members and friends of the Society, Museum of Northern Arizona.

Friday, May 10 8:00 AM Registration all day, lobby, Creative Arts Auditorium. 9:00 AM Morning Session: presentation of papers, Creative Arts Auditorium. Afternoon session for presentation of papers, Creative Arts Auditorium. 6:30 PM Council dinner meeting, Holiday Inn. 8:00 PM Evening program for members and friends, Creative Arts Auditorium.

Saturday, May 11 Morning session: business meeting and presentation of papers, Creative Arts Auditorium. Afternoon session for presentation of papers, Creative Arts Auditorium. Annual Banquet (informal dress), Little America.

Sunday, May 12 A trip is planned to visit the Life Zones of the San Francisco Moun- tain area. The morning will be spent observing Sonoran, riparian and aquatic habitats, the afternoon in the Transition, Hudsonian, and the Canadian Zones. Individuals may select either a full-day or one half-day trip. Please indicate on the enclosed advance registration form if you plan to participate in this field trip. LOCATION culminated in the formation of the widely used concept of Life Zones. Flagstaff's unusually Flagstaff is located at an elevation of 7000 ft. on clear, crisp air has attracted numerous the Colorado Plateau, in the midst of an exten- astronomical observatories to the area. sive ponderosa pine forest. Seven national monuments and parks (including the Grand Can- The climate in Flagstaff in early May is yon) are within easy driving distance of the city. characterized by mild daytime temperatures in the high fifties to mid-sixties (OF) and chilly The San Francisco Peaks, a few miles north of nights with temperatures commonly dropping to Flagstaff, are the setting in which C. Hart the mid-thirties. Precipitation is unusual but Merriam initiated his ecological studies which may occur at this time of year.

'PAGE" GLEN CANYON DAM

89 TO FOUR CORNERS

NAVAJO RESERVAnON \G••••••~1 &~~\. ... \l~~ 164- TO MONUME v ALLEY

TIle most varietl natllral anti his/orieal allraelions in the ",arM sllrrountl the City of Flagstaff. Pause. if yOll can. (inti cnioy tlds scenic spot of YOllr America.

I'alional Monuments 1. Wupatki 2. Sunset Crater 3. Walnut Canyon 4. Montezuma Castle 5. Montezuma Well 6. Tuzig(x,t

TRANSPORTATION (Highway 89A) which leads past the south en- Flagstaff is served by Frontier and Cochise trance to N.A.U. One-half mile beyond this en- Airlines, two transcontinental bus lines and is on trance, Riordan Road intersects the highway on the main line of the Santa Fe Railroad (Amtrak). the right immediately before the Exxon Station. Travelers using the above means of transporta- This road leads into the parking lot adjacent to tion are requested to provide information on the Creative Arts Building. Travelers from east type of transportation and arrival time on the ad- or west on Interstate 40 should turn off at vance registration form. The local committee Flagstaff Exit 195B (Highway 89A-north) and will provide shuttle service from the terminals follow the above directions. Travelers from the to the motels. north on Highway 89 should take the Interstate 40 exit on the outskirts of Flagstaff, proceed west Flagstaff is served by U.S. Interstate Highways on 1-40 to Exit 195B and then follow the above 40 (U.S. 66) and 17, and U.S. Highways 180 and directions. 89. Northern Arizona University is located on the The Holiday Inn is located at the west edge of west side of Flagstaff. The Creative Arts Flagstaff, 4 blocks from the Creative Arts Building is situated on the west edge of the cam- Building. The Museum of Northern Arizona is pus. The easiest route to the motels and meeting on Highway 180, 2112 miles from its junction with location is from the south on Interstate 17 Highway 66 in downtown Flagstaff. ACCOMMODA TIONS The zip code for the above motels is 86001. Numerous motels are located adjacent to Dormitory housing will be available for students Northern Arizona University. Those listed at the Museum of Northern Arizona for $2.00 per below are all less than one-third of a mile from night. Students are advised to contact Steven W. the Creative Arts Building. Shuttle service will Carothers, P.O. Box 1389, Museum of Northern be available from all listed motels to the cam- Arizona, Flagstaff, Arizona, 86001, as early as pus. possible if they desire dormitory space. Be sure Reservations should be made directly, to indicate number of persons, and number of preferably before April 15; Cooper Society nights accommodations will be needed. and/or W.B.B.A. affiliation should be men- Developed campground facilities may, also be tioned. available at the Museum of Northern Arizona.

Name Address Phone Single Double Holiday Innl 1000 W. Highway 66 (602) 774-5221 $15.00 $20.00 Ramada Inn West 602 W. Highway 66 (602) 774-4581 $12.00 $18.00 The Arizonan 311 S. Milton Rd. (602) 774-7171 $10.00 $14.00 Time Motel2 914 S. Milton Rd. $10.40 $12.50 Travelodge 801 W. Highway 66 (602) 774-3381 $12.50 $16.50 'C.O.S. Headquarters 'W.B.B.A. Headquarters encourages early payment of the registration MEALS fees to facilitate their operations. All early Food service will be available at nearby campus registration fees will be returned if notification cafeterias and snack bars on Thursday, Friday, is given by May 4, 1974. As an aid in planning, and Saturday. The Holiday Inn has dining please indicate on the early registration form facilities, and numerous other restaurants are those activities in which you will likely par- close to the campus. Arrangements will be made ticipate and return the form promptly. for an early breakfast on Sunday for those per- All shuttle services will be free of charge and sons going on the field trip. Box lunches can be field trips will be $2.00 for all one-half day trips ordered at the Registration Desk for Sunday and $3.50 for the full day Sunday trip. noon. CALL FOR PAPERS LADIES' ACTIVITIES All members are invited to participate in the Plans are being made for two one-half day out- scientific program of C.O.S. and W.B.B.A.'s ings for the ladies. One trip will be a sightseeing separate papers session. Those wishing to pre- trip of the Redrock Country with stops for lunch, sent papers at the W.B.B.A. session should con- browsing, and shopping in Sedona, one of tact Dr. Charles T. CoIlins. Send titles and Arizona's most unique and beautiful small abstracts of proposed papers or motion pictures towns. The second trip will be a sightseeing trip for the C.O.S. session to Dr. J. David Ligon, to Sunset Crater and Walnut Canyon National Program Chairman, Department of Biology, The Monuments. Those interested in the above ac- University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New tivities are requested to indicate this on the ad- Mexico 87131. vance registration form. SPECIAL AWARDS REGISTRATION The Cooper Ornithological Society makes two Registration may be completed on Wednesday 8 cash awards each year (A. Brazier Howell and May, from 3:00-10:30 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Frances F. Roberts Awards) to students or non- and all day Thursday and Friday in the Creative professional ornithologists who are members of Arts Auditorium lobby. An information desk and the Society and who, in the opinion of the selec- transportation and shuttle desk will be open at tion committee, present the best papers. Judging the above locations. The registration fee, $6.00 is on the basis of contribution to ornithological for individuals, $8.00 for families and $4.00 for knowledge, originality of the research, and students may be paid upon arrival or with the effectiveness in presentation of the paper. The advance registration form. The local committee awards will be made at the annual banquet. A Simple Noose Method for Capturing Nesting Gulls Don E. Miller

Frequently, studies of colonial-nesting gulls and forcibly pinned against the anchored guide. To other sea birds require catching and handling help soften the impact as well as increase the breeding adults for banding, tagging or other rapidity and stroke of the pulling action, a purposes. Various devices for capture, such as flexible fishing rod can be employed, with the cannon-nets or nest-traps, have been used but cord wound on the reel. Once the bird is these often have disadvantages in tf:lrms of pinned, the observer quickly moves up the cord expense or disruptive effects on breeding hand-over-hand, keeping the cord taut, and activities in the colony. I describe here a simple carefully removes the noose. method of negligible cost that I have used successfully to capture individual Ring-billed In my experience with this technique in Gulls on their nests. colonies of Ring-billed Gulls, the noosed bird causes only local disturbance that lasts little The method employs a slip noose on the end of longer than the excitement created by a human a long piece of cord that is pulled manually to briefly visiting the nest. Eggs in the nest suffer! close the noose around the legs of the bird as it little, if any damage. I have not attempted the settles down or sits on the nest. The noose is technique at nests containing chicks for fear of planted on the rim of the nest and the cord their injury. However, I have attempted it with unwound in a straight line to a distance where some success on birds standing off the nest on the observer's presence does not deter the favored look-out "roosts" within the territory. flushed adult from sitting on the nest after its Indeed, with specific modifications the method return. An anchored cord-guide,. in the form of possibly can be applied to many other avian a forked stick or eyed rod pushed firmly into forms that consistently sit or perch at certain the ground, is placed along the cord about one sites. foot from the nest to pin the bird to the ground when noosed. If the cord cannot be extended This method was developed while conducting along a straight course, angles in the line can be research supported in part by funds provided formed using additional anchored guides to for biological and medical research by the State prevent slack, thus assuring that only a single of Washington Initiative Measure No. 171 and swift arm-stroke is needed to constrict the the Graduate School Research Funds. noose. The cord (I used brown-stained chalk line) should be slightly elastic to avoid sudden Department of Zoology, Washington State excessive stress on the legs of the bird as it is University, Pullman, Washington 99163

Point Reyes Bird Observatory Most of W.B.B.A. 's membership is aware of the These, supplementing our traditional backing substantial contribution Point Reyes Obser- from membership and donations, have carried vatory has made in the field of orni- us through three remarkable years of increasing thology-much of it through a banding program achievement, maturity, and public esteem. which has received world-wide recognition. We can show solid accomplishments in a PRBO is now facing a financial crisis. number of ways. On a very practical level, we have managed to help restore the populations of The following is taken from their plea for help: the Farallones, the largest breeding seabird Crises are nothing new. We have overcome colony in the continental United States. (The many and still managed to maintain our opera- murres, for instance, have increased four-fold in tion at the ambitious level established in 1971. a very few years.) A flood of papers bears Three major grants helped make this possible: witness to our scientific productivity, and our the Merrill Trust in 1970, Standard Oil's gift newsletter reflects this. We have gained the con- after the 1971 oil spill, and the three-year fidence of a number of public bodies and Farallon grant from the Dean Witter Foundation. entered into fruitful relationships with them. In spite of constant efforts we have not been PRBO can and will survive. I am sure you will able to repeat the foundation bonanzas. With ad- agree that our very productive team must stay ministrative costs already as low as they can be together. May we ask your immediate help in and salaries little above subsistence level, there keeping alive our contribution to American con- is no room for economy in this area. We must servation and ornithology? Gifts are tax- either find the means to tide us over this present deductible. crisis or go under. It's as simple and brutal as Point Reyes Bird Observatory that. Mesa Road. Bolina CA 94924

RECENT AUXILIARY MARKING AUTHORIZATIONS

Great Blue Heron: Radio transmitters and/or red, green, and pink leg bands. Allen B. Crockett, Jr., 1300 30th St., Apt. yellow, and blue wing tags and/or leg bands and/or leg B4-14, Boulder, Colorado 80303. streamers. Dr. Mary M. Erickson, Dept. of Biological Scrub Jay and Mexican Jay: Red, yellow, blue, green, Sciences, University of California, Santa Barbara, Califor- orange, and white leg bands. Mrs. Walter R. Spofford-ad- nia 93106. dress above. White-faced Ibis: Yellow patagial tags. Dr. Jessop B. Low, Robin: Red, yellow, blue, green, and white leg bands. Dr. Utah Cooperative WRU, Utah State University, Logan, Utah John A. Wiens-addre.ss above. 84321. Western Meadowlark: Red, yellow, blue, green, orange, Tule White-fronted Goose: White feathers for imping, and white leg bands. Dr. John A. Wiens-address above. white neck collars, and white leg bands. Edward J. Collins, Evening Grosbeak and House Finch: Orange, purple, pink, Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge, Box 311, Route 1, and black leg bands. Fred B. Samson, Dept. of Zoology, Utah Willows, California 95988. State University, Logan, Utah 84321. Turkey Vulture: Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet, Sage Sparrow: Red, yellow, blue, green, orange, and white pink, black, and white leg bands and/or leg streamers leg hands. Dr. John A. Wiens-address abov'e and/or wing streamers. Dr. Mary M. Erickson-address Miscellaneous above. White-tailed Kite, California Quail, Anna's Hummingbird, Red-tailed Hawk, American Kestrel, and Merlin: Red Acorn Woodpecker, Black Phoebe, Scrub Jay, Common patagial tags. Gerald R. Craig, State of Colorado-Nongame, Bushtit, Mockingbird, Brown Towhee: Red, yellow, hlue, Colorado Division of Wildlife, 6060 Broadway, Denver, green, orange, violet, pink, black, and white leg bands Colorado 80216. and/or leg streamers and/or wing streamers, Dr. Mary M. Rough-legged Hawk: Red, yellow, green, and blue patagial Erickson-address above. tags. Gerald R. Craig-address above. American Kestrel, Gambel's Quail, White-winged Dove, Ferruginous Hawk and Prairie Falcon: Red, green, and Mourning Dove, Ground Dove, Roadrunner, Screech Owl, blue patagial tags. Gerald R. Craig-address above. Great Horned Owl, Elf Owl, Poor-will, Black-chinned Hum- Harris' Hawk: Green, black, and white leg bands. Dr. mingbird, Costa's Hummingbird, Common Flicker (Gilded), Stephen M. Russell, Dept. of Biological Sciences, University Gila Woodpecker, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Western of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721. Kingbird, Cassin's Kingbird, Tropical Kingbird, Ash- Inca Dove: Red, yellow, blue, orange, green, purple, throated Flycatcher, Steller's Jay, Mexican Jay, Verdin, Cac- mauve, pink, and white leg bands. Dr. Stephen M. tus Wren, Rock Wren, Mockingbird, Bendire's Thrasher, Russell-address above. Curve-billed Thrasher, Crissal Thrasher, Black-tailed Gnat- Long-eared Owl and Short-eared Owl: Green, black, and catcher, Phainopepla, Loggerhead Shrike, Starling, Bell's white leg bands. Dr. Stephen M. Russell-address above. Vireo, Lucy's Warbler, Hooded Oriole, Scott's Oriole, Car- Acorn Woodpecker: Red, yellow, blue, green, and orange dinal, Pyrrhuloxia, House Finch, Lesser Goldfinch, Brown paint or dye on wings. Mrs. Walter R. Spofford, Aguila Towhee, Abert's Towhee, Rufous-winged Sparrow, Black- Rancho, Portal, Arizona 85632. throated Sparrow, Cassin's Sparrow, Botteri's Sparrow, Homed Lark: Red, yellow, green, blue, orange, and white Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon), Gray-headed Junco, Yellow- leg bands. Dr. John A. Wiens, Dept. of Zoology, Oregon State eyed Junco (Mexican), and Song Sparrow: Red, yellow, University, Corvallis, Oregon 97330. blue, orange, and white leg bands. Dr. Stephen M. Blue Jay and Steller's Jay: Red, yellow, light green, blue, Russell-address above. Banding Equipment and Techniques Age and sex determination of game birds. D. Zimmerman. 1972. Po. Game News, 43:17-21. Capture methods for the Upland Plover. W.B. (From Wildl. Rev. No. 147, p.64.) (Bobwhite Ballard and D.E. Bowen. 1973. IBBA News, 45:132-135. Quail, Ringnecked Pheasant, Ruffed Grouse, Mourning Dove, Turkey and Woodcock are Banding system and technique in the field. M. described. ) Carins. 1970. Austral. Bird Bander, 8:85-86. (From Wildl. Rev. No. 147, p.68.) (Notes on equipment and methods for a permanent band- Banding Results ing station.) Mourning Dove recoveries from Mexico. L.H. An airboat-scoop technique used to capture Blankenship and H.M. Reeves. 1970. USDI, Bur. birds in a cattail marsh. N.J. Cutright. 1973. of Sport Fisheries and Wildl. Spec. ScL EBBA News, 36:166-172. Rep-Wildl. No. 135. 25p. A device to hold birds for photographic pur- Distribution of Pintails. J.H. Buckalew. 1973. poses. E. Johnson. 1973. IBBA News, 45:128-131. EBBA News, 36(Suppl.):44-52. (Recoveries from A system survey of a bird observatory: Part I. A 1034 Pintails banded at three locations in recording form for banding data. A Salvadori Canada are listed and mapped.) and K.A. Youngstrom. 1973. Bird-Banding, Cape May Point raptor banding station-1972 44:249-257. results. W.S. Clark. 1973. EBBA News, 36:150-164. Environmental traps. C.B. Worth. 1973. EBBA Band recovery in an owl pellet. R.C. Dewire. News, 36:173-175. (A large bird trap, built 1973. EBBA News, 36:176. around existing habitat, is described.) Returns and survival of banded warblers wintering in Jamaica. AW. Diamond and R.W. Age and Sex Determination Smith. 1973. Bird-Banding, 44:221-224. Molt of juvenile White-eyed Vireos. W.G. Dispersal and range expansion by the Cardinal: George. 1973. Wilson Bull., 85:327-330. an analysis of banding records. D.D. Dow and D.M. Scott. 1971. Can. J. ZooI., 49:185-198. Report on aging and sexing criteria for American Redstart. D.R Gray III. 1973. EBBA News, Life expectancies of five passerine species in the 36:143-146. (Also reprinted in IBBA News, DDT era. E.C. Franks. 1973. Amer. Birds, 27:571- 45:184-189.) 572. (Life expectancies are calculated from ban- ding data.) Geographic and seasonal variation in the oc- currence of incompletely pneumatized skulls in Notes on the migration of juvenile ospreys from the House Sparrow. D.M. Niles. 1973. Condor, Maryland and Virginia. RS. Kennedy. 1973. 75:354-356. Bird-Banding, 44:180-186. The Western Sandpiper in Quebec and the A longevity and round trip record of Purple Maritime Provinces, Canada. H. Quellet, R Finches. AR Laskey. 1973. Bird-Banding, 44:227. McNeil, and J. Burton. 1973. Can. Field-Natur., An aged Herring Gull. R.A Montgomery. 1973. 87:291-300. (Discusses plumage and mensural IBBA News, 45:178. (A 31-year-old gull.) characteristics of the Western Sandpiper and Semipalmated Sandpiper and gives method for A warbler recovery. RJ. Pantle. 1973. EBBA separating the two species in the field in Canada News, 36:165. (Eight-year-old Canada Warbler.) during the fall-based on various bill measurements. ) More on one-night mileage of migrants. B.N. Patterson. 1973. Bird-Banding, 44:227-228. (Pine Plumage variability in Harris (= Harris') Siskin travels 96 miles.) Sparrows. S.A Rohwer. 1973. IBBA News, 45:163-169. Survival of Manx Shearwaters Puffinus puf- finus. C.M. Perrins, M.P. Harris, and C.K. Brit- Pterylosis and timing of molt of the Water Pipit. ton. 1973. Ibis, 115:535-548. (Results obtained N.AM. Verbeek. 1973. Condor, 75:287-292. from banding more than 10,000 young shearwaters from 1963-1969.) A numerical criterion for aging by iris color in the Gray Catbird. D.S. Wood. 1973. EBBA News, A report on the banding of Barn Owls. D. 36:147-149. (Also reprinted in IBBA News, Purchase. 1972. Austral. Bird Bander, 10:74-75. 45:189-192.) (From Bird-Banding, 44:231.) Movements of red wings color-marked in north- methods, sex determination, various central Colorado in 1971. W.C. Royall, Jr., J.L. measurements, recoveries and other data.) Guarino, and J.F. Besser. 1972. Colo. Field Or- nithol., No. 14. p. 20-23. Recoveries of Royal Terns banded in Virginia. Part I. The Caribbean. W.T. Van Velzen and Longevity records. W. Rydzewski. 1973. The R.D. Benedict. 1972. Raven, 43:39-41. (From Bird- Ring, 74(1):7-10. (A list of maximum longevity Banding, 44:240-241.) records obtained for some wild birds.) Evening Grosbeaks at Peru, New York. E. A study of wintering Broad-winged Hawks in Washbourne and J. Washbourne. 1973. EBBA southeastern Florida 1968-1973. E.C. Tabb. 1973. News, 36 (Suppl.) :30-33. (Sixteen foreign retraps EBBA News, 36 (Suppl.) :11-29. (Banding are discussed.)

American Banding Directory

The Editors of the Eastern Bird Banding Associa- 11. Memberships in ornithological organizations tion are in the process of collecting data from in- or those in related fields. terested participants in preparation for the 12. Your publications: books, papers. notes in AMERICAN BANDING DIRECTORY. Aimed at past year. stimulating communication and cooperation between banding associations and members, Please return your answers to these questions as research facilities and licensed banders, the soon as possible but, in any case, prior to 1May AMERICAN BANDING DIRECTORY will be 1974. Only changes of address will be honored published as one of the regular issues in 1974, after that deadline. Please be as brief as possible probably the Autumn 1974 issue of EBBA NEWS. for the sake of uniformity and expeditious handling on our part. Questionnaires will soon be mailed to all EBBA Members. If you are not an EBBA Member, and Please mail your data to: Mr. Harvey Farber, Co- you would like to participate, please answer the Editor, Eastern Bird Banding Association, 102 following questions: Wilson Place, Plainview, N.Y. 11803. 1. Name Thank you very much for your cooperation. Should you wish to purchase a copy of the Direc- 2. Title tory, please enclose a self-addressed, stamped 3. Address and ZIP code postcard, so that we can advise you of the details when these become available. 4. Permit Number; when originally issued? 5. If you are a subpermittee, who is your master permit-holder? 6. If you are banding in a professional capacity, please list name of institution sponsoring you. Back Issues of Western Bird Bander 7. Station where you band. Coordinates. Loca- tion. What made you choose this area? W.B.B.A. has a supply of back issues of the Western Bird Bander. A list of those available, 8. What are your main study objectives? What as well as the price, can be obtained by writing species? to the Business Manager, Dr. L. Richard 9. If not a bander, list main interests and ac- Mewaldt, 4150 Golf Dr., San Jose, CA 95127. tivities. Banders are also urged to encourage school 10. Your background & present occupation. libraries to subscribe to Western Bird Bander- Academic background (degrees, etc.). and to buy back issues. Page 14

Allegra Collister has reported that a Song It was recaptured for the first time on 18 October Sparrow which she banded at Longmont, 1973, for an elapsed time of 10 years and 11 days. Colorado, returned in 1973 to establish what ap- parently is a longevity record in the United (Source of longevity data: Jay Sheppard, Bird States for this species. Banding Laboratory; Dr. John H. Kennard, A Study of Longevity in North American Birds, The bird was banded as U-U on 7 October 1963. presented to N.E.B.B.A. on 4 November 1973.)

Information Exchange

It is our hope that an Information Exchange sec- ed in each state for each year is given). Copies tion can be a regular feature of our publication. for a specific species are available to anyone Readers are welcome to submit their request for with a legitimate need for such data. Write to Dr. assistance on any facet of study relating to band- Charles T. Collins, Dept. of Biological Science, ing. California State University, Long Beach, Ca. 90840. For example, we would be happy to publish listings of graduate student projects (or, for that COLOR-MARKING FOR CANADA GEESE AND matter, of any bander's project), requests for GULLS. Mr. Foster has a listing of all color- data on a particular species, sightings of color- marking authorizations for Canada Geese and marked birds, etc. for all species of gulls.

Information Available From W.B.B.A. WANTED: INFORMATION ON BLUE ANNUAL REPORT. A summary by species, GROSBEAK PLUMAGES state, and highest individual total is given each year-for the preceding year-in the spring In looking over specimens of Blue Grosbeaks in issue of Western Bird Bander. Because of space search of aging criteria, I noticed one possible limitations, some of the data available cannot clue. That is, the lesser (?) primary converts, or appear in WBB. Anyone wishing a further at least the small feathers above the greater breakdown of information may contact David W. primary converts and around the sub-alular Foster, Whittier Narrows Nature Center, 1000 N. area, are distinctly buffy-whitish in some in- Durfee Ave., S. EI Monte, Ca. 91733. Information dividuals and distinctly blue (although available includes: yearly totals for any species sometimes white-edged) in others. reported since 1924, as well as who banded how It seems likely that most or all juveniles have the many of a species (from 1963 to date). Informa- pale or buffy condition, particularly in males. If tion of this type may be of interest to anyone so, it would serve to differentiate them (HY and wishing to find others working with a particular SY) from adults (AHY and ASY) until the first species, establishing banding trends. complete molt. It is less clear in females. In any WORKSHEETS. Extra copies of the ageing/sex- case, this should be checked under field con- ing worksheets issued by W.B.B.A. are available ditions prior to our issuing a W.B.B.A. banding worksheet. from the Editor for 50 cents each. The following species sheets have been issued: Western Would all of you working with this species Tanager, Black-headed Grosbeak, Tree Swallow please look at this character during the up- Violet-green Swallow, Lazuli Bunting, Common coming banding season and let me know how Snipe, Summer Tanager, Lesser Goldfinch, reliable it seems. I would also appreciate your American Goldfinch, Bushtit, Verdin, Kingbirds, comments on any other consistent characters Merlin, Myarchis flycatchers, and Oporornis you may observe. warblers. Charles T. Collins BIRD BANDING LABORATORY REPORT. The Department of Biology BBL has furnished WBBA with a listing of band- California State University ings and recoveries for all species from 1955 Long Beach, California through 1971 (the number of each species band- 90840 To the Editor: "W" or "C" on the other, depending on species. In some of our earlier efforts, we were forced to I am conducting a research project into the low use an inferior paint which by now may make waterfowl productivity of the wetlands of the the number illegible. Nevertheless, just the Pitt River Valley, approximately 40 miles east of sighting of one of the aforementioned species Vancouver, B.C. One hypothesis proposed was with a nasal marker will allow us to gain an in- that the original breeding population has been sight into migrational movements of the local "burnt out" by overhunting. To test this, we con- birds. ducted an extensive banding operation this summer, and in addition to banding all birds Please report date, area and circumstance of caught, we used a nasal saddle of the type sighting-and marker number, if possible-to described by Sugden and Poston in the J. Wildlf. the undersigned. Mgmt. 32:4. Tony Barnard We used a red marker on Mallards, a yellow one Graduate Studies, Plant Science on Wood Ducks, and white on Cinnamon Teal. University of British Columbia Each tag has a number on one side and a "M", Vancouver 8, Canada

WING MEASURE. Stainless steel "bend-of- available from the Foundation. Reprints of wing" fixture has been accurately secured at "Mist Nets and their Use" are also available. right angles to the end of rule. The fixture is Bleitz Wildlife Foundation, 5334 Hollywood offset to permit the taking of tail measurements. Boulevard, Hollywood, Ca. 90027. 15 em stainless steel metric/English system rule: BANDING PLIERS. Long nose pliers with rigid, % in. wide, 0.49 in. thick, 150 mm long; openers and holes to fit band sizes. One plier graduated in l/z mm, mm, em; English system on handles size 0, 1, lB, and lA, $7.50; the other reverse side, graduated in 32nd and 10th; ground handles soft and hard 2 and 3 bands, $7.50. There edges for accuracy; $5.00 each ppd. is also a pair for size 3A for $6.50. Ppd. in USA. Order from: R.N. MacDonald, 850 Main St., 30 em steel metric system rule: spring-tempered, Lynnfield, Mass. 01940. satin-chrome finish; 12.7 mm wide, .33 mm thick, 300 mm long; graduated on 3 edges in mm, one MIST NETS. 5, 9, and 12 meter. Nets with llfz in. edge lfzmm; $15.00 each. and 1% in. mesh are made from 50d/2 ply or 70dl2 ply thread. 2lfz in. mesh nets are made Order from Christopher N. Rose, 98 Lopez Rd., from 110dl2 ply thread and 5" mesh nets are Cedar Grove, N.J. 07009. made from 210dl2 ply thread. All nets are ap- proximately 7 feet high. BANDING SUPPLIES. Bleitz Wildlife Founda- tion has available a new listing of the more than Send for order form from EBBA Net Committee, 100 styles, sizes, colors and types of Mist Nets, Biology Dept., Indiana University of Pa., In- Portable Poles, Pesola Scales, etc., which are diana, Pa. 15701. P.O. Box 446 Cave Creek, Arizona 85331 ADDRESS CORRECTION .REQUESTED Western BirdBander A Quarterly Publication of the Western Bird-Banding Association

Apr.- ~un. 1974 Table of CoDt•• From the P.resident ,0', •••••••..••••••••••••.• , •••• ;; ..•• , •••••••••••••.•••••••••••••••••••••••••• 3 Annual Meeting...... •...... •... ,' ,...... • 3 Annual Report Commentary by Don V. Tiller .:...... 6 AnnlHl1 Report c()mpiled by David \IV: Foster .. ~•.... , ~' t ",'" 8 List of Reporting Banders : 16 Recenl Literature ...... •...... , 21

The Western Bird Bander is published four Jimes a year by t~eWestern Bird-Banding Association. Applications for membership should be sent to the 'Business Manager. Membership classifications are: Ac- tive Member. $4.50 per year; Associate Member, $4:50 per year; Student and/or Sub-permittee, $3.50 per year: Sustaining Member, $9.00 per year; Life Member, $100.00. '

Officers of the Western Bird Banding Association

President Michael San Miguel 409Meadow Lane, Monrovia, California 91016 First Vice President Mrs. Shirley Wells 30443La Vista Verde, San Pedro, California 90732 Second Vice President Richard DeHaven P.O. Box C, Davis, California 95616 Secretary Otis D. Swisher 1002S. Oakdale, Medford, Oregon 97501 Business Manager Dr. L. Richard Mewaldt 4150Golf Drive, San Jose, California 95127 Editor .Mrs. Eleanor Radke P.O. Box446,Cave Creek, Arizona 85331

Recent Literature Richard W. DeHaven Worksheets Dr. Charles T. Collins Auxiliary Marking David W. Foster Annual Report David W. Foster

Cover: Adult male Brown Pelican carrying a piece of mangrove to the nest to be presented to the female, who builds the nest. In the southern part of its range, the California Brown Pelican nests in mangroves as does its Florida counterpart. Most: of the California sub-species, however, nest on desert islands in the Gulf of California. . Sketch by Irene Truatt Anderson. Her husband, Dr; Daniel W. Anderson (Wildlife Biologist. Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife), has conducted an ~xtensive banding and marking program on California Brown Pelicans. From the President With the renewal of old acquaintances during a effort to merge the WBB'r with the other regional very fine annual meeting, and the many new banding publications. ideas of my fellow banders still fresh in my Because the next annual meeting-to be held in memory, it is easy to be enthusiastic about serv- Fresno during Sept. 1975-will be our 50th, many ing as your president during the coming year. association members have expressed an interest For those in attendance at the annual meeting, in having the "old timers" share some of their we were reminded of the fine leadership with past experiences. With a general historical which the association has been blessed during theme for the 50th meeting it would be in- the past two years. On behalf of all members of teresting and beneficial to have our long-time the association I would like to offer my sincere members participate in the activities of the next thanks to outgoing president Dr. Charlie Collins meeting. It is not too early to start thinking about for his dedication and many contributions to the a program for our next meeting. Perhaps a few WBBA. I would also like to express my continued papers and displays relating to the 50-year support of the fine work by editor Eleanor Radke history of the association would be in. order. and business manager Dr. Richard Mewaldt. Their effort is very much appreciated. As with our past president I will continue to stress the importance of papers, articles. and The coming year should prove to be very in- work sheets from WBBA members. There is a teresting and eventful. As stated during our continued need to share our experiences and meeting a major task ahead of us is the incor- data, especially with studies related to serious poration of the association, making us an "of- zoological research. ficial" organization. Another major activity slated for the coming year will be the continued

W.B.B.A.'s 1974 Annual Meeting

This year's Annual Meeting was held jointly torial birds, a cinematic analysis," it featured ul- with the Cooper Ornithological Society at tra slow-motion pictures which can only be Flagstaff, Arizona from 8-12 May. Thursday and described as astounding. Saturday's buffet- Friday, and Saturday afternoon were devoted to banquet was concluded with the showing of the C.O.S. papers sessions, which included a num- Sierra Club movie of the Grand Canyon, "Time ber of papers specifically related to banding. and the River Flowing." The field trip on Sunday covered Sonoran and riparian habitats south of The Friday evening program was given by Flagstaff in the morning, and the Transition and George E. Goslow of Northern Arizona Universi- Canadian Life Zones of the San Francisco Peaks ty, Flagstaff. Entitled "Attacking behavior of rap- in the afternoon. Under OLD BUSINESS. President Collins reported on the progress being made towards merging the banding journals. The shoulder patch was briefly discussed but no action taken. Under NEW BUSINESS: (1) it was reported that Board action was taken to proceed with incor- poration of W.B.B.A.; (2) future Annual Meeting sites will be in Fresno. California. 22-23 September, 1975; and in Ft. Collins. Colorado. mid-June 1976; (3) the slate of officers for 1974-75 was presented by the nominating committee. Shirley Wells, David Foster. and Grace Nixon. Elected unanimously were: President - Michael San Miguel First Vice President - Shirley Wells ,\'"wly-electRrI J'rRsirienl, Mike San Miguel (r), talks with Second Vice President - Richard DeHaven SI~cr"l(Jr)', Otis Swishf~r [lJ (Jnri Past-President, Dr, Ronald Secretary - Otis Swisher H)'cll~r (b(JcK 10 c(JlJ1f~raJ Business Manager - L. Richard Mewaldt

A vote of thanks was given to the out-going of- ficers.

\'\f,B,B,A,'s 49th annual business meeting and Cooperative Banding Projects pmgrillll \'\'(!I'l! held Saturday morning with the Arthur Staebler commented on the first of the following in attendance: cooperative banding projects. the White- l\rizol1u: l3ett\' Carnes, Marjorie Churchill, crowned Sparrow. (See article elsewhere in this Salome Dema"ree. Helen Longstreth. Eleanor issue.) Data sheets, with directions for their use, Radke. Sally Spofford. are now available from Dr. Staebler. A fairly- complete bibliography of Zonotrichia has been CuJiforniu: Enid Austin, Kristen Bender, Donald prepared by James R. King; copies are available Bleitz, K(!nlwlh Briggs. Dr. Churles Collins, by writing to him c/o Department of Zoology. l)a\'id Fostl!r, Diana Matthiesen, Dr. and Mrs. L. Washington State University, Pullman. WA Richilrd Mewaldt, Grace Nixon, Michael San 99163. l'vligud Dr. Arthur Staebler, Jack Wallace, Mr. ,IIHI I\1rs. J, Cordon Wells. Subject: Hummingbirds, CoJorudo: Dr, Paul Baldwin, Roger Boyd, Dr. Dr, Arthur Staebler (lJ and Ron,IId Ryder, Vice-President. Shirley Wells ,\/url'!und: JilY Sheppard. ,\' ~\\' '\!(!xico: Bilrbara McKnight, Patricia Snid(!r, ()n:gol1: Otis Swisher. )l(!llIlSl'!vu/liu: Dr. Kenneth Parkes. I 'lull' llerberl Frost, Dr, Joseph Murphy. \ \'usIJinglol1: James King. Minutes of the last meeting were approved as corrected, The treasurer reported expenditures of $~.~15.:Hl for fiscal 1973-74. Cash balance $1.2G8:18: savings account $2,539.46; total assets S:UlO7.n4: total membership 362 as of 10 May IH7 -I. A motion was passed to thank Dr. Mewaldt, Bllsiness Manager-and Mrs. Mewaldt-for their work. TIll! Editor of Western Bird Bander asked for ar- Business Manager. Dr, L. Richard Mewaldt ticll!s. sketches and/or photographs. With the clII'rent small backlog of material, fairly prompt publication can be assured. Jay Sheppard brings Papers Session us up to dote on activities at the Bird Two papers were given at the W.B.B.A. meeting: Banding Laboratory Observations on the fall migration of hum- mingbirds in the Sierra Nevada foothills. Dr. Arthur Staebler, Calif. State Univ., Fresno. A shorthand notation scheme for recording molt. Dr. Charles T. Collins, Calif. State Univ., Long Beach.

Out-going President. Dr. Charles CoWns. presents his paper

Report from the Bird Banding Laboratory Jay Sheppard discussed portions of the revised sheets for the Banding Manual, which were recently mailed to all banders. (1) Some of the recommended band sizes have been changed as a result of computer analysis of actual sizes us- ed. (2) Those banders wishing an alphabetical listing of species may obtain one by writing to the B.B.L. (3) The value of banding migratory birds of unknown geographic origin should be carefully considered before a decision is made New Members to mark a captured sample. Generally, birds Stephen E. Abbors, 2288 Miramar Ave., #23, San known to be winter, summer, or permanent Leandro, CA 94578 residents are the most useful for banding California Academy of Sciences, Golden Gate studies. Migrating birds often concentrate in cer- Park, San Francisco, CA 94118 tain areas where they may be easier to capture, Richard E. Cooley, Rt. 2, Box 425, Delta, CO 81416 but the data accrued from such bandings is Dames and Moore, 1414 Dexter Ave., N .. Seattle, usually of much less biological significance than WA 98109 data obtained from smaller samples of birds not Daniel DeJong, Marion, MT 59925 in migration. Richard E. Fitzner, Route 2, Box 625, Pullman, WA 99163 Work on Volume 2 of the Banding Manual will Dennis Hicks, 813 E. 4th, Ellensburg, WA 98926 resume later this year. This volume will contain Jack E. Holtz, 1175 E. Dolores Dr., Altadena, CA information on ageing, sexing, equipment, and 91001 record-keeping techniques. Banders having M. Alan Jenkins, 1460 Ea. 520 So., Provo, UT useful data in any of these areas are urged to 84601 send it to the B.B.L. Carl D. Marti, Dept. Zoology, Weber State College, Ogden, UT 84403 Banding Worksheets Robert 1. McKernan, 1100 N. Monterey St.. Alhambra, CA 91801 Dr. Collins reported that he has prepared William J. Merilees, 4C Aggie Village North, Fort enough Worksheets for Western Species to Collins, CO 80521 provide 2 sheets per issue for the next llfz years. Hettie Miller, Box 487, Clearwater, B.C., Canada Comments about additions, deletions, or correc- Robert S. Nisbett, 4525 Mustang Dr., Boise, ID tions to the already-issued sheets are requested. 83705 Any volunteers for new species worksheets? It is Brent J. Pilkington, 1271 Hudson, Ogden, UT not necessary that the work be original; a 84404 worksheet can be prepared from a summation of Dr. Barbara Winternitz, 28 Garden Dr., Colorado material found in the literature. Springs, CO 80904 A suggestion was made that worksheets can be Dr. William O. Wirtz, II, Dept of Zoology, placed in standard glassine envelopes to protect Pomona College, Claremont, CA 91711 them when banding in the field. Ted Woolley, 1475 Laurel Dr., Ogden, UT 84403 Commentary ··on.·the· 1973 Annual·Report By Don V. Tiller In1H73: a total of 137,408 birds were banded in Waterfowl accounted for 35% of all birds band- \V.B.RA. territory - an 18'!, decrease from the ed; gulls and terns 9%; doves and pigeons 17.5%; 1fl7,358 handed in 1972. The number of active Starlings and blackbirds 2%,;Passeriformes(ex- handel'S again decreased from 205 (187 master c]uding Starlings and blackbirds) 28%. Forty- bandms and 18 sub-permittees) in 1972 to 190 four species, or 12%, wete each represented by (1B4 master handel'S and 26 sub-permittees) in one bird banded. 197:i. These 190 handel'S banded an average of Individuals banding the most· species were: 72:3 birds. A total of 73 banders reported less Allegra Collister (Colo.) - 107 (104 in 1972); than 1f)()hirdshanded. accounting for less than Edgar T. Jones (Alla.) -103 (94 in1972); Kathryn 2'/; of the total (See Table 1). Banding was down B. Burk (Ariz.) - 79 (64 in 1972); Barbara in all regions except Alaska which showed an in- McKnight (New Mex.)-75; David W. Foster crease of 350'!, over 1972, the highest total for (Calif.) - 66; JohnP. Hubbard (Del.) - 61; that state since 1966. Overall, banding appears to Michael San Miguel (Calif.) - 60. Agencies he on a downward trend, indicating a lack of banding the most species were: Point Reyes Bird time for handing by many individuals. Observatory (Calif.) - 117; Avian Biology Five species were handed for the first time in Laboratory (Calif.) -116; Avian Studies (Calif.) W.n.B.A.ierritorYiThese were: 471 Cattle Egrets - 96. hy n''':nster and D. Tiller (California); 1 Individual banders reporting the highest neardles~ Flycatcher hy K.B. Burk (Arizona); 3 number of birds banded were: R. Wayne Alala tHawaiian Crow) by W. Banko, 3 Campbell (B.C.) - 4,355; Terence R. Wahl Akiapolaau hy A.J. Berger and 10 Palila by A.J. (Wash.) - 3,244; Allegra Collister (Colo.) - Berger (all in Hawaii). 2,058; Irma I. O'Brien (Alaska) - 1,920; Charles Hybrirls reported were Black Brant X Brant (1); Corchran (Ariz.) -1,678. These five banders ac- Common Flicker subspecies - Yellow X Red- counted for almost 10% of all the birds banded shafted (2); Yellow-rumped Warbler subspecies in 1973. - Myrtle X Audubon (9); Dark-eyed Junco sub- A number of special accomplishments were evi- SI)(~ci.E:ls- Oregon X Slated-colored (1). dent during 1973. They include: 4 Green Herons Agencies banding more than 10,000 birds were (Foster - Calif.); 471 Cattle Egrets (Foster - the Colorado Department of Fish & Game (22,- Calif.); 563 Black-crowned Night Herons (Ayian 581) - the highest total of all banders - and the Biology Laboratory - Calif.); 1,607 Black Brant Avian Biology Laboratory, San Jose, Calif. (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service - Alaska); 25 (HI.179). This represents almost 24'f, of the total Goshawks (Alaska .Fish & Game); 474 Masked handed. Bobwhite Quail (Tomlinson - Ariz.); 2,000 Western Gulls (Point Reyes Bird Observatory - Species with more than 5,000 individuals banded Calif.); 121 Barn Owls (Bloom, Aron, Jackson - were: Mallard (21.571); Mourning Dove (16,431); Calif.); 185 Black-billed Magpies (Trebella ~ Pintail (8,383); Band-tailed Pigeon (7,651); Colo.); 74 Cardinals (Corchran - Ariz.); and the Glaucous-winged Gull (7,104); White-crowned Hawaiian birds banded by Banko and Berger. Sparrow (5,929). Thus, these six species, or less than 2'/, of the total, accounted for 49%, of all Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge, P.O. Box hints banded. 247, Calipatria, California 92233 Table 1. Bandlnc Summary, 1964 - 1973 18Yr. 1964 1965 1. 19&7 IH1 19&9 1'70 1971 1'72 1'73 AWl- Number of active reports 218 227 212 192 193 226 213 195 187 164 203 Species banded 387 384 402 409 m 406 380 381 366 377 391 Birds banded 503.833 631.539 823.594 364.732 223,968 218.974 184.681 185,946 167,358 137,408 344,803 Average species per bander 16.2 16.3 15.5 15.9 15.7 13.6 14.8 14.5 14.9 152 15.3 Average birds per bander 2.311 2.808 3,940 1,901 1,160 895 867 830 890 n3 1.633 R,porls of less than 100 birds 67 70 81 71 64 87 82 .. 69 n 73 74 ALASKA 14,050 9.152 15.654 4,742 4,015 1,189 2.443 3.130 1.774 6.216 6,237 YUKON. B.C.• AlBERTA 13.066 9.660 11,217 6,293 9,851 12.256 8.133 11.136 7.718 7,307 9,664 WASHINGTON.OREGON 26.644 31,152 25,714 24.715 28.202 29,137 24,319 17,101 18.m 14,963 24.042 IDAHO. MONTANA 23.359 23.894 30,800 18,391 19,133 17,770 15,788 14.920 14,652 10.019 18.873 CALIFORNIA 49,798 51.710 62.466 48,168 66,327 76.121 71.690 71,241 62.108 46.428 60.606 NEV~UTAH 23.128 17.736 19,589 19,137 13.260 12,595 13.081 11.145 8.541 6,112 14.432 WYOMING.COLORAOO 53.229 44.505 39,418 31.215 36,159 30.864 33,295 40,246 40.399 35.973 38.538 ARIZONA,NEW MEXICO· 6,169 19.858 14,919 15,027 14,987 9.022 15,535· 16.393· 10.672 10.051 13,263 MEXICO· 21 39 123 456 32 • • 2,312 43 303 HAWAII.PACIFIC ISlANDS 294,419 429.833 603,807 201.663 31.580 29.988 397 1.152 710 296 159.385

·Combined in 1970. 197i Page 7

:: • • • te- • •• • • • • •

•

••• • •

• ANNUAL REPORT An analysis of bird-banding reports for the year 1973 within the area of the Western Bird-Banding Association Compiled by David W. Foster

Yukon Larlest B.C. Wash. Mont. Nev. Wyo. Ariz. Indiyidual SPECIES Alaska ·Alta. Orel· Idaho Calif. utah Colo. N.Ma. MIIico Total Tot,1 By Whom Common Loon 1 1 1 Malheur NWR Arctic Loon 1 1 1 C. Rhode NWR Red-throated Loon 1 1 1 C. Rhode NWR Horned Grebe "'1 1 1 Idaho F & G Eared Grebe o. 3 1 4 3 Idaho F & G Western Grebe 1 36 37 36 Bear Riyer MBR Pied-billed Grebe 7 2 9 7 Idaho F & G Leach's Storm-Petrel 123 123 123 PRBO Ashy Storm-Petrel 248 248 248 PRBO White Pelican 162 - 300 108 570 300 Knopf Brown Pelican 1 1 1 Raft Double-crested Cormorant 10 100 110 100 Tule Lake NWR Brandt's Cormorant 801 801 800 PRBO Pelagic Cormorant 200 3 203 200 Campbell Great Blue Heron 146 58 4 208 100 Tule Lake NWR Green Heron 4 4 4 Foster CAmE EGRET 471 471 471 Foster Snowy Egret 3 928 94 1,025 893 ABL-SJSU Black-crowned Night Heron 11 566 83 660 563 ABL-SJSU American Bittern 1 1 1 Foster White-faced Ibis 27 1 28 27 L. Peterson Whistli~ Swan .10 10 10 C. Rhode NWR Trumpeter Swan 78 78 78 Red Rock Lakes NWR Canada Goose 959 138 484 838 2,547 1,478 2,149 50 8,643 1,299 Cal F & G Black Brant 1,607 1,607 1,607 C. Rhode NWR BLACK BRANT X BRANT 1 1 1 W.L. Finley NWR Emperor Goose:, 8 8 8 C. Rhode NWR White-fronted Goose 1 534 535 534 Tule Lake NWR Snow Goose 6 514 29 549 508 Tule Lake NWR '. Ross' Goose "' 142 1 143 140 Cal F & G "allard 491 2,549 5,156 2,072 474 10,620 209 21.571 8.944 Colo. Diy. Wildlife Mexican Duck 4 4 .3 Bos. del Apache NWR Gadwall ." 18 2 25 167 212 96 Monte Vista NWR Pintail 5 268 631 210 3,316 113 3,840 8,383 3,137 Colo Diy. Wildlife Green-winged Teal .. 32 9 20 4 862 927 662 Colo Diy. Wildlife Blue-winged Teal 446 187 256 889 435 Jensen -- Cinnamon Teal 1 30 31 19 Cal F & G Blue-wing, &/or Cinn. Teal 29 617 646 413 Colo. Div. Wildlife American Wigeon 18 62 143 1,024 46 1,293 926 Cal F & G Northern Shoveler 2 50 2 54 50 Montana F & G Wood Duck 33 81 31 145 68 Wash. Game Dep[. Redhead 3 16 59 359 651 1,088 359 Utah Div. Wildlife Canvasback 6 783 12 10 811 694 Cal F & G Greater Scaup 19 19 14 Cal F & G Lesser Scaup 15 50 101 8 174 77 Oakland Parks ,..•. B.C. IIIIll ArIz. I=" AIIIb AlII. •••• CIIIf. utili••• N••••• TIIII SPECIES lJnI· I'" C."" . ••••• TIIII .,•. Commllll Goldeneye 1 29 « 74 « $IedsIladee NWR Bufflehead 1 1 1 IdIIlo F & G ~cled Eider 15 15 15 CRIlode NWR .•• willled Scoter 1 1 1 OIk11ndhrlls' Ruddy Duck 24 1 75 1 101 74 Utah Div.Wildlife Hooded Merpnser 1 1 1 Corchran Turkey Vulture 5 2 7 5 Trost Whit••tailed Kite 9 9 9 ABL.SJSU Goshawk 25 5 1 2 33 25 Alaskl F & G Sharp·sllinned Hawk 2 1 1 5 2 3 4 18 2 ea. 4 banders Cooper's Hawk 1 7 2 58 3 4 2 77 35 Adamson Red·tailed Hawk 7 73 16 111 3 9 219 88 Bloom, Aron, Jackson Red·shouldered Hawk 17 4 21 16 Bloom, Aron, Jackson Broad'MllIed Hawk 1 1 2 1 ea. Ryder, Trost Swainson's Hawk 1 1 4 3 9 3 ea. Harmata, Mosher Rou&h-Ieged Hawk 1 2 4 7 2 ea. 3 banders Ferrl/linous Hawk 20 18 46 14 12 110 48 Powers Harris' Hawk 1 1 2 1 ea. Ca/. F & G, Radke Golden Eaele 11 1 31 43 16 Boeker Marsll Hawk 3 1 1 5 3 ABL·SJSU Osprey 5 49 38 92 46 D.Johnson Prairie Falcon 4 7 18 2 12 43 18 Trost Merlin 5 10 15 10 Ryder Kestrel 1 56 7 236 27 67 8 402 156 Bloom, Aron, Jackson Ruffed Grouse 1 1 1 E.T.Jones Whit••tailed Ptarmipn 312 312 176 Hoffman Sale Grouse 287 287 287 Beck Masked Bobwhite 474 474 474 Tomlinson Scaled Quail 9 9 9 Ariz.Coop. WRU California Quail 198 198 92 ABL-SJSU Gimbel's Quail 5 46 51 28 Corchran Rilll·necked Pheasant 1 1 1 Foster Sandhill Crane 55 16 71 55 Malheur NWR Virginia Rail 2 1 3 2 AS·CSUF Sora 2 1 3 1 ea. 3 banders Purple Gallinule- 12 12 12 Collier American Coot 52 29 44 125 41 Morris Jacana 10 10 10 Collier Black Oystercatcher 7 9 16 9 PRBO Semi-palmated Plover 1 1 1 ABL-SJSU Snowy Plover 7 7 6 Schroeder Killdeer 3 7 1 19 1 1 1 33 11 ABL·SJSU Mountain Plover 21 21 12 Porter Black·bellied Plover 1 1 1 Schroeder Common Snipe 1 6 7 4 San Miguel Long-billed Curlew 4 4 4 E.T.Jones Spotted Sandpiper 3 1 11 4 19 6 Schroeder Pectoral Sandpiper 5 5 5 West Baird's Sandpiper 18 18 18 West Least Sandpiper 29 90 119 45 PRBO Yukon Larcest B.C. Wash, Mont. Nev. Wyo. Ariz. Individual SPECIES Alaska ARa. Or'C· Idaho Calif. Utah Colo. N. M.I. Mesieo Total Total By Whom Dunlin 21 3 24 20 O'Brien Shol1'billed Dowitcher 35 35 35 .O'Brien Long-billed Dowitcher 4 4 3 Schroeder Semi-palmaled Sandpiper 220 '4 224 185 West Western Sandpiper 1,745 159 1,904 1.745 O'Brien Sanderling 27 27 27 Schroeder American Avocet 3 16 1 20 16 ABL-SJSU Black-neeked Stilt 13 1 14 9 Salton Sea NWR Red Phalarope 67 67 62 West Wilson's Phalarope 1 1 1 Hodge Northern Phalarope 5 1 6 4 O'Brien Glaucous Gull 43 43 43 C.Rhode NWR Glaucous-winged Gull 3,790 3,314 7,104 3,790 Campbell . Western Gull 2.069 2,069 2,000 PRBO California Gull 21 1 429 153 604 429 Marti Ring-billed Gull 64 439 1 504 439 D. Martin Franklin's Gull 7 7 7 L. Peterson Bonaparte's Gull 2 2 2 Raff Heerman'sGull 1 1 1 Raff Forster's Tern 1,596 1,596 1,596 ABL-SJSU Least Tern 92 92 92 Bender EI1lganUern 1 1 1 Collier Caspian Tern 279 130 409 200 Alcorn Common Murre 83 83 51 Downs Pigeon GuiIIemot 3 167 170 167 PRBO .,' Xantus' Murrelet 1 1 1 ABL-SJSU Cassin's Auklet 44 44 44 PRBO . Rhinoceros Auklet 26 26 25 Willapa NWR . Tufted Puffin 7 7 7 PRBO Band-tailed Pigeon 335 1,291 331 3,559 2,135 7,651 3,559 Colo. Div. Wildlife White-winged Dove 1 1 1 S. Burr Mournint Dove 219 1,909 5,113 641 5,225 3,324 16,431 4,399 Colo. Div, Wildlife Spotted ove . 15 15 9 San Miguel Ground Dove 44 44 40 Collister Inca Dove . 44 44 37 Con:hran Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1 1 1 Hubbard Black-billed Cuckoo 1 1 1 E.1. Jones Ro.drunner 2 1 3 1 ea. 3 banders Barn Owl 6 6 157 3 172 121 Bloom, Aron, Jackson Screech Owl 5 7 1 1 14 6 Bloom, Aron, !ackson Flammulated Owl 1 2 3 2 McKnight Great-Horned Owl 1 67 29 46 6 149 59 J. Anderson Snowy Owl 1 5 6 4 Channing Pygmy Owl 1 1 1 Boyd Burrowing Owl 7 7 5 Bloom, Aron, Jackson Barred Owl 1 1 1 Rogers Great Gray Owl 1 1 1 Peyton Long-eared Owl 1 4 5 4 Ferris Short-eared Owl 2 3 1 3 9 3 J. Anderson Saw-whet Owl 1 9 1 12 9 Hudson YuUn B.C. •• h. IIlIIll NtI. ArIz. I~I SPECIES Alaso AItI. 0rtI· IdIho Calif. UtaIl Colo."". N.••••. IIaIco Total TIlII By Whom Poor-will 1 3 1 3 1 9 2 Collister Common Nighthawk 4 10 14 10 Killpack Vaux's Swift 43 43 43 White· throated Swift 2 2 2 ~rr Black-chinned Hummingbird 14 14 12 AS·CSUF Costa's Hummingbird 3 3 2 AS·CSUF Anna's Hummingbird 142 142 100 AS·CSUF Broad·tailed Hummingbird 29 29 28 Calder Rufous Hummingbird 27 2 29 26 AS-CSUF Allen's Hummingbird 27 . 27 22 Wells Calliope Hummingbird 2 2 2 AS-CSUF Hummingbird sp. 1 1 1 Calder Betted Kingfisher 1 1 2 1 ea. Corchran, Foster Common Flicker Yellow-shafted 5 2 7 5 E.T.Jones Red·shafted 14 4 44 3 9 9 83 19 wri~t Yellow-Red Hybrid 1 1 2 1 ea. AS- UF, Killpack Gilded 10 10 6 Corchran Gila Woodpecker 2 102 104 96 Corchran Acorn Woodpecker 63 1 64 25 MacRoberts Lewis' Woodpecker 4 1 5 4 wri~t Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 4 12 4 31 10 8 14 83 25 AS- UF Williamson's Sapsucker 3 10 32 1 56 32 Crockett Hairy Woodpecker 1 6 6 6 3 22 3 Hubbard Downy Woodpecker 2 5 11 2 4 24 6 ABL-SJSU Ladder·backed Woodpecker 4 4 2 McKnight Nuttall's Woodpecker 8 8 4 Wright White-headed Woodpecker 4 2 6 3 Payne Black-backed Three·toed Wpkr. 1 1 1 E.T. Jones Eastern Kinllbird 12 12 12 E.T. Jones Western Kingbird 1 5 2 3 11 5 Burk Cassin's Kingbird 3 2 2 Hubbard Ash-throated Flycatcher 4 19 9 32 6 Hubbard Olivaceous Flycatcher 1 1 1 Corchran Eastern Phoebe 5 5 5 E.T. Jones Black Phoebe 19 1 14 34 7 Hubbard Say's Phoebe 2 5 3 45 55 38 Porter Yellow-bellied Flycatcher 2 2 2 EJ. Jones Tram's Flycatcher 1 39 77 20 18 155 74 Swisher Least Flycatcher 44 1 1 46 44 E.T. Jones Hammond's Flycatcher 8 12 101 1 5 1 128 84 AS-CSUF Dusky Flycatcher 58 7 78 4 5 4 156 74 AS-CSUF Gray Flycatcher 2 10 2 14 8 PRBO Western Flycatcher 4 1 130 15 19 5 174 42 PRBO Empillonax sp. 5 35 1 15 3 59 35 AS·CSUF Eastern Wood Pewee 1 1 1 Collister Western Wood Pewee 7 12 1 76 1 45 11 153 48 AS-CSUF Olive-sided Flycatcher 3 19 1 23 9 PRBO BEARDLESS FLYCATCHER 1 1 1 Burk Horned Lark 27 13 11 58 109 43 D. Porter Yukon Largest B.C. Wash. Mont. Nev. Wyo; Ariz. Individual SPECIES Alaska Alta. or.g. Idaho Calif. utah Colo. N. M.x. M.xico Tot~1 Total By Whom Violet-green Swallow 1 7 4 20 3 2 37 19 Killpack Tree Swallow 11 21 23 44 4 3 106 44 Moos Bank Swallow 22 42 64 42 D. Martin Rough-winged Swallow 7 4 2 13 4 Pendleton sub. si. Barn Swallow 15 1 69 3 683 17 75 863 674 Ravelin2 Clift Swallow 2 98 280 1 37 418 178 AS-CSUF ~ray Jay 1 14 1 4 2 22 12 MerriCk lue Jay 1 15 16 8 Ryder Steller's Jay 50 26 2 136 1 135 6 356 50 Muhhen Scrub Jay 5 197 16 34 26 278 29 ea. ABl·SJSU, San Mi2uel Mexican Jay 1 1 1 Hubbard Black-billed Magpie 23 4 4 216 247 185 Trebella Common Raven 7 19 65 3 94 57 Bloom, Aron, Jackson Common Crow 1 1 3 82 87 82 Ryder Northwestern Crow 24 24 Z4 R. Williams Pinon Jay 89 1 17 107 89 Merrick Clark's Nutcracker 38 5 43 30 Collister Black-capped Chickadee 7 49 59 18 30 70 233 49 E.T. Jones Mountain Chickadee 30 1 54 1 104 5 195 22 Hawthorne Boreal Chickadee 3 3 3 E.T. Jones Chestnut-backed Chickadee 25 2 3 43 6 73 29 ABl-SJSU Plain Titmouse 5 75 3 86 21 ABl·SJSU Verdin 1 42 43 18 Corchran Common Bushtit 6 227 3 1 237 93 Ervin White-breasted Nuthatch 7 5 9 2 23 5 Lindner Red-breasted Nuthatch 2 3 12 2 15 1 4 1 40 7 Wright Pygmy Nuthatch 1 13 26 3 43 14 Collister Brown Creeper 1 4 24 3 3 35 21 AS·CSUF Wrentit 1 97 98 38 PRBO Dipper 28 18 46 28 Jarvis House Wren 15 106 17 21 1 32 2 194 104 ABl·SJSU Winter Wren 1 1 1 PRBO Bewick's Wren 6 47 2 14 69 13 ABl·SJSU Cactus Wren 50 50 41 Corchran long-billed Marsh Wren 76 1 2 79 64 ABl·SJSU Canon Wren 1 1 1 McKnight Rock Wren 1 1 2 1 ea. Corchran, Killpack Mockingbird 126 1 24 151 72 Stoner Gray Catbird 40 1 43 84 40 E.T. Jones Brown Thrasher 12 1 4 17 12 E.T.Jones Bendire's Thrasher 6 6 4 Burk Curve-billed Thrasher 140 140 i24 Corchran California Thrasher 48 48 28 ABl·SJSU le Conte's Thrasher 1 3 4 3 1. Burr Crissal Thrasher 7 7 3 Hubbard Sage Thrasher 13 15 2 30 13 ABl·SJSU Robin 15 22 88 8 184 57 116 28 518 45 AS-CSUF Rufous-backed Robin 1 1 1 Corchran Varied Thrush 4 4 2 39 49 24 PRBO Hermit Thrush 10 2 1 128 3 21 165 31 ABl-SJSU Yukon Llre.st B.C. Wash. Mont. Nev. Wyo. Ariz. Individual SPECIES Alaska AIta. Grec· Idaho Calif. utah Colo. N.MII. M.xico Total Total By Whom Swainson's Thrush 7 26 24 12 150 143 1 363 90 Pendleton sub. sl. Gray-cheeked Thrush 2 2 4 2 ea. [.T. Jones, West Veery 14 , 14 9 Boyd Western Bluebird 17 14 4 25 1 61 17 Snyder Mountain Bluebird 1 10 47 1 3 2 64 47 Moos Townsend's Solitaire 2 6 3 11 4 Crockett Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1 12 21 1 35 21 Marti Black-tailed Gnatcatcher 1 4 5 3 Corchran Golden-crowned Kinglet 1 1 2 81 85 75 PRBO Ruby-crowned Kinglet 2 8 3 132 3 8 42 198 75 PRBO Yellow Wagtail 8 8 8 O'Brien Water Pipit 4 4 4 AS-CSUF Bohemian Waxwing 9 18 27 14 Killpack Cedar Waxwing 46 2 2 420 78 548 279 Stoner Phainopepla 5 1 6 2 ea. AS·CSUF,Collier Northern Shrike 1 5 2 1 1 10 3 Barrentine Loggerhead Shrike 1 8 46 5 24 1 85 33 Bloom, Aron, Jackson I Starling 2 25 6 62 140 464 2 701 429 Royall Hutton's Vireo 4 4 4 ABL·SJSU Bell's Vireo 1 3 4 2 Harrison Solitary Vireo 1 3 4 18 1 1 3 31 12 AS·CSUF Red-eyed Vireo 9 9 1 8 27 9 ea. Burk, [.T. Jones Philadelphia Vireo 7 1 8 7 [.T. Jones Warbling Vireo 6 35 7 131 1 40 25 245 59 Pendleton sub. sl. Black-and-white Warbler 12 3 15 12 [.T. Jones Worm-eating Warbler 2 2 2 PRBO Tennessee Warbler 69 4 3 76 69 E.T; Jones Orange-crowned Warbler 1 16 27 2 478 5 53 12 594 232 AS-CSUF Nashville Warbler 3 5 153 1 162 98 AS·CSUF Virginia's Warbler 1 9 35 39 84 34 McKnight Lllcy's Warbler 5 5 2 Corchran Northern Parula 3 3 3 PRBO Yellow Warbler 15 65 103 8 121 88 73 4 477 89 Burk Magnolia Warbler 11 5 3 1 20 11 E.T. Jones cape May Warbler 1 1 1 PRBO Black-throated Blue Warbler 1 1 1 PRBO Yellow-rumped Warbler Myrtle 8 15 1 14 2 11 2 53 15 E.T. Jones Audubon's 84 226 943 62 62 69 1,446 373 AS·CSUF Myrtle-Audubon's Hybrid 9 9 9 Collister Black-throated Gray Warbler 8 45 1 3 57 11 Keeler·Wolf Towsend's Warbler 3 4 62 1 1 71 24 PRBO Black-throated Green Warbler 1 1 1 PRBO Hermit Warbler 88 88 49 AS·CSUF Blackburnian Warbler 1 1 2 1 ea. Boyd, PRBO Chestnut-sided Warbler 1 1 1 1 4 1 ea. 4 banders Bay-breasted Warbler 5 5 5 E.T. Jones Blackpoll Warbler 43 24 16 6 89 43 E.T. Jones Palm Warbler 1 9 10 9 PRBO Ovenbird 30 3 3 36 30 [.T. Jones Yukon Lareest B.C. Wish. Mont. Nev. Wyo. riz. Individual SPECIES Allskl A1tl. Or.e· Idlho Cllif. Utlh Colo. N. M.I. M'lico Totll Totll By Whom Northern Waterthrush 9 11 15 2 6 1 44 I~ Bur~ Kentucky Warbler 1 1 I lruan Connecticut Warbler 1 1 I [T. Jones Mourning Warbler 8 8 8 U. Jones MacGillivray's Warbler 3 36 25 131 41 10 246 89 AS-CSUF Common Yellowthroat 12 5 108 26 15 2 168 39 ABL-SJSU Yellow-breasted Chat 7 13 11 34 9 74 22 Collister Wilson's Warbler 3 57 12 16 660 8 90 27 873 217 Pendleton sub. st. Red·faced Warbler 7 7 7 Hubbard Canada Warbler 2 1 1 4 2 E.T.Jones American Redstart 49 24 4 4 1 82 49 [T. Jones House Sparrow 15 20 519 68 118 22 762 370 ABL·SJSU Bobolink 148 2 150 148 Malheur NWR Western Meadowlark 3 15 15 3 45 81 35 S.Marlin Yeilow·headed Blackbird 88 1 17 7 10 123 59 D. Marlin Red·winged Blackbird 3 459 13 243 21 1,106 8 1.853 1.180 Royall Hooded Oriole 18 6 24 16 ABL·SJSU Scott's Oriole 2 2 1 ea. Crockett. Hubbard Northern Oriole Baltimore 46 46 46 E.T.Jones Bullock's 1 '17 95 9 18 26 166 46 PRBO Rusty Blackbird 1 1 2 1 ea. E.T. Jones, West Brewer's Blackbird 24 193 11 218 4 4 2 456 170 D. Martin Common Grackle 90 90 24 Truan Boat·tailed Grackle 2 2 2 Collister Brown·headed Cowbird 3 25 97 4 14 18 161 37 PRBO Bronzed Cowbird 2 2 1 ea. Burk, Harrison Western Tanager 2 76 1 91 12 35 37 254 29 Pendleton sub. sl. Hepatic Tanager 1 1 1 Carothers Summer Tanager 2 1 ea. Hubbard, McKnight Cardinal 9 87 96 74 Corchran Pyrrhulolia 41 41 29 Corchran Rose-breasted Grosbeak 7 3 1 11 7 E.T.Jones Black·headed Grosbeak 54 77 17 69 51 268 34 Swisher Blue Grosbeak 12 3 19 34 '9 ea. 3 banders Indigo Bunting 1 5 1 7 2 ea. Boyd. McKnight Lazuli Bunting 6 2 72 55 67 9 211 44 Marti Varied Bunting 3 3 3 Harrison Evening Grosbeak 13 .13 28 1 25 248 286 614 284 Carothers Purple Finch 25 168 341 534 108 Wirtz Cassin's Finch 94 101 155 47 115 512 152 Ferris House Finch 433 103 1,612 57 408 362 3,089 394 Ston.r Pine Grosbeak 16 16 16 AS-CSUF Grey·crowned Rosy Finch 63 113 176 86 Collister Black Rosy Finch 1 1 1 Powers Brown-eapped Rosy Finch 61 61 61 Wooding Hoary Redpoll 1 1 1 West Common Redpoll 38 38 30 West Pine Siskin 1 26 49 34 643 4 77 19 853 414 Feltes American Goldfinch 8 10 281 2 18 1 320 115 Foster Yukon Larpst B.C. Wish. lIont. M••. Wyo. Ariz. Individual AIb. SPECIES Alaska 0•.••. Idlho Calif. utah CGIo. M.k 1laic8 Total Totll By Whom Lesser Goldfinch 28 189 3 24 244 57 ea. ABL-SJSU, San Miguel Lawrence's Goldfi nch 13 13 7 Nixon Red Crossbill 58 54 112 57 Merrick Green-failed Towhee 57 30 5 10 41 143 42 ABL-SJSU Rufous·sided Towhee 27 87 297 20 79 30 540 103 ABL-SJSU Brown Towhee 220 1 69 290 III ABL·SJSU Abert's Towhee 1 20 21 13 Corchran Lark Bunting 20 36 56 35 Burk Savannah Sparrow 64 1 3 3 197 2 97 2 369 92 S. Martin Baird's Sparrow 1 1 1 E.T. Jones Le Conte's Sparrow 2 2 2 E.T. Jones Vesper Sparrow 2 173 11 20 2 208 172 ABL-SJSU Lark Sparrow 1 31 11 1 1 45 26 ABL·SJSU Rufous-winged Sparrow 16 16 10 Corchran Rufous-crowned Sparrow 2 15 17 13 Hubbard Black-throated Sparrow 16 5 52 73 49 Corchran Sage Sparrow 47 59 106 58 AS-CSUF Dark-eyed Junco White-winged 12 12 8 Collister Slate-colored 99 117 8 11 1 3 33 1 273 117 E.T. Jones Oregon 125 567 64 1,589 489 307 51 3,192 759 AS-CSUF .. Oregon X Slate-colored 1 1 1 Merrick Gray-headed Junco 8 89 48 145 32 Crockett Yellow-eyed Junco . Mexican 15 15 9 Harrison Junco sp. 2 8 1 3 14 8 S. Peyton Tree Sparrow 22 26 1 173 222 90 Collister Chipping Sparrow 32 66 9 141 12 74 8 342 76 AS-CSUF Clay-colored Sparrow 21 3 10 9 43 21 E.T. Jones Brewer's Sparrow 492 7 17 32 7 6 561 488 ABL·SJSU Harris' Sparrow 6 2 2 1 3 5 19 6 R. Williams White-crowned Sparrow 222 2 958 2 3,256 21 329 1,139 5,929 1,454 ABl-SJSU Golden-crowned Sparrow 12 93 1,089 1,194 756 ABL-SJSU White-throated Sparrow 35 1 5 5 46 35 E.T. Jones Fox Sparrow 30 4 34 222 1 1 292 93 PRBO Lincoln's Sparrow 8 10 11 2 117 7 78 43 276 64 AS·CSUF Swamp Sparrow 1 1 1 McKnight Song Sparrow 82 92 22 553 11 70 8 838 249 ABL-SJSU McCown's Longspur 42 42 37 D. Porter Chestnut-collared Longspur . 1 1 1 PRBO . Lapland Longspur 280 280 267 Pitelka Snow Bunting 192 192 191 Pitelka TotI! 6,216 7,306 14,963 4,099 46,420 6,112 35,863 9,954 43 130,933 ALL CAPS ~ new species for Western Region ·Experimental ....•.s..- Total Species 8andIlI I="Total By ••••• Hawaiian Goose 50 45 Hawaiian Fish & Game Hawaifan Duck 50 50 Hawaiian Fish & Game ALALA 3 3 Banko Red·billed leiothrix 10 10 Berpr JapaneseWhite·eye 33 33 Berpr Elepaio 20 20 Berger Amakihi 124 124 Berger AKIAPDlAAU 3 3 Berger PAULA 10 10 Berger

1913 Summary Report of Individual Banders 163 respondin, banders (26 sub-permittees) 72 banders reportin, no birds banded

Bander ••••• Species •••• Abeles, Ernest R. 5440 Blanco Ave., Woodland Hills, CA91364 Adamson, James C. 16 148 5665 Val Verde Rd.• loomis, CA95650 2 36 Alaska Dept. Fish & Game Subpart Bldg .• Juneau, AK 99801 Alcorn. Gordon D. 2 853 Univ. of Puget Sound, Tacoma, WA98416 1 200 Anderson, James O. Jr. P.O. Box 424. Bend, OR97701 Arizona Cooperative WRU 8 180 214 Biol~cal Science Bldg., U. of A. Tucson. AZ85721 1 9 Armitage, James H. 4124 NE imberline Dr.• Corvallis, OR Avian Biology lab .• Calif. 3 3 Stale Univ., San Jose 4150 Golf Dr., San Jose. CA 116 10.179 Ballard. Warren B. Jr. P.O. Box 854. Juneau. AK 99801 Balph, Martha H. 3 32 1344 Canyon Road.lopn. UT 84321 1 179 Banko, Winston U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, P.O. Box 35, Hawaii Nat'!. Park, HI 96718 1 Bear River Migralory 3 Bird Refuge Box 459, Brigham City, UT 84302 1 36 Berger, Andrew J. Dept. of Zoology, Univ. of Hawaii, Honolulu. HI 96822 Bitter lake NWR 7 314 P.O. Box 7. Roswell. NM 88201 4 721 Bosque del Apache NWR P.O. Box 278. San Antonio, NM 87832 Boyd, Roger l. 5 587 622 S. Tafthill Rd.• Fort Collins, CO80521 57 420 Bradley. Richard Biological Sciences, Calif. State Univ.• Long Beach. CA90840 13 Braun. Dr. Clait E. 94 P.O. Box 2287, Fort Collins, CO80521 1 101 (Beck. Tom) 1 (Hoffman, Richard W.) 287 (May, Terry A.) 1 176 Briggs, Kenneth T. 1 35 D~t. of Biology. Univ. of Calif.• Santa Cruz, CA95064 24 211 Burk, Kathryn B. 27 IW. CasasDr., Tucson, AZ 85704 79 Burr. Stephen 1,213 539 S. Santa Fe, Salina. KA 8 131 Burr, Timothy A. 45-090 Namoku St.. N.• Kaneohe, ifl 96744 3 9 Calder. Dr. William A. Biological Sciences. Univ. of Ariz••Tucson. AZ 85721 13 54 Calif. Fish & Game 1416 Ninth St.. Sacramento. CA95814 CamasNWR 20 9,443 c/o Refuge Manager. Hamer. 1083425 1 1,042 Campbell, R.Wayne 301-621 Gilbert Rd., Richmond, B.C. Canada 17 Capulin Mountain Nat'!. Mon. 4.355 Capulin, NM 88414 9 23 Carothers, Dr. Steven W. Museum of Northern Ariz.• P.O. Box 1389. Flagstaff, AZ 86001 16 Channing. C. Howard 435 Box 206. Clear lake. WA 98235 4 24 Channing. Dr. Edward C. 2621 EI Camino. Turlock, CA95380 1 115 Charles. M. Russell NWR P.O. Box 110. lewistown, MT 59457 Cheeseman. Douglas T. Jr. 3 1.129 Biol~ Dept., De Anza College, Cupertino. CA95014 32 238 Churchill, Marjorie C. 7138 ndy Mountain Rd•• Scottsdale. AZ 85257 Clarence Rhode NWR 6 34 Box 346. Bethel. AK 99559 9 1,821 Collier. Gerald Dept. of Zoology. Calif. State UDiv., San Diego, CA92115 Collins. Dr. Charles T. 6 48 Biological Sciences, Calif. State Univ., long Beach, CA90801 1 (Bayless. Mike) 1 (Bender. Kristen) 3 9 (Bloom, P.• Aron, J.) 1 92 (Jackson. R.) Collister, Allegra 14 522 706 Hover Rd., longmont, CO80501 107 2,058 (Esposito. Richard) Colorado Dept. Game & Fish 13 48 P.O. Box 2287, Fort Collins, CO80521 13 22.581 Ctlumbia NWR P.O. Drawer B. Othello. WA99344 Cooley, Richard E. 1 107 Rt. 2. Box 425, Delta. CO81425 1 13 Corchran, Charles E. 8080 E. Wrightstown, Tucson, AZ 85714 53 1,678 Apr~-jun. 19"74 Western Bird Bander Page 17

BInder Addms Species No. Craig, Alan M. P.O. Box 5081, Fresno, CA93755 Ii 34. (Webb, Bruce) II 53 Crockett, Allen B. 430 Maxwell, Boulder, CO80302 43 361 Davis, Dr. John' Hastings Reservation, Jai1lesburg Rt., Carmel filley, CA93924 4 14 (MacRoberts, Michael H.) 1 ' 31 (Tvrdik, G.M.) 1 8 Deer Flat NWR Rt. I, Box 335, Nampa,lD 83651 1 5 Denver Wildlife Research Center Bldg. 16, Federal Center, Denver, CO80225 .' (Boeker, Erwin L.) 1 16 (Pillmore, Richard E.) 7 125 . (Royall, Willis C. Jr.) 6 2,442 De Wolfe, Dr. Barbara B. Biological Sciences, Univ. of Calif., Santa Barbara, CA93106 2 46 Doutt, Dr. R.L. 9274 S. Smith Ave., Reedley, CA 19 345 Downs, Jack E. 4008 Federal Bldg., 650 Capital Mall, Sacramento, CA95814 10 981 Elmore, Marjorie M. 1728 Hudson Dr., San Jose, CA95124 5 8 Erickson, Dr. Mary M. Biological Sciences, Univ. of Calif. Santa Barbara, CA93106 (Ervin, Stephen H.) 17 160 (Schroeder, Donald A.) 12 106 (Tom back, Diana F.) 10 65 (Monk, Marilyn) 1 10 Feltes, Charles H. 437 Myrtle Ave., Modesto, CA95350 27 897 Ferris, Reed W. 941 S. 13th East St., Salt Lake City, UT 16 242 Fisler, G.F. Depl of BioloO, Calif. State Univ., Northridie, CA91324 3 21 Finley NWR Rt. 2, Box 208, Corvallis, OR97330 3 89 Foster, David W. Whittier Narrows Nature center, 1000 N. Durfee Ave., So. EI Monte, CA91733 66 I,On (Camp Pendleton substation) 38 775 (Ferguson, Curt) 1 2 Gerstenberg. R.H. Reedley College, Reedl1' CA93654 16 H2 Gessaman, .lames A. Dept. of Zoology, Utah tate Univ., Logan, UT 84321 1 17 Glover, L.E. Box 14324, Albuquerque, NM 1 165 Grays Lake NWR Box 837, Soda Springs, ID 83276 2 165 Haleakala National Park P.O. Box 456, Kahului, HI 96732 1 5 Hanson, Wayne C. 522 Canyon Rd., Los Alamos, NM 87544 6 31 Harmata, A.R. 1117 E. Lake Pl., Fort Collins, CO80521 8 39 Harrison, William Box 866, Nogales, AZ 37 132 Hawthorne, Vernon M. Sagehen Creek Project, Truckee, CA95734 5 28 Hilton, 1Richard Box 293, Pacific Palisades, CA90272 3 38 Hubbard, Dr. John P. Delaware Museum of Natural History, Box 3937, Greenville, Del. 19807 61 291 Hudson, Dr. George E. Dept. of Zoology, Wash. State Univ., Pullman, WA 99163 12 57 (Boyd, L.) 4 9 Hurlbert, Elgin B. Box 123, Pacific Grove, CA93950 14 154 Idaho Fish & Game 600 S. Walnut St., Boise, ID 83707 17 3,449 Jarvis, Robert L. Oregon State Univ., Corvallis, OR 97330 2 129 Jensen, G. Hurtin 229 S. 6th St. East, Brigham ~T 9 1,017 Johnson, Donald R. 1132 East ESt., Moscow, ID 3 75 Jones, Edgar T. 6115 -141st St., Edmonton, Alta., Canada 103 1,392 Jones, Kenneth L. 20ll Madison, Eugene, OR 97405 1 6 Jones, Loring M. 1546 Borah Ave., Moscow, 1083843 7 155 Kaminsky, Muriel 1213 Robertson Way, Sacramento, CA95818 5 49 Keeler-Wolf, Virginia P.O. Box 866, Corning, CA96021 21 517 Killpack, Merlin L. 1726 - 24th St., Ogden, UT 84401 49 555 King, Dr. James R. Dept. of ZOOllfe' Wash. State Univ., Pullman, WA 99163 1 226 Knopf, Fred L. Dept. of Wild!' e Science, Utah State Univ., Logan, UT 1 300 Kootenai NWR Star Route I, Bonners Ferry, 10 1 3 Lawson, Dr. Phillip 1. 703 Rain Ct., Olympia, WA 98503 2 3 Lederer, Roger 1287 Howard Dr., Chico, CA95926 16 27 Lindner, Mary P. Rt. I, Box 10, Hesperus, CO81326 29 306 Linsdale, Maryann R. 657 Kirkwood Ave., Salinas, CA93901 6 124 MalheurNWR Box 113, Bums, OR 91720 36 1,194 Manning, Dennis C. Box 53, Rt. 2, Roosevelt, UT 84066 5 12 Marti, Carl D. 1564 Custer Ave., Ogden, UT 84404 20 673 (Hodge, Wayne) 4 12 Martin, Donald F. P.O. Box 70, Monitor, WA 98836 12 1,081 Martin, Lee R. 2550 Mariposa, Rm. 3048, FrlSl\o, CA93721 1 13 Martin, Stephen G. 301 Thunderbird Dr., Fort Collins, CO80521 26 205 Masterson, Norman Rt. 2, Box 77, LaGrade, OR 97850 1 1 Medicine Lake NWR Medicine Lake, MT 59247 1 4- Merrick, George G. Rt. 3, Box 460, Bend, OR 97701 37 1,348 Minidoka NWR Rt. 4, Minidoka Dam, Rupert, ID 83350 1 151 Montana Cooperative WRU Unfv. of Montana, Missoula, MT 59801 2 10 Montana Fish & Game Game Management Div., Helena, MT 59601 II 2,073 Monte Vista NWR Box 511, Monte Vista, CO 81144 10 1,932 Moos, Louis M. 712 S. 13th Ave., Bozeman, MT 59715 19 186 Morris, W.A. Canadian Wildlife Service, Univ. of B.C., Vancouver, B.C., Canada 7 232 Mosher, lA. ll60 E. 230 S., Provo, UT 84601 4 6 Page 18 Western Bird Bander Vol. 49. No, 2

..., Addnu SpIcIes •• Mozejko. Dr. Albert 3332 17th Pl., Forest Grove, OR 97116 5 31 Muhhen, Dr..David A. Dept. of BioJoay, Univ. of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 16 223 Murphy. Gordon J. Rt. 1, Box 152E, Harri$burK, OR 97446 (Payne, D.E.) 56 571 McKenzie, Donald S. 1002 Hemlock St., OsIJe&o,OR 97034 22 214 McKnigbt. Barbara P.O. Box 10, Cedar Crest. NM 87008 75 433 McNaryNWR Box 19, Burbank, WA 99323 1 923 National Bison Range Moise, MT 59824 1 127 Nevada Fish & Game P.O. Box 10678, Reno, NV 89510 2 336 New Mexico Game & Fish Rural Rt. I, Box 10, Placitas, NM 87043 4 4,253 Dakland Park Dept. Rm. 224, City Hall, Oakland, CA 94612 12 269 O'Brien, Irma I. Box 133, Dillin&f!am, AK 99576 11 1,920 Peterson. liven A- 2015 Sunrise Rim Rd., Boise, 10 83705 5 58 Peyton, Dr. Leonard J. Inst. of Arctic Bio., Univ. of Alaska, Box 550, eoR•• AK 99735 11 116 (Peyton, Sidney B.) 6 17 Pitelka. Dr. Frank A. Museum of Vertebrate ZooIo&Y,Univ. of Calif., Berkeley, CA94720 3 467 Point Reyes Bird Observatory P.O. Box 321, Bolinas, CA 94924 111 5,601 Porter, David K. Star Route, Box 43A, Willow, AK 99688 10 186 Powers. Leon R. 11l Toponce Dr., Pocatello, 10 83201 4. 116 Radke, Eleanor P.O. Box 446, Cave Creek, AZ 85331 2 2 RavalliNWR Box 547, Stevensville, MT 59870 1 10 Raveling, Dr. Dennis Dept. of Animal Physi::, Univ. of Calif" Davis, CA95616 2 836 Ream. Catherine H. 4217 Timberline, Missou ,MY 59801 3 3 Red Rock Lakes NWR lima, MT 59739 1 78 Ringering, Orley O. 820 E. Berkeley, Gladstone, OR97027 23 158 Rogers, Thomas H. 10820 Maxwell, Spokane, WA 99206 3 4 Ryder. Dr. Ronald A. Wildlife Management, Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO80521 37 776 Salton Sea NWR Box 247, Calipatria, CA 92233 11 1,179 San Miguel, Michael 409 Meadow Ln., Monrovia, CA 91016 60 867 (Butters. Dana) 15 68 Seedskadee NWR P.O. Box 67, Green River, WY 82935 5 705 Sheridan, Carole A. 9620 Barnes Lane, Tacoma, WA 30 619 Shook, Dr. Roland S. Biological Sciences, Central Wash. State College, .EllensburK, WA98926 (Barrentine, Carl) 11 56 Shultz, Carol Rt. 6, Cadwell, 10 83605 5 14 Smith, Walton A. P.O. Box 625, Gridley, CA 95948 2 29 Snyder, Mildred O. 161 Del Mar Circle, Aurora, CO BOOI0 41 243 Steenhof, Karen 4751 S. University Blvd., Englewood, CO80110 • 1 18 StiUwater Wildlife Mgt. Area P.O. Box 592, Fallon, NY 89406 3 41 Stoner. Emerson A- 285 E. L St., Benicia, CA 94510 39 1,210 Swearingen. W.L. 3140 Indian Way, Lafayette, CA 94549 1 14 Swisher. Otis D. 1002 S. Oakdale, Medford, OR97501 52 172 Tomlinson, Roy E. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, 450 N. Grande Ave., Tucson, AZ 85105 1 474 Trebella, Joseph J. Dept. of Zoology, Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO80521 1 185 Trost. Charles H. Dept. of Biology, Idaho State Univ., Pocotello, 10 12 56 Truan, Van A. 2510 Elizabeth, Pueblo, CO81003 49 707 Tule Lake NWR Rt. I, Box 74, Tulelake, CA 96134 9 4,482 Turnbull NWR Route 3. Box 107, Cheney, WA 99004 5 203 UL Bend - Bowdoin NWR Box 4, Malta, MT 59538 3 330 Umatilla NWR P.O. Box 239. Umatilla, OR97882 4 586 Utah Fish & Game 1596 W. North Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84116 7 3,103 Voth, Dr. Elver H. Dept. of Biology, George Fox College, Newberg, OR 97132 10 14 Wahl. Terence R. 3041 Eldridge, Bellingham, WA 98225 8 3,244 Washington Dept. of Game 1100 E. College Way, Mt. Vernon, WA 98273 7 1,471 Ward. F. John Box 913, Pebble Beach, CA93953 1 1,202 Wells, Shirley 30443 La Vista Verde, San Pedro, CA90732 24 270 (Nixon. Grace) 35 197 West. Dr. George C. Univ. of Alaska, Collr' AK 99701 26 442 Weston. Dr. Henry G. Jr. Biological Sciences, lif. State Univ., San Jose, CA 95114 15 102 Willapa NWR Ilwaco, WA 98624 2 59 Williams, Dr. Ralph B. Box 354, Juneau, AK 9980 1 20 410 Winkler, Dr. Howard A. Box 1549 DurangO, CO80218 9 130 Winn, David S. 2745 N 8 EoNorth Lopn, UT 84321 16 225 Wirtz. Dr. William o. Dept. of Zoology, Pomona College, Cllrelllont,CA 25 299 WOOding, Jerry L. Colorado Rocky Mtn. School, Carbondale, CO 81623 48 413 Wright. Michael E. P.O. Box 285, Chico, CA 95926 32 320 Wyoming Fish & Game Box 567, Torrington, WY 82240 13 2,840 Information Exchange It is our hope that an Information Exchange section can be a regular feature of our publication. Readers are. welcome to submit their re- quests for assistance on ~my facet dfshidy"felating'to bahding. We would be happy to publish listings of graduate student projects (or, Jor that matter, of any bander's project), requests for dqta on a par- ticular species, sightings of color-marked birds, etc.

Information Available From W.B.B.A. Notice to Kinglet Banders ANNUAL REPORT. A summary by species, In II paper on age determination of European state, and highest individual total is given each Goldcrests (Regulus regulus) .it was noted that year-for' the preceding year-in the spring the color of the inside of the bill was indicative issue of Western Bird Bander. Because of space of age' (Hogstad, 0., Ornis Scandinavica, limitations, some of the data available cannot 2(1971):1-3). In particular, the inside of the bill appear in WBij. Anyone wishing a further was yellow to gr~yish yellow in young (HY) birds breakdown of information may contact David W. with incompletely ossified skulls. .By early Foster, Whittier Narrows Nature Center, 1000 N. autumn when the skull was completely ossified, Durfee Ave., S. EI Monte, Ca. 91733. Information or nearly so, the color of the inside of the bill had available includes: yearly totals for any species become strongly grayish black or black. Birds reported since 1924, as well as whob~nded how having this dark color to the bill in late spring many of a species (from 1963 to date). Informa- and early summer can be safely assumed to be tion of this type may be of interest to anyone adults (AHY). wishing to find others working with a particular There does not seem to be any mention made of species; establishing banding trends. . this color character for either the Ruby-crowned WORKSHEETS. Extra copies of the ageing/sex- Kinglet (Regulus calendula) or the Golden- ing worksheets issued by W.B.B.A. are available crowned Kinglet (R. satrapa). Considering the from the Editor for 50 cents each. The following similarity of these species it is quite likely they species sheets have been issued: Western will follow the same sequence of bill color Tanager, Black-headed Grosbeak, Tree Swallow change. Banders in this country handling Violet-green Swallow, Lazuli Bunting, Common numbers of either or both of these species Snipe, Summer Tanager, Lesser Goldfinch, should verify the usefulness of this additional American Goldfinch, Bushtit, Verdin, Kingbirds, character for age determination. Anyone want to Merlin, Myarchis flycatchers, and Oporornis make up a Banding Worksheet for us?-Charles warblers. T. Collins, W.B.B.A. Banding Worksheet Editor.

COLOR-MARKING FOR CANADA GEESE AND GULLS. Mr. Foster has a listin~.?f all color- marking authorizations for Cana~ Geese and WANTED for all species of gulls. For excessive flight to avoid detection Zonotrichia leucophrys oriantha (AOU #554d) (Mountain White-crowned Sparrow). Not to be confused with Z.I. gambelii (AOU #554a) Color-banded Fulmar: A. color-banded Fulmar, Fulmarus glacialis, was Distinguishing Characteristics: Black loral area serves to distinguish oriantha from others of recently observed in the coastal waters of species in the west. Last seen in vicinity of southern California. The bird had what nesting areas in High Sierra of California. appeared to be a red plastic band, th to %-inch Hiding place in winter months unknown, but wide, on each leg. No metal service band was presumed to he somewhere in southwestern U.S. noted. The Bird Banding Laboratory is unaware of any such marking system. or Mexico. Subject not considered dangerous and may be approached with ease. Attempts to It would be appreciated if anyone knowing apprehend it with trap or net are likely to be about .this marking program would contact: successful. Any information leading to the cap- Michael .D. Moore, 17650 Van Buren, Huntington ture and study of these individuals in winter Beach, CA 92647, or Dr. C. T. Collins, Dept of should be sent to - Dr. Martin L. Morton, Biology, CSU, Long Beach, CA 90840. Complete Biology Department, Occidental College Los details of this sighting will be available. Angeles, California 90041. Note: Photocopies of most references are Molts and plumages in the Greater Scaup. R.S. available from the Recent Literature editor, Box Billard and P.S. Humphrey. 1972. J. Wildl. C. Davis, California 95616. Cost is 54:per page or Mgmt, 36:765-774. (Data from flat skins of 727 a 25¢ minimum. An asterisk before the citation specimens reported.) - RD indicates that it is not available. Determination of the sex of Chuar Partridge at Aging, Sexing, and Identification hatching. T.D. Siopes and W.O. Wilson. 1973. J. Wildl. Mgmt, 37:239-240. (Cloacal sexing of day- Age and sex characteristics of Common old birds described.) - RD Mergansers. B.W. Anderson and R.L. Timken. 1971. J. Wildl. Mgmt., 35:388-393. (Red bills, red Molt of juvenile White-eyed Vireos. W.G. feet, or both, indicated adults; yellow bills. George. 1973. Wilson Bull., 85:327-330. yellow feet, or both, indicated immatures. Males Banding Equipment and Techniques had wings at least 264 mm long. Adult females had a black distal bar on the greater secondary Long-term retention of plastic collars on Canada wing coverts.) - RW . Geese. C.A Fjetland. 1973. J. Wildl. Mgmt., 37:176-178. (Thirty % retained plastic collars Further speculation on· Myrtle Warblers in after 6 years. Males lost more collars than winter plumage. E.J. Fisk. 1973. EBBA News, females.) - RW 36(Supp.):38-41. (Females cannot be aged; males can.) - SK Capturing Sharp-tailed Grouse hens by using taped chick distress calls. J.W. Artmann. 1971. J. An age-determining technique for female Even- Wildl. Mgmt., 35:557-559. (Taped calls and mist ing Grosbeaks. R.P. Yunick. 1973. EBBA News, nets were used.) -RW 36:69-70. (Also see review in Bird-Banding, 44:240.) - SK Homemade gadgets for the handyman bander. AJ. Wiseman. 1973. IBBA News, 45:26-38. (Band A guide for field identification of immature holders, pliers, holding devices.) - SK herons, egrets, and ibis for banders. J.C. Miller. 1973. EBBA News, 36:39. Efficiency of traps and bait for capturing Mourning Doves. J.C. Lewis and J.A. Morrison. Shorebird identification. C.S. Robbins. 1973. 1973. Wildlife Soc. Bull., 1:131-138. EBBA News, 36:4-15. (Species identification in the hand; ageing and sexing.) - SK An easily made and highly successful bird trap. L.C. Stegeman. 1973. EBBA News, 36:213-214. (A Identify, sex and age it. Key to age and sex deter- round single·;funnel entrance trap with circular mination of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds in fence attached to inner end of funneL) - SK autumn. R.C. Leberman. 1972. 1BB1 News, 44:197-202. Automatic drop-door trap. C.B. Worth. 1973. EBBA News, 36:133-135. (Can be tacked to trees Identify, sex and age it. Eastern Empidonax over suet-holders or used on ground.) - SK flycatchers. C.S. Robbins. 1972. IBBA News, 44:72-76. (Yellow-bellied, Acadian, Traill's and Warbler catching in water drip traps. H.W. Least Flycatchers.) - SK Braun and M.B. Skaggs. 1972. IBBA News, 44:123- 132. Identify, s.ex and age it. Eastern Evening Grosbeak. N.F. Sloan. 1972. IBBA News, 44:30:31. *Bird capture and bird-banding. Part II. Vogelfang und Vogelberingung, Teil II. Hans Age and sex determination of nestling Common Bub. 1972. Wittenberg Lutherstadt, Die Neue Grackles. P.B. Hamel. 1974. Bird-Banding, 45:16- Brehm Bucherei, A Ziemsen Verlag. (In Ger- 23. (Two equations relating age in days with man) (Covers all aspects of bird capture, mark- various combinations of external morphological ing, and various other techniques associated characters were derived using regression with banding. English translation in progress) techniques.) - RD (From Bird-Banding, 45:85.) Evaluation of proximal primary feather criteria Capturing Sal1dhill Cranes with alpha- for aging wild Pheasants. R.E. Greenberg, S.L. chloralose. L.E. Williams, Jr. and R.W. Phillips. Etter, and W.L. Anderson. 1972. J. Wildl. Mgmt, 1973. J. Wildl. Mgmt., 37:94-97. 36:700-705. A floating bail trap for capturing individual Primary feather pattern as a sex criterion in the ducks in spring. W.H. Thornberry and L.M. Pheasant. R.L. Linder, R.B. Dahlgren, and C.R. Cowardin. 1971. J. Wildl. Mgmt., 35:837-839. Elliott. 1971. J. Wildl. Mgmt, 35:840-843. (Sexing by color patterns of the outer primaries .and The Swedish Goshawk trap. H. Meng. 1971. J. primary coverts.) - RD Wildl. Mgmt., 35:832-835. Banding Results 1972AlbeI'ta raptor banding report. C.S. Recs. Pen-reared Fulvous Tree Ducks in movement 1973.Blue ]ay31:236-237. fA total of 1399raptors studies of wild populations. E.L. Flickinger, K.A. bf22 species banded by 27 banders, including King, and O. Heyland. 1973. J. Wild1.Mgmt., 236 Ferruginous Hawks, 247 Prairie Falcons, 128 37:171-175.(Recoveries from 165 immature birds each .of. Red-tailed and Swainson's Hawks, 109 recorded.) - RW Long-eared Owls, and 104 Pigeon Hawks.) - MM Who sez I am not old enougl1?(Editors). 1973. EBBA News, 36:26-29.(Longevity records of 100 Miscellaneous species based on recoveries.) - SK *Snowy Owl invasion on Wolfe Island, winter Behavior of some icterids and Starlings when 1971-72.RD. Weir. 1973.Ontario Field Biologist, released after banding. H.E. Burtt and M.L. 27:3-17.(Snowy Owls arrived in two large waves, Giltz. 1974. Bird-Banding, 45:33-45. (Differences one in late November to early December; the among, species and between sexes are other in January. Eighteen owls color-banded in described.) - RD January were present in February but left by Banded returns in El Salvador, 1972-73season. March· 19" when unmarked owls, presumably W.A. Thurber and A. Villeda C. 1974. Bird- from farther south, replaced them. Includes data Banding, 45:58-59. (RecoverieS" for ten species on plumages and food.)- MM are listed.) - RD Breedi'ng biology and systematic relationships of. *Bird-banding at Powdermill, 1972. RC. Leber- the Stilt Sandpiper. J.R. Jehl, Jr.. 1973. Wilson man and M.H. Clench. 1973.Powdermi1l Nature Bull .• 85:115-147.(Birds were trapped at the nest Reserve Research Report, No. 31,46 pp. (1972 using a hardware cloth trap - most accepted the bandings are summarized and data on differen- trap within 30 minutes. Magic Marker dyed 011 tial migrations by age classes are presented.) the wings facilitated individual identification. (From Bird-Banding, 45:60.) Many data which' require banding, such ,as differences in breeding behavior with ex- Color-marked Brown Pelicans. R.W. Schreiber perience, a tendency to mate with mates of the and L.E. Williams. 1973.Florida Natur .• 46:26-27. previous year. return to previous territories. and (Over 1,000sightings of birds with Saflagplastic dispersal. are given. Data on molts and weight leg -ur wing streamers. Florida East and West also included.) ---MM coast breeding populations remain largely separate even on wintering grounds.) - CC Project nest-box - Edmonton,1972. R Burns. D. Stapley. R. Svrcek, and K. Trann. 1973.Blue Jay. High survival and homing of hand-reared wild- 31:89-91.(Banding revealed three cases of more strain Mallards. F.B. Lee and A.D. Kruse. 1973.J. than one female Tree Swallow incubating a Wildl. Mgmt.. 37:154-159.(Band recoveries of 648 clutch of eggs or feeding young.)- MM Mallards were monitored.) - RD Growth, development, and food habits of young The Common Grackle in Texas - A review of Pinon Jays. G.C. Bateman and RP. Balda. 1973. fifty years of band recovery data. Royall, W.C., Auk. 90:39-61. (Unbanded until one week old, Jr.. 1973.Bull. Texas Ornithol. Soc.. 6:20-22(and then color banded. Color bands were removed, inside front cover). (A total of 818 recoveries of presumably by adults. until sealed with a few Common Grackles banded and/or recovered in drops of acetone.) - MM Texas. 1920-1970,are analyzed.) - RD Migrational homing by a pair of Mallards. T.J. Long-distance recoveries of Common Grackles Dwyer, S.R Derrickson, and D.S. Gilmer. 1973. banded in north-eentral Colorado. D.F. Mott. J.L. Auk. 90:687.1Pair fitted with nasal saddles and Guarino, P.P. Woronecki, and W.C. Royall. Jr.. radio transmitters in 1971 returned together in 1972. Golo. Field Ornithol .. No. 12.• p. 16-17. (Of 1972.) - MM twelve birds banded in north-central Colorado. two were recovered in Colorado, one in Kansas. and nine in Texas.) - RD The Spring. migration of Gambel's Sparrows through Southern Yukon Territory. B.B. Dewolfe, G.C. West, and L.J. Peyton. 1973. Gon- dor, 75:43-59.. (Includes report data. molt. and Correction weights;) - MM Please make the following correction.in the arti- The fall migration route of Kirtland's Warbler. cle, "Some Notes on Clark's Nutcracker at a M.H. Clench. 1973. Wilson Bull.. 85:417-428. Banding Station in Southeastern Arizona," by (Based on reliable sight records and banding Sally Hoyt Spofford, Vol. 48, No.3. 1973-second recoveries.)' - MM line, fourth paragraph: substitute SY for AHY. W.B.B.A. Coope~ative Banding Project: White- crowned Sparrow All banders from the Western Region are asked to -participate in a new series of projects. W)J.B.A. is launching. these cooperative banding pro- jects in an effort to gather data simultaneously from a wide geographical area. The first project-a study of White-crowned Sparrows-goes into high gear this fall. Be sure to record the date of arrival at your station.

The White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia Banders who would like to participate in this leucophrys) is an excellent subject for a project are urged to examine the four areas of cooperative study by the banders of the Western study and determine the necessary preparations Bird Banding Association. This species is and modifications which may be required in widespread throughout much of Western United their own procedures-if they plan to .contribute States during the winter months and is easily to this cooperative project next fall. The need to identified. It has been the subject of many field closely coordinate the activities so that max- studies in various. parts of its range as well as imum value can be obtained from the data numerous-laboratory studies. King, Farner, and collected is illustrated by the recording of body Mewaldt (Condor, 67 (1965):489-504) found some weights. Weights should be recorded to the interesting variations in age and sex ratios of this nearest tenth of a gram. a level of accuracy ob- bird from several localities on both the breeding tainable by most of the spring scales. Excessive and wintering grounds. A great deal can still be variation due to birds with empty or full crops learned about this sparrow. and much valuable can be avoided by taking weights during the first data can be obtained from the many W.B.B.A. half of the day; all weights recorded should in- banders who regularly handle it. clude the time of capture of the bird. The success of a cooperative project will depend largely upon the extent to which participants are The instructions for recording data for the pro- willing to gather and record data. The informa- ject are now ready for distribution to banders tion sought from each station should be relevant wishing to participate in this program. Send your to the four areas of study listed below. request to the address below and indicate the approximate number of White-crowned Data Needed Sparrows you expect to handle this coming winter season. Large numbers of these birds 1. Determination of the ratio of hatching-year need not be handled to participate in the project; birds to adults. even if you expect to handle only 25 White- 2. Body weights of individuals throughout the crowned Sparrows this winter your participation season. in the project will be valuable. 3. Time of commencement and completion of the pre-nuptial molt. Arthur E. Staebler Biology Department 4. Time of arrival and departure of these birds Calif. State Univ. at each station. Fresno. Calif .• 93740

New Biologist at Bird Banding Laboratory degree in zoology from Pennsylvania State University. He will receive an M.S. degree in On 20 May. John Tautin replaced Brian Sharp as wildlife biology from Utah State University Wildlife Biologist at the Bird Banding upon completion of his thesis this year on pop- Laboratory. Mr. Sharp has transferred to the ulation dynamics and harvest of Canada Geese Divisioh of Refuges. in Utah. He served as a veterinary specialist Mr. Tautin is assigned primarily to band with the U.S. Army in Alaska. and has worked recovery problems and non-game data requests. with the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife He is a native of Pennsylvania and has a B.S. in Huron. South Dakota as a Biological Aid. New Color Trend In House Finches? Kay B. Burk

Having banded several hundred House Finches ()f the orange birds banded in 1970,all had some (Carpodacus mexicanus) during the past yeats,! red feathers scattered throughout the gold. have noticed a decided rise in the percentage of However, five of the six orange birds banded in males with yellow or gold feathers replacing the 1974 had no red feathers in any area. normal red plumage on the head, rump, and Have other western area banders noticed the breast. Using a rule of thumb that a bird same trend? designated as being gold or orange must have at least 50% of its head, rump, and breast plumage The Tucson area has had the driest six months in made up of gold or yellow feathers, I have come the history of the weather bureau. Could that up with the following trend. have had any effect on the plumage color?

•••••• FilcII CeIlwDifftrtnas Any ideas or observations would be appreciated . III lulllp, Cnnm, Brust 2738 West Casas Drive, Tucson, AZ 85704 1170 1!171 1172 1173 1174 (to dill) Total•••• banded 112 49 51 65 44 Totalf••••••••••• 114 56 21 77 51 Total"y·u •••••• 2 15 0 0 0 ••••••••••• CIIIr 91 42 46 59 24 lIIIIs-IIiIef ••• ,... 17 7 5 4 10 •••• 56 ••• c*atiIn 4 0 0 2 1 •••• 11K ,.... . 0 0 0 0 5 F••••••••• III ••• , 22 21 7 17 17 F••••••• CIIIIrII nnp 82 26 12 32 32 F•••• lid .1'lIIt III I1IIIIP 10 9 2 2 2

WING MEASURE. Stainless steel "bend-of- available from the Foundation. Reprints of wing" fixture has been accurately secured at "Mist Nets and their Use" are also available. right angles to the end of rule. The fixture is Bleitz Wildlife Foundation, 5334 Hollywood offset to permit the taking of tail measurements. Boulevard. Hollywood, Ca. 90027. 15 em stainless steel metric/English system rule: BANDING PLIERS. Long nose pliers with rigid, 314 in. wide, 0.49 in. thick, 150 mm long; openers and holes to fit band sizes. One plier graduated in 1/2mm, mm, em; English system on handles size 0, 1, lB, and lA, $7.50; the other reverse side, graduated in 32nd and 10th; ground handles soft and hard 2 and 3 bands, $7.50.There edges for accuracy; $6.00 each ppd. is also a pair for size 3A for $6.50.Ppd. in USA. Order from: R.N. MacDonald, 850 Main St., 30 em steel metric system rule: spring-tempered. satin-chrome finish; 12.7mm wide, .33mm thick, Lynnfield, Mass. 01940. 300 mm long; graduated on 3 edges in mm, one MIST NETS. 5, 9, and 12 meter. Nets with l1f2 in. edge 1f2mm;$15.00 each. and 11/4 in. mesh are made from 50d/2 ply or 70d/2 ply thread. 21f2 in. mesh nets are made Order from Christopher N. Rose, 98 Lopez Rd., from 110d/2 ply thread and 5" mesh nets are Cedar Grove, N.J. 07009. made from 210d/2 ply thread. All nets are ap- BANDING SUPPLIES. Bleitz Wildlife Founda- proximately 7 feet high. tion has available a new listing of the more than Send for order form from EBBANet Committee. 100 styles, sizes, colors and types of Mist Nets, Biology Dept., Indiana University of Pa., In- Portable Poles, Pesola Scales, etc., which are diana. Pa. 15701. a:us3nb3U NOlJ.:>DUOO sS3uaav rEESe euoz!JV '){aaJ~ aAe~ 9",xOfl ·O·d Western BirdBander A Quarterly Publication of the Western Bird-Banding Association

~uly- Sept. 1874 Table of Contents From the President 3 De t~rmining Se" and Age in the C~SSlt'l's Finch by Fred R, Samson ...... 4 Dispersalof Young Western Gulls from SantaBarbara Island " ' by Molly W. Hunt .and Ge01:ge L. Hunt,Jr ~...... •...... , eg Survival Rate of the Chestnut-collared Swift by Charles T. Collins 10

The Western Bird Bander is published four times a year by the' Western Bird-Banding Association. Applications for membership should be sent to the Business Manager. Membership classifications are: Ac- tive Member, $4.50 per year; Associate Member, $4.50 per year; Student and/or Sub-permittee. $3.50 per year; Sustaining Member. $9.00 per year; Life Member, $100.00.

President Michael San Miguel 409 Meadow Lane, Monrovia, California 91016 First Vice President Mrs. Shirley Wells 30443 La Vista Verde, Rancho Palos Verdes, California 90274 Second Vice President Richard DeHaven P.O. Box C, Davis, California 95616 Secretary Otis D. Swisher 1002 S. Oakdale. Medford, Oregon 97501 Business Manager Dr. L. Richard Mewaldt 4150 Golf Drive. San Jose, California 95127 Editor Mrs. Eleanor Radke P.O. Box 446, Cave Creek. Arizona 85331

Recent Literature Richard W. DeHaven Worksheets Dr. Charles T. Collins Auxiliary Marking David W. Foster Annual Report David W. Foster Page 3

From the President

As most of you are probably aware, the Bird early 1976. A series of meetings has been set for Banding Laboratory is in the midst of preparing mid-September among officers of WBBA and Volume II of the Banding Manual, and some of EBBA to discuss some of the details of the you may have received questionnaires about merger. For those of yo 1,1 not familiar with the bird species related to your individual interest events leading to the present status of the GJJ, I and expertise. I would urge all of you to take a would refer you to the article in this issue sum- good hard look at your banding activities and ex- marizing the history of the proposed merger. isting data to see if they might be applicable to As has been the case in the past, we continue to the efforts of the Banding Lab in preparing the face a shortage of papers and articles for Manual. It is, after all, our Manual being publication in our journal. I urge all of you to prepared for our use. Any effort from individual give serious thought to helping your association banders would be very much appreciated and, I by submitting suitable material for publication. am sure, would expedite the completion of the For those of you who are not sure how to Manual. organize your data or materials into usable form, Events leading to the merger of regional joutnals I extend an invitation to help you in whatever appear to be headed in a positive direc- way I can. tion-hopefully for a completion date around

The Great Journal Joining (GJn To the Editor: ficers of WBBA made a .very positive suggestion. They suggested that an outside consultant be ap- The merger of Regional Journals· (GJJ)ha,s beEm proached who could look into funding and for- much discussed in the past decade, but it was not mat, style possibilities. Ideally, such a person until recently· that more positive steps were should not be a member ofaq.y of the Associa- taken in meetings between EBBA-IBBA tions, but should be knowledgeable in the area (September 1973); EBBA-WBBA (May 1974), and of finances and publications. EBBA-NEBBA (June 1974). These meetings were between Fred Schaeffer-Norman Sloan, Jeff One of the most imp~rtant aspects of this con- Swinebroad-Charles Collins, and Jeff Swine- cept is that the Associations are striving to merge broad-representatives of NEBBA, respectively. only publications, NOT ASSOCIATIONS. This point, and its misinterpretation, has been Many new members have joined the Associa- perhaps the most common reason for break- tiohs involved;· and in all probability many downs in discussions. Each Association will re- meIhbers who've been with us for a long time tain its individuality and each Editor will retain may have forgotten what GJJis all about. The full Editorial control over the contribution of purpose of this "Letter to your Editor" is to each of the Associations. If nothing else can be refresh your memory in the hopes of keeping accomplished, we would just like to see four these discussions active and productive. separate and unique publications bound in one The basic c;:onceptentails that magazines now cover. The savings in funds would be immense; published by all of the regional (American) Bird the costs to members would be less, and there Banding Associations be published together un- would still be a greater part of your dues left derone cover, in such a way that each Associa- over for projects. undertaken by each regional tion has full Editorial control over its contribu- Association. That's not the case now. Now the tion, but that members of all groups can receive greater part (as much as 85%) of your dues go all publications under one cOver. Such conven- into the magazines. tions as format, size, etc., are relatively unimpor- We exhort all members to show active en- tant if we can at least reach our objective: to couragement of this concept by contacting your publish together. President and Executives. Only in this way can Having participated in and received briefings of we hope for 100% participation by all Regional all discussions in the past two years, I am fully Associations; only in this way will we have true confident that GJJ can be accomplished among strength for the battles that may lie ahead! EBBA, WBBA, and NEBBA (a regional contribu- Frederick S. Schaeffer, Editor tion for the latter, not Bird Banding) by 1976. Of- Eastern Bird Banding Association Introduction mist nets were erected one day per. week for The Cassin's Finch (Carpodacus cassinii) is a three hours in July to mid-August 1971, May widespread breeding and wintering bird in the through July.1972,and late May to early August western United States. Bailey and Neidrach 1973. Salt attracted finches to the banding site. (1965) describe the breeding range to extend Wing lengths were measured for 347finches cap- from British Columbia. Alberta,. and Manitoba tured in Cache Valley, Utah,elevation 1,370m. into northern. Arizona and Baja California. in winters 1972-73and 1973-74.Finches were cap- Cassin's Finches usually nest above 1500 m. in tured with mist nets, drop traps, or walk-in traps the mixed forest of the Canadian Life Zone often baited with sunflower seeds or millet. Unflat- with adjacent open areas (Salt 1952). They tened wing cords were measured to the nearest winter throughout most of the southwestern .1mrn. with a Helios vernier caliper for all birds United States and. northern Sonora with a few except for 131 in winter 1972-73 which were reports of wintering birds as far north as British measured with a metric ruler and rounded to the nearest half· mm. Possession of an incubation Columbia (01'1' 1968). Investigators have suggested they are nomadic to breeding area patch was recorded and color of plumage was (Bailey and Neidrach 1965) and to wintering described for all birds. .. area (Neff, pel's. comm.), and data from this Wing length data were analyzed by a Burrows study support this contention. 6700 computer utilizing statistical programs Within Cassin's Finches, two plumages a,re evi-. (histograms) of the Desert Biome (Romesburg dent. Mature males possess apredorninantly 19~3) or those (F tests) available from Hurst reddish-pink plumage distinctly different from (1970).Tolerance limits were calculated follow- yearH~g males andfemales. Males, until the ap- ing Dixon and Massey, (1969). proximate age of 14 months, and all females Rectrix shape was investigated on live birds in appear identical with a grey-brown streaked the field in .late summer 1973 and on 18 birds plurnage. Young finches do not molt remiges or collected in summers 1972 and 1973. Ap- rectrices until nearly 14 months old. This paper, proximately 75 museum skins of known sex and based upon field work conducted in summers age were also studied. 1971, 1972, and 1973 and winters 1972-73 and 1973-74, analyzes the use of wing lengths to determine the sex of grey-brown birds a,nd the shape .of rectrices· as a~riteria to determine age Sexing Finches cI8s;8. Few data describing wing lengths The distribution of wing lengths fall into two (BJdgway 1877,Duva111945)or plumage (Dwight categories: (1) rnature males in summer and 1900)have been reported for the Cassin's Finch. winter; and (2)yearling males and females dur- ing summer and winter. . Methods and Study Area (1) Figure la depicts the distribution of wing Wing lengths were measured from 629 finches lengths for adult males for thr.ee summers and captured in three sum,mers at Beaver Mountain, two winters. The mean. of 93.3 ± 1.2 mm for the elevation 2,225m., Cache National Forest, 48 km. summer distribution is not significantly different northeast of Logan, Utah (Table 1). Three 12 m. from the winter mean of 93.4 ± 1.6 mm. The

Table 1. Summary of Cassin's Finch banding at Beaver Mountain and Cache Valley,. Utah, 1971·74 Adult Yearling Males Females Males Unknown Summers 1971 49 8 14 1972 182 96 172 1973 75 5 28 Winten 1972·73 63 225 1913·74 32 27 Page 5

mml 95 %30 a. adult males 20 10 n:306 summer

winter n:95

b.brown birds

n:323 summer

winter n=252

10 n:109 o Sum"'r· S~, n:2J4~ yearling males

Figure 1. Distribution by percentage of Cassin's Finch wing lengths in summers 1971.1972. and 1973, Beaver Mountain, Utah. and in winters 1972-73 and 1973-74. Cache Valley, Utah. mean for all adult males captured equals 93.4 It is known in several species of birds (Mewaldt mm. For both summer and winter at 950/0 con- 1973, Pienkowski and Minton 1973) that wing fidence, 950/0 of the adult male wing lengths from lengths of juvenile birds are shorter. Only two the populations sampled would be within the juvenile males have been recaptured after the tolerance interval of 93.4 ± 2.9 mm. 14-month molt, and as adults their wing lengths were longer. Utilizing summer criteria (summer (2) On the breeding area, wing lengths of those wing lengths of grey-brown birds do not differ finches exhibiting incubation patches (females) from winter lengths, F = .91), juvenile males are significantly different (F = 525.4,<.001) from with shorter wing lengths do not survive as well wing lengths of other grey-brown finches (year- as all females or mature males in winter flocks ling males). With 950/0 confidence, 950/0 of the and may not be represented in summer flocks. female wing lengths would be within the This could account for the change from a near tolerance interval of 88.3 ± .3 mm. For yearling normal distribution of wing lengths of grey- males with 950/0 confidence, 950/0 of the wing brown birds in winter to a bimodal distribution lengths would be within the tolerance interval of 91.9 ± 1.9 mm. in summer wherein juvenile males with shorter wing lengths are not represented. However, Distribution of wing lengths for all grey-brown without further data on the distribution of birds captured in summer is depicted in Figure juvenile male wing lengths, wing lengths of grey- lb with a near normal distribution evident. If brown birds do not appear as a precise tech- separate histograms are plotted (Figure lc), two nique to sex these birds during the winter. approximately normal distributions are evident. Thus on the breeding area in summer, females differ from yearling males both by wing length Age Classes and by possession of incubation patch. A difference in rectrix shape was noted while The histogram illustrating winter wing lengths of banding finches in summer 1973. The inner pair grey-brown birds (Figure 1b) does not exhibit a of rectrices of yearling birds is more lanceolate bimodal distribution. Attempts to break the dis- in shape and has a more pointed tip than that of tribution into a bimodal frequency using adults. In addition, all rectrices of yearling birds techniques of Griffiths (1967) or a computer appear more pointed (Figure 2). Examples of program (by K.M. Marshall) following the museum skins with known age indicated a procedures of Hawkins (1972) were not suc- similar pattern in form for yearling birds with cessful. adult males and adult females exhibiting a more

Figure 2. Aging Cassin's Finches by rectrix shape. (A) The inner pair of rectrices is lanceola te in shape and all rectrices are pointed in finches until approximately 14 months of age. (E) Finches after their first post-nuptial molt ex- hibit a more rounded rectrix shape. Jul...,..Sepl. 1974 rounded rectrix tip. Both the form of the inner Duvall, A.J. 1945. Variation in Carpodacus pur- rectrix pair and shape of the distal end of the pureus and Carpodacus cassinii. Condor rectrices should be considered because of varia- 47:202-205. tion in wear influencing juvenile feather shape. Dwight, J., Jr. 1900. Annals of the New York The lanceolate-shaped inner pair and all the Acad. Sci. 13:173-174. more pointed rectrices are replaced by the more of rounded rectrices in the post-nuptial molt at ap- Griffiths, J. 1968. Multi-modal frequency dis- proximately 14 months of age. tributions in bird populations. Bird Study 15:29-32. Summary Hawkins, RH. 1972. A note on multiple solutions to the mixed distribution problem. Techno- Adult male Cassin's Finches are easily dis- Metrics 14:973-976. tinguished in summer and winter by a distinctive reddish-pink plumage. Grey-brown yearling Hurst, RL. 1972. Statistical Program Package males and all females differ in wing length dur- (Stat Pac). Utah State University, Logan. ing the summer, but this criteria doe~ not appear 220p. as a reliable technique to sex these birds in Mewaldt, L.R 1973. Wing length and age in winter. Juvenile birds of both sexes possess a White-crowned Sparrows. Western Bird more lanceolate-shaped inner pair of rectrices Bander 48:54-56. and all rectrices are more pointed than those of Orr, RT. 1968. In: Austin, O.L., Jr. (ed.). Life adults. Adult rectrices exhibit a more rounded histories of North American cardinals, distal end and the inner pair is broader in shape. grosbeaks, buntings, towhees, finches, sparrows, and allies. Smithsonian Inst., U.S. Acknowledgements National Museum, Washington, D.C. 602 p. I acknowledge the assistance of S. Samson in Pienkowski, M.W.and C.D.T. Minton. Wing preparation of the figures and manuscript and length changes of the knot with age and time F.L. Knopf for comments on this report. Finan- since molt. Bird Study 20:63-68. cial aid from Sigma Xi and the Chapman Fund, Ridgway, R 1877. Ornithology, pp. 303-669. In: American Museum of Natural HistQry, New Ornithology and palaeontology. U.S. Geol. York, N.Y. is acknowledged. The suggestions of Expl. of the Fortieth Parallel, Part 3. K.L. Dixon during the study and of C. Romesburg Romesburg, C. 1973. Models. RM 73-51. Desert and K.M. Marshall for statistical advice are also Biome; Utah State University, Logan. 30p. appreciated. Salt, G.W. 1952. The relationship of metabolism to climate and distribution in three finches Literature Cited of the genus Carpodacus. Ecol. Monogr. Bailey, A.M. and RJ. Neidrach. 1965. Birds of 22:121-152. Colorado. Vol. II. Denver Museum of Nat. Department of Biology, Utah State University, History. 889p. Logan, UT 84322. Current address: School of Dixon, W.J. and F.J. Massey, Jr. 1969. Introduc- Forest Resources, 205 Forest Resources Lab, The tion to Statistical Analysis. McGraw Hill, Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA New York. 638 p. 16802. 122~ 1200 n8°' .

RECOVERIES, OF WESTERN,GULLS' 6-FIRST WINTER BIRDS '(AUG.-DEC. 1972) --SECOND 8 THIRD- . YEAR BIRDS (MAY 1973- APR. 1974) ,SAN ·FRANCISCO BAY

SAN MIGUEL IS. SANTARQSAIS.

, . , .. SAN1A ;SARBARAIS.· SAN NICOLAS IS.'.

LOS CORONADOS·'. Jt,lI.-Sept. 1974

A PRELIMINARY REPORT.·ONtDISPERSAL OF YOUNGWESTBRN GULLS FROM SANTA BARBARA ISLAND

During a study of the reproductive ecology of less scattered geographically than those of the Western Gulls (Larus occidentalis wymani) first-year birds, and were generally closer to (Hunt and Hunt, Auk, in press), we banded 224 Santa Barbara Island. chicks and 5 adult gulls on Santa Barbara Island, These findings differ somewhat from those of ChannelIslands National Monument, Santa Bar- Coulter (in press). Working with recoveries of bara Co., California. During June and July, 1972, birds banded on Los Coronados, San Nicolas, the birds were color-banded with a red plastic Santa Rosa and San Miguel Islands, he found band on the right leg in addition to a standard aluminum Fish and Wildlife Service band on the that Western Gulls of all age groups showed little left leg. tendency to disperse from the region of their colonies between September and March. For a As of July, 1974, we have had 17 recoveries of sample of 17 recoveries of birds banded on San birds banded as chicks, a return of 7.6%. The Nicolas, Santa Rosa and San Miguel, Coulter locations of these recoveries are given in Fig. 1. reported "a slight tendency to move south" All birds were found dead. although this was not statistically significant. It is Although our sample is small, our recoveries in- clear that larger samples of recoveries of birds dicate thepteference of young birds for coastal banded on these islands are required before we areas. The virtual restriction of both subspecies will know the extent and direction of dispersal of the gulls of the Channel Islands. of the Western Gull (L. o. wymani and L. o. oc- cidentalis) tathe proximity of the coast has We wish to thank the fersonnel of the National recently been documented by Devillers et al. Park Service, Channe Islands National Monu- (Calif. Birds 2:11-26,1971) and Coulter (Auk, in ment, for their aid in many aspects of this pro-. press). ject. Financial support was provided in part by the School of Biological Sciences, University of Our recoveries also show that post-fledging dis- California, Irvine. persal of young from SantaBarbara Is. is from the Los Angeles region northward (Fig. 1). The Department of Population and Environmental seven recoveries of second- and third-year birds, Biology, University of Colifornia, Irvine, Califor- ranging from Pismo Beach to Chula Vista, were nia 92664.

Margaret Morse Nice. Life Member Mrs. Margaret Morse Nice, ornithologist, Her published work includes: died on Wednesday, June 26th, at her home, 5725 Harper Avenue, Chicago, Illinois, at Birds of Oklahoma (With L.B. Nice) 1924. the age of ninety. University of Oklahoma Bulletin 286. Birds of Oklahoma, Revised Edition. 1931. Oklahoma Biological Survey. The American Ornithological Union in 1942 awarded her the Brewster Medal for "the Population Study of the Song. Sparrow. most important work published on birds of 1937.The Linnaean Society. Volume IV of the western hemisphere during the last six the Transactions of the Linnaean Society of years." She was a corresponding member New York. of seven foreign ornithological societies, and an honorary member of eight or- Behaviour of the Song Sparrow and Other nithological societies in North America. Passerines. 1943. The Linnaean Society. Volume VI of the Transactions of the Lin- naean Society of New York. She was President of the Wilson Or- nithological S.ociety, '37-'39; President of The Watcher at the Nest. 1939. The Mac- the Chicago Or.nithological Society, '40-'42; millan Company. Associate Editor of the Wilson Bulletin, '39- Development of Behaviour in Precocial '49; Associate Editor of Bird-Banding, '35- Birds. 1962.The Linnaean Society. Volume '42 and from '46 to the time of her death; VIII of The Transactions of the Linnaean and a Life Member of W.B.B.A. Society. of New York. Western Bird Bander

SURVlVALRA.m OF?tfHE,(';HESTNm-COLUARBtl SWIFt' ..'f· ..··· by"Ch~rie~.r. C~lIi~s

One of the more exciting outcomes of bird ban- Arima River located on the Asa Wright Nature ding operations is the dotmmenting'. of, extreme Centre' (Spring Hill Esta.te) at the Flf'Hldof Arima longevities in various bird species. Although V~~~ . these are certainly interesting, of gl'eateJ:value are studies 'Nhjcp deterrnine ,the annuaJ~urvival As part ofroy study it was nece~afY to, capture rate of adplts an(t!mrriatures, Nqt!lb'~ ;!rnongthe adllltsto obtain qata,onbpdyweight,sand molts many such studies w~ich have ~tnized,bandiI'lg and, plumages. This entailed. visiting t~~ river records are those of f{ickey (195'2) and Henny gorge at night with headJamps.locatingroosting (1972). '., ' birdso,n the rock walls (Fig. 1) and. capturing tlWrn..in·a pu tterfly or fish-landing net. To reach However, as.pointed out by Robel. (1973:437), all some swifts, it was necessary to use a long too often such.malysesare cartied.outbypeople aluminum pole consisting of from one to five not dipectly involved in the collection ofthe field four-fobt~long interlocking sections to which the data. Thiscan,l:eadtuthe inclusion of some ma- net could be attached. Negotiating the gorge at jor biases that can distort theallalysis. ~For in- night by means of only a dim headlamp was bad stance, Heltl,data can be easily distorted by trap- enough. Balancing on an aluminum ladder with shy or trap-happy individuals or species, a cold wat.erfall filling your hip pocket while you phenomena certainly familiar to nearly all are trying to maneuver a 15 to 20 foot pole and a banders. AIso,sevel'al studies ,have. resulted in butterfly net often approached th~ ridiculous! lower estimates,of annualstlrvival when based The capture of 10-12, swifts in an evening was on random sarnples of. paIldin8 recoveries as considered a good haul, but all too Q£ten the total compared toestim~tes based ,'oil more, qetailed wasliPpreciably low~r. The overall results were studies, of singlebrE!eding or wintering pop~ encOliraging, however. ' ulati(ms (Perrins, T971.:Table. 4). One way. to avoid'. such proble,rnswoul'dbe tohav~, ,more A total of 37 individuals were handled from one banders pti'blish the results of thei.!' own studies to, many times between 1962 and 196~. Most cap- rather than wait for others not directly ture opera't.ions were conducted either before associa~d with the data collection to do.so. the breeding season (1963) or after it when Possibly some of, the potential biases would, be adults we,re molting (Sept.':Nov. 1962, 1~64-19()7); thus avoided and better survival estimates ob. the ,1968 visit was in January. This timing, tained. prevented any disruption of the breeding cycle. Visits in anyone season were spaced at least two Banders with resident or regularly .returning days apart, and frequently birds had returned to wintering populations are in an ex.q~lleJ;lt,pQsi- the same roosts by the subsequent visit and tipn to conduct such studies. An outline for appeared little affected by the intrusion. All of calculating survival rates based on returns has the swifts thus captured were held overnight and been prepar:ed by Chandler S'" RobQit;J.s and released thene'Xl morning following banding, copies are avail~ble fromhim,odrom th~ Presi. weighing, and examination for molt. Inoted that dent of W.B.B.A. Although large sample sizes are many of the swifts were encountered repeatedly certainly, desirable 'for such survival studies, over the several years of the study period and even data derived from' a limited number of en"" this seemed to indicate a. high survival rate for counters or returns can be informative. One the species., On, a subsequent visit to the study such situation derived from my field studies is colony in March 1972 I fqund that 7 of the 13 in- presented hete. . . dividual swifts captured had been banded from Be'tween 1962 and 1968 I conducted field studies 4 to 10 years earlier. The .full results, presented of swifts in Trinidad, West Indies. One of the in Table 1,are summarized by breeding seasons several species studied was thE! Chestnut- regardless of whether the birds were banded collared Swift, Cypseloides rutilus.The details near the beginning or the end. An individual of its breeding biology. have been presented in recaptured in any year was included in the totals earlier papers (Collins, 1963, 1968; Snow, 1962). fot previous years whether or not it had actually Like othermembel's of the genus, including our been captured earlier. Thus these data (Table 1) North American Black Swift, Cypseloidesniger, represent the number known to have been alive the Chestnut-collared Swift nests and roosts on in subsequent years after banding and not the damp, shadowed rock cliffs over waterJFig. 1) actual number of returns or reencounters. and often near or behind' waterfalls. A small The calculated annual survival rate ranged from nesting group of these sWiftsw~sob$erved at the 51% to 100% for different age groups and the "Guacharo Gorge" (now Dunstan Cave) of'the weighted mean for all years 75% (Table 1). The Page 11

Figure 1. a and b. Two male Chestnut-collared Swifts, Cypseloides rutilus, roosting on walls of river gorge, Arima Valley, Trinidad. In b, the bird on the right can be seen to be banded. Photographed by C.T. Collins, January 1972. survival rate for the first year after the initial en- which was in fact alive, would be mistakenly in- counter was appreciably lower (51 0/0) than for cluded with natural mortality. all subsequent years. This cannot be attributed to a lower survival of young birds as all of the The oldest bird encountered in this study was a swifts in this study were adults at the time of in- male banded on 1 September ,1962 and. recap- itial banding. It is likely that some of the birds tured on 25 March 1972. This swift was iI) adult captured were ones not nesting or regularly plumage when banded and thus a minimum of roosting in the immediate vicinity of my 14-17 months old. Accordingly, this swift was a operations.If so, they may well have moved to minimum of 10lfz years (128-131 mo.) old at the other roosts,-possibly those near nests in the time of recapture in 1972. Another male banded lower part of the gorge which could not be on 14 October 1964 was recaptured in the gorge visited at night. Thus defections or changes in by bat-netters in June 1973 (Susan White, in litt.) the roosting habits of some individuals, and not a at which time it was a minimum of 10 years old. higher mortality, probably accounted for the The survival rate presented here for Cypse- seemingly lower first-year survival rate. If the loides rutilus is the only one reported to date for data for the first year is excluded and only the a resident tropical swift. Other studies of information on birds which were recaptured on temperate zone species have obtained similarly one or more occasions is included, an annual high survival rates (81-85% in the Common survival rate of 85% is obtained. If the data Swift, Apus apus in Europe (PerTins, 1971) and representing the oldest (8-10 yr) swifts are 71-81 % in the Chimney Swift, ChaetuTa pelagica similarly excluded on the grounds that the sur- in Ohio (Dexter, 1969; Table 1) despite their be- vival rate for these years is overly influenced by ing transequatorial migrants. The data presented a very few individuals, an annual survival rate here for Cypseloides rutilus are preliminary in of 83% results. Thus the actual rate is likely to be that many of the birds are still alive and could at least 83% and possibly as high as 85%. These provide additional survival records. However, values are of course minimal estimates in that this may not be possible since I have been led to any bird which moved from the study area, but believe that this study will not be allowed to con- Number of &wifts KnoWbtOJJe Alive Number (Yeeln AfferBa~' Banding Year . .Banded 1 2 3 .- & ''1 8 9 10 1982 8 4 4 3 3 3 1 1 .1 1 1 1983 4 2 2 2 2 0 0 >0 0 0 X 1984 12 8 8 7 4 4 4 ·.·.•·;4 4 X X 1985 X X X 1988 7 2 0 0 0 0 0 X X X X 1987 3 2 1 1 1 1 X X X X X 1988 3 1 1 1 1 X X X -X X X 1••• X X X X X X X 1970 X X X X X X X X 1971 X X X X X X X X X 1912 6 X X X X X X X X X X TOTAL 43 19 16 14 11 8 5 5 5 1 1 Less last year -6 0 0 0 -1 1 0 0 4 0 Total 37 19 16 14 10 7 5 5 1 1

Table 1. Annual.urvlval of adult Chestnutooe::ollaredSwifts, Cyp.eloide. rutllus, In Arlma Valley, Trinidad.

ANNUAL Yeats SURVIVAL 0- 1 19/37 0.51 1- 2 16/19 0.84 2- 3 14/16 0.81" 3- 4 11/14 0.78 4- 5 8/10 0.80 5- 6 5/7 0.71 Weighted Mean 90/120 = 0.75 6- 7 5/5 1.00 Less 1st year 71/84 = 0.85 7- 8 5/5 1.00 Years 2-7 59/71 = 0.83 8- 9 1/1 1.00 9-10 1/1 1.00

tinue due to alleged disturbances of the birds. a Acknowledgements view I feel is adequately disproved by the above I am indebted to the late Mrs. Asa Wright for data. The number of active nest sites and permitting me to initiate the study of these swifts roosting adults in the study area was as high or at Spring Hill. My field work in Trinidad was higher in 1972 as when this study began in 1962. supported by grants from the Frank M. Chapman The only mortality sustained over the 10 years of Fund of the American Museum of Natural this study was that of a single swift banded in History. My deepest thanks also go to the 1964 and fatally injured in 1972. This swift. a par- numerous people who accompanied me on my tial albino male. had been recaptured in several nocturnal forays over the years; without their earlier years. The number and distribution of help this study would not have been possible. albinistic feathers present on each occasion was carefully not.ed and appeared nearly uniform from yellr to year (Collins, 1967). The death of Literature Cited such a unique bird was unfortunate and certain- ly unintentional. Collins. C.T. 1963. The "downy" nestling plumage of swifts of the genus Cypseloides. Con- Survival data are needed for all species and not' dor 65:324-328. just for seemingly exotic species as this tropical swift. Studies of even the commonest speCies.in Collins, C.T. 1967. Partial albinism in the Chestnut-collared Swift in Trinidad. Bull. Brit. our temperate avifauna arejust as valuable. and Ornith. Club 87:122-123. coordinated'studies conducted throughout the range of a species are earnestly desired. Collins. C.T. 1968. The comparative biology of Hopefully banders will take the lead in es- two species of swifts in Trinidad. West Indies. tablishing such programs. Bull.' Fla. St. Mus. 11:257-320. Page 13

Dexter, R.W. 1969. Banding andnestingmo~ern Department of Biology, California State Univer- pesticide era. Bureau 'of Sport ,Fisheries and sity, Long Beach, California 90840 '.'

Banding .Permit Requirements For Western States

In August of 1973, the Bird Banding Laboratory 4. Do you charge a fee? If so, how much? sent a questionnaire to all of the states to obtain 5. Does the State· have special requirements information on their requirements for banding. and/or restrictions? A copy of the questions asked, and a summary of 6. Under present State law, is the b.ander the replies, are given below. authorized by the. Statebandirrg p~rrnit to salvage dead birds for scientific and/or "- educational purposes? Is a State collecting 1. Do you require that bird banders have State permit required for the salvage of dead birds? permits authorizingthern to band? If so, what 7. Can you provide sample copies of the re- kind of permit? quired permits, applications, and 2. Must banders have a Federal permit before a regulations? State permit is issued? 8. Do you anticipate any future change in. the 3. Do persons holding the Federal banding sub- State's regulations concerning bird banding permit need a'State banding permit? and/or salvaging? .

State Question No.1 No.2 No.3 No.4 No.5 No.6 No.7 'No.8 Alaska Yes, see enclosed Yes Yes No No Yes-Yes Yes No Arizona Yes,qollecting . Yes Yes No Yes Yes-Yes Yes No California Yes, '4 years (fiscal) No Yes No No-Yes Yes No .. Colorado Yes, Scientific Yes Yes $2 Resident Yes If orrScien- Yes No $5 Non-resident tific Permit Montana Yes Yes Yes No No ?-Yes. Yes No Nevada Yes, .scientific Yes Yes No Yes No-Xes Yes Yes New Mexico YeS, Bird-banding Endangered Yes No Yes No-Yes Yes Yes Species Oregon No Yes Utah Yes Migratory Yes No Yes No-Yes Yes No Washington No,Federal No-Yes Y~s

Wyoming Yes, Scientific No Yes No Yes Yes-Yes Yes No InformationExchang~ . It is .our hope that an Information Exchange section can be a regular feature of our publication. Readers are welcome to submit their re- quests for assistance on any facet of study relating to banding. We would be happy to publish listings of graduate student projects (or, for that matter, of any bander's project), requests for data on a par- ticular species. sightings of color-marked birds. etc. \

Information Available From W.B.B.A. Notice to Kinglet Banders ANNUAL REPORT. A summary by species, In a paper on age determination of European state. and highest individual total is given each Goldcrests (Regulus regulus) it was noted that year-for the preceding year-in the spring the color of the inside of the bill was indicative issue of Western Bird Bander. Because of space of age (Hogstad, 0., Ornis Scandinavica, limitations. some of the data available cannot 2(1971):1-3). In particular, the inside of the bill appear in WBB. Anyone wishing a further was yellow to grayish yellow in young (HY) birds breakdown of informationmay contact David W. with incompletely ossified skulls. By early Foster, Whittier Narrows Nature Center, 1000 N. autumn when the skull was completely ossified, Durfee Ave., S. El Monte. Ca. 91733. Information or nearly so. the color of the inside of the bill had available includes: yearly totals for any species become strongly grayish black or black. Birds reported since 1924. as well as who banded how having this dark color to the bill in late spring many of a species (from 1963 to date). Informa- and early summer can be safely assumed to be tion of this type may be of interest to anyone adults (AHY). wishing to find others working with a particular There does not seem to be any mention made of species, establishing banding trends. this color character for either the Ru,by-crowned WORKSHEETS. Extra copies of the ageing/sex- Kinglet (Regulus calendula) or the Golden- ingworksheets issued by W.B.BoA. are available crowned Kinglet (R. satrapa). Considering the from the Editor for 50 cents each. The following similarity of these species it is quite likely they species sheets have been issued: Western will follow the same sequence of bill color Tanager, Black-headed Grosbeak, Tree Swallow change. Banders in this country handling Violet-green Swallow. Lazuli Bunting. Common numbers of either or both of these species Snipe, Summer Tanager, Lesser Gpldfinch, should verify the usefulness of this additional American Goldfinch, Bushtit. Verdin, Kingbirds. character for age determination. Anyone want to Merlin. Myarchis flycatchers. and Oporornis make up a Banding Worksheet for us?-Charles warblers. T. Collins. W.B.B.A. Banding Worksheet Editor.

COLOR-MARKING FOR CANADA GEESE AND GULLS. Mr. Foster has a listing of all color- marking authorizations for Canada Geese and for all species of gulls. WANTED For excessive flight to avoid detection - Zonotrichia leucophrys oriantha (AOU #554d) (Mountain White-crowned Sparrow). Not to be If You See a Dye-painted Canvasback Duck, confused with Z.I. gambelii (AOU #554a) notify the Audubon Central Midwest Regional Distinguishing Characteristics: Black loral area office, Route 1, Box 19, Mauckport. Ind., 47142, serves to distinguish oriantha from others of (812) 732-4349, and give full particulars of the species in the west. Last seen in vicinity of time and place of the sighting, number of birds nesting areas in High Sierra of California. in the flock and the color of the marked duck. Hiding place in winter months unknown, but Canvasback numbers have decreased alarming- presumed to be somewhere in southwestern U.S. ly in recent years and a number of males of the or Mexico. Subject not considered dangerous species have been marked with dye by the U.S. and may be ~pproached with ease. Attempts to Bureau of Sports Fisheries and Wildlife as part apprehend it with trap or net are likely to be of a study to learn more about their habits and successful. Any information leading to the cap- what's happening to them. Our Central Midwest ture and study of these individuals in winter Representative. Myron Swenson. is among those should be sent to - Dr. Martin L. Morton. aiding the bureau in the study. Biology Department. Occidental College Los Angeles. California 90041. Page 15

Recoveries and Foreign Retraps

Great Blue Heron. 697-95448. Banded as'l.ocal by Don Martin at Moses Lake,' Washington on 11 May 1972. Recovered 9 March 1973, 4 miles north of Orick, California. , Great Blue Heron. 697-95432. Banded as Local by Don Martin at Moses Lake, Washington on 11 May 1972. Recovered 14 September 1972 at mouth of Okanogar River, Washington.

Snow Goose. 597-27576. Banded as Adult-F at Tule Lake NWR, Tulelake, California on 5 November 1956. ,Shqt 25 November 1972 at Willows, California. Worn band sent to BBL for confirmation. (17 years).

Mallard. 627-89134. Banded as Adult-F at Tule Lake NWR, Tulelake, California on 20 August 1959. Shot 5 November 1972 at Tule Lake NWR. (14 ,years).

Canvasback. 637-63313. Banded as AHY-M ,by Lionel Kelt at Oakland, California on 12 January 1959. "Caught due to dog" on 28 February 1973 at Sinaloa, Mexico. (14 years).

Red .•tai1ed Hawk. 977-05715. Banded as Local-U by Louis M. Moos at Menard, Montana on 22 June 1972. Recovered at Chihuahua, Mexico in April 1973.

Osprey. 578-37283. Banded as nestling by J.a.Anderson at Crane Prairie, Oregon on 29 July 1972. Recovered 7 March 1973 at Jalisco, Mexico ..

Osprey. 578-37285. Banded as nestling by J.O. Anderson at Crane Prairie, Oregon on 29 July 1972. Recovered in June 1973 at Vol can, Costa Rica.

Caspian Tern. 725-05313. Banded as Local by Liven Peterson 20 miles east of Fairfield, Idaho on17 June 1972. Recovered 13 April 1973 at Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico.

Mourning Dove. 1263-66093. Banded as AHY-F at Seedskadee NWR, Wyoming on 12 August 1973. Recovered 8 September 1973 at Minot AFB. North Dakota. "Appears significant in that it was a northward migration this late in the year."

American Robin. 612-26608. Banded as U-U by Mildred O. Snyder at Aurora, Colorado on 8 September 1~72. "Caught due to disease" at Dumas, Texas on 28 October 1972.

Yellow-headed Blackbird. 682-77055. Banded as HY-U by W.C. Royall, Jr., at Houghton, South Dakota on 10 July 1965. Shot 15 December 1972, 2 miles north of Tuxpan, Jalisco, Mexico.

Puget Sound (Whlte .•crowned) Sparrow. 112-141599. Banded as AHY-U by Avian Biology Laboratory at San Jose, California on 1 April 1972. Found dead in July 1973 at Ladysmith, Vancouver Island, B.C.

Canada Goose. 518-54215. Banded as molting adult male by Alaska Fish and Game at Glacier Bay in July 1958. Retrapped July 1973. N~ previous returns. (16 years).

Flammulated Owl. 703-66340. Banded as AHY-U by Barbara McKnight at Cedar Crest, New Mexico on 25 April 1972. Renetted 14 May 1973.

Allen's Hummingbird (8. sasin sedentorious). X12633. Banded as HY-M by Shirley Wells at San Pedro, California on 22 July 1970. Renetted 31 May 1973. Two previous returns. (3 years). AUXILIARY MARKING AUTHORIZATIONS

White Pelican: Red paint on metal bands. Fred L. Knopf. Dark-eyed (Oregon, Slate-colored, and White-winged) Jun- Dept. of Wildlife Science, Utah State University. Logan. co and Gray-headed Junco:Red, green, blue, pink, and Utah 84322. white. Allen B. Crockett Jr., 430 Maxwell, Boulder, Colorado Great Blue Heron: Yellow. green, black. and blue dye on 80302. neck feathers. Edwin R. Smith. Dept. of Biological Sciences. Miscellaneous Central Washington State College. Ellensburg, Washington Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Black-headed Grosbeak, Lazuli 98926. Bunting, and Rufous-sided Towhee: Red, green, yellow, Great Blue Heron: Red, yellow, green, blue. and white leg blue, black. and white leg bands and/or dyes. Carl D. Marti, bands and transmitters. John A. Wiens, Dept. of Zoology, Dept. of Zoology, Weber State College, Ogden, Utah 84403. Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97330. Canada Goose: Orange neck collar with black "P 1" designation. Larry Barngrover, Nevada Fish and Game, P.O. Box 10678, Reno, Nevada 89510. Snow Goose: Green neck collars and leg bands with white White-crowned Sparrow Cooperative Banding numeral designations of AA01 to AAOO,AC01 to ACOO,CA01 Project-A Reminder to CAOO, and CC01 to CCOO.Also yellow dye on back and wings. Frank M. Kozlick, California Fish and Game, 1416 Ninth St., Sacramento, California 95814. Snow Goose: Green neck collars and leg bands with white numeral designations of EA01 to EAOO and yellow dye on frontal half of body. Albert F. Regenthal, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, 1596 West Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah 84116. Mallard: Yellow and pink dye. Albert F. Regenthal - ad- dress above. Turkey Vulture: Orange wing markers with black letters or numbers. Howard 1. Cogswell, Dept. of Biology. California State University, Hayward, California 94541. Harris' Hawk: Yellow, green, black, and brown leg bands. William J. Mader, 41 W. Alpia Way, Tucson, Arizona 85704. Sandhill Crane: White leg bands with black designations AAOOto AA99. James 1. Sands, New Mexico Game and Fish, Rural Route Box 10, Placitas, New Mexico 87043. Burrowing Owl: Red, white, yellow, blue, black, green, orange, and pink leg bands; red, yellow, green, blue. and black dye; and radio transmitters. David S. Dobkin. Dept. of Zoology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80521. White-crowned Sparrows (Zonotrichia leu co- Acorn Woodpecker: Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, pink, and white leg bands. John Davis, Hastings Natural phrys) are now returning to their wintering History Reservation, Star Route. Box 80, Carmel Valley, grounds. We would urge all banders handling California 93924. this species. to participate in W.B.B.A.'s Coop- Acorn Woodpecker: Red. orange, yellow, green, blue, and pink wing markers. 1. Richard Mewaldt, Avian Biology Lab, erative Banding Project. Comparative data from California State University, San Jose, California 95192. the entire Western Region are needed. Western Kingbird, Cassin's Kingbird, and Vermilion Flycatcher: Red, orange, pink, lavender, and white leg Large numbers need not be handled to par- bands. Steven W. Carothers, Museum of Northern Arizona, ticipate in this project. Even if you anticipate P.O. Box 1389, Flagstaff, Arizona 86001. handling only 25 birds, your participation will be Scrub Jay: Red, orange, yellow. green, blue, and white leg valuable. bands. A. Starker Leopold, School of Forestry and Conserva- tion, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720. The following data are needed: Golden-crowned Kinglet and Ruby-crowned Kinglet: Red, yellow, green, black. and white leg bands. John Smail, Point 1. Dates of arrival and departure at station. Reyes Bird Observatory, Mesa Road, Bolinas, California 94924. 2. Age of each bird. Red-winged Blackbird: Red. orange, yellow. green. blue, and white leg bands. Sievert S. Rohwer, Washington State 3. Body weight to nearest tenth of a gram. Museum, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington Weight preferably taken during first half of 98195. the day and exact time recorded. House Finch: Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and white leg bands. Sievert A. Rohwer - address above. 4. Date of commencement and completion of House Finch: Chartreuse. purple, turquoise. and gold leg pre-nuptial molt. bands. Stephen M. Russell, Dept. of Biological Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson. Arizona 85721. Instructions for recording data may be obtained Green-tailed Towhee and Rufous-sided Towhee: Red, from Dr. Arthur E. Staebler, Biology Depart- white, yellow. blue. black, green, orange, and pink leg bands; red, yellow, green, blue, and black dye; and radio ment, California State University, Fresno, CA transmitters.David S. Dobkin - Address above. 93740. Please indicate the approximate number Brown Towhee: Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and of White-crowned Sparrows that you expect to white leg bands. A. Starker Leopold - address above. band. Jul.-Sept. 1974

Handq Equipment and le~bniques Aging Swamp Sparrows by plumage. J. Riggins and H. Riggins. 1974.IBBA News, 46:5-9. (Based A Uft-net for capturing male Ruffed Grouse. C.A. on color of superciliary line.r·,sK: Fischer. 1974. r Wildl. Mgmt., 38:149-151. An improved magpie trap. D.E. Alsager and J.B. Molt of wintedng Least Sandpipers~ G.Page. 1974. Bird-Banding, 45:93-106. (Includes some Stenrue.AlbertaDept. Agr. Publ. No. 68513.2p; data on sexing.)-RD ' , (Details for construction and operation of a cir- cular live trap.)-RW . Aging Tricolored Blackbirds by cranial ossifica- tion. R.W. DeHaven, F.t. Crase, and M.R. Miller. *Use of ban~i~g data in migratory game, bird 1974. Bird-Banding, 45:156-159. (Thirty-rtine research ahd' management. A.D. Gels. 19~2. banded tricolors of known-age used to describe USDI Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildl. Spec. ScL Rept.-Wild!. No. 15,4.47p. (For sale by the ossification·hRD Superintendent of.Documents. U.S. Government Molt schedule of House SparroWs in north Printing Office. Washington, D.C. 20402-Price western Texas. S.D. Casto. 1974. Wilson Bull., 50cents-$!ock no. 2410-0319.) 86:176-177. Ah ' amateur attempts data analysis: Tree Long-billed Dowitcher h:ientiflcatlon. H.E. Sparrow repeats and retums, counts a.ndpropor- LeGrand, Jr. 1973. Chat, 37:1-3. (From' EBBA tions. H.B. Suthers. 1974. EBBA News (Suppl.), News, 37:41.) 37:3-39. (An analysis presented a, a, "how-to" paper for the amateur bander, showing the pit- The molt of the European WhitethrQat. S.L. falls of data gathering and explaining simple Pimm. 1974. Condor, 75:386-391.(Includes data statistical techni,ques.Good bibliography.)-SK on relationship of primary, secondary, and tail molts. The molt score used may be useful to other investigations:).;MM Agin" Sexln"and Identification' Molt and age determination in Western and yellowish Flycatchen. N.K. Johnson. 1974.Auk, M~lt sequeJ1ce of captive Ruffed Grouse. A. Gar- 91:111-131.(Criteria for separating juveniles, im- butt and A.C.A.Middleton. 1974.Auk, 91:421-423. matures, and first-year birds from adults, and Spots before" the eyes, an aid to identlfyinl data 'on skull' ossifica tion.)-MM wintering IOQns.A.E. Mcintyre and J.W. McIn- Wing length changes of the Knot with age and tyre. 1974. Auk, 91:413-415. time since moult. M.W. Pienkowski and C.D.T. Eye color of ,female Lesser Scaup in relation to Minton. 1973. Bird Study, 20:63-68. ale. D.L. Trauger. 1974. Auk, 91:243-254.(Band- The postJuvenal wing and tail molt of the Ruffed ed, knOwn-age ,bir,ds were recaptured,.&howing Grouse (Bonasa 'umbellus montlcolaJ in Ohio. that younger females had ,brownish irides aJld J.A. Davis. 1968. Ohio J. Sci. 68:305-312 (Ohio older ones had yellowish irides.)-RW birds molted later and slower than New York An' attempt to age Mallards usin, eye lens birds. MQ.lttiming and pattern was not different proteins. C.J. Henny and J.L. Ludke. 1974. J. in wild and c~ptiv~birds.Key for aging im- Wildl. Mgmt., 38:138-141.crbetechnique could matures between land 18 weeks is given.)-RW not b~, used to separate adult year~classes of Mallards.)-RD *8ex determination of ea,les, owls, and herons by analyzing plasma steroid hormones. M.P. Dieter. 1973.usm Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Banding Results Wildl. Spec. ScL Rept.-Wildl. No. 167. 13p. White-breasted Nuthatch longevity records. N.F. Sloan. 1974.1BBA News, 46:34.(Two birds nearly The first prebasic molt of the Yellow-breasted Chat. A.R. Phillips. 1974. Wilson Bull., 86:12-15. 7 years old. )-SK (Describes the molt, including. its use in aging Longevity of Green Jays. W.R. Marion and R.J. and taxonomy. )-MM Fleetwood. 1974. Bird-Banding, 45:178. (Two in- Aging and sexing American Redstarts in fall. dividuals. 8 and 9 years old, respectively, were R.W.Foy. 1974.EBBANews, 37:43-44.(A method retrapped.)-RD of aging and sexing HY male birds based on the Longevity of Chachalacas. W.R. Marion and R.J. shade and amount of orange on sides of breast, Fleetwood. 1974. Bird-Banding, 45:178. (One at underwing coverts, and tail: back, wing, and tail least 8 years old and four at least 7 years old color also used.)-SK were retrapped.)-RD Retraction of a longevity record for a 3e-year-old Oldsquaw homing in winter. R.M. Alison. 1974. Herring Gull. G.M. Jonkel and O.S. Pettingill, Jr. Auk, 91:188.(Recovery of a banded female.)-MM 1974. Auk, 91:432. (The.bird was 18 instead of 36 years old.)-RD Mountain Bluebird travel. 130mile. to rene.t. L. Scott. 1974.Blue Jay, 32:44-45.(A female banded *Longevity of the Wood Pigeon. L. Bariery.1971. at a nest box 24 May 73 was retaken at another Oiseau, 41:283. (Recovery of a bird 16 1/3 years box on 21 June 73.)-MM old.) (FrOIn.Auk 90, 1973. In French.) Return. of North American birds to their winter- An unusual Chipping Sparrow recovery record. ing ground. in southern Mexico. C.A. Ely. 1973. N.F. Sloan and A.C. DePuydt. 1974. IBBA News, Bird-Banding, 44:228-229. (Return data for 14 46:35. (Abird at least 8 years old when recap- species. )-RD. tured.)-SK Recoveries of Royal Terns ballded in Virginia, *An analySis of banding-recovery data on II. W.T. Van Velzen and R.D. Benedict. 1973.The Eastern Bluebirds banded in Michig~ and three Ring, 75:38-40. I\eighboring states. Jack-pine Warbler, 49:33-50. (FromEBBA News, 37:41.) *Band recovery-return distribution of Common Grackles and Robins from South Dakota. H.W. Retrap of migrant birds. L.G. Johnson and T. Wagar. 1972. S. Dak. Bird Notes 24:78-79, 81. Ellis. 1974.JBBA News, 46:67. (Five retraps are (Records of 111 spp. banded in 39 years) (From listed.)-SK ~ Wildl. Review No. 149, p. 76.) Banded Barn Swallow nestling recovered. H.H. Wright. 1974.. IBBA News, 46:62. (A 100-mile Miscellaneou. movement).-SK The breeding ecology of the Painted Redstart. J. *Eight years banding at Port Huron, Michigan: Marshall and R.S. Balda. 1974.Condor, 76:89-101. 1962001989. F.E. Ludwig. 1970.Jack-pine Warbler, (Color-banding showed that polygamy and dou- 48:10-17. (Annual totals' and recovery rates for ble broods occured.)-MM 131sp~ciesshown.J (F~om EBBA News, 37:42.) Selected aspect. of Burrowing Owl ecology and A difference in band ·10•• from male and female behavior. D.J. Martin ..1973. Condor, 75:446-456. Red·billedGull.L.aru. novaeholJandlae (Banding showed that males. returned to the scopuJmu •. Ibis, 114:252--255.(Females lost bands same burrow each year, females did not.)-MM faster than males with discussion of possible reasons.) (From ELJBA.f'Iews, 37:41.hSK Seasonal social organization and movements of Spruce Grouse. L.N. Ellison. 1974. Condor, Life table analysis fof the White Pelican. L.E. 75:375-385. (Home range size, movements and Strait and N.F, Sloan..1974.IBBA News, 46:20-28. other data presented based on 273 color-banded (Stresscas shortc9ming.sof mortalitycdata, based birds and 55 with radio transmitters.)-MM on band returns, i..e. band, loss due to wear Reproductive importance of dominant male causes calculated mortality rates. to increase, life Greater Prairie Chickens. W.B. Ballard andR.J. expectancy to be lowered.)-SK Robel. 1974. Auk, 91:75-85. (Color-marked and Colony vi.itation behavior and breeding ages of banded, birds were studied on. dancing grounds sooty tents {Sterna tu.Cota}. B.A. Harrington. in Kansas.)-MM 1974. Bird-Banding, 45:115-144.(More than 10,000 Radio-marking versus back-tabbing Red Grouse. banded Sooty Terns, of known-age, were studied D.A. Boag, A. Watson, and R. Parr. 1973.J. Wildl. at Johnston Atoll, Pacific Ocean.)-RD Mgmt. 37:410-412.(The effect of radio packages Survival of some common passerines in a Penn· fitted to wild Red Grouse was no different from sylvania woodlot. I.R. Savidge and D,E. Davis: that of back-tabs.)-RW . 1974. Bird-Banding, 45:152-155.(Estimates' of the annual survival of the American Robin, Wood Thrush, Gray Catbird, Rufous-'sided Towhee, RD - Richard DeHaven and Scarlet Tanager from band return data.)-RD SK -Susan Kaiser MM - Martin McNicholl Recoveries of banded Argentine waterfowl. C.C. RW - Robert Wright Olrog. 1974. Bird-Banding, 45:170-177, (Recov- eries for 12 species listed or mapped.)-RD Experimental cross.fostering of Herring Gull Photocopies' of most references are available and Great Black·backe6Q\dl chicks; R. Firth, Jr. from the recent literature editor, Box C, Davis, 1974. Auk; 91:139-144.(Comparative survival and California 95616. Cost is 5¢ per page or a 25¢ fledging data on individually mark~p chicks.)- minimum. An asterisk before the citation in- MM , I dicates that it is not available from the editor. WING MEASURE. Stainless steel "bend-of- available from the Foundation. Reprints of wing" fixture has been accurately secured at "Mist Nets and their Use" are also available. right angles to the end of rule. The fixture is Bleitz Wildlife Foundation, 5334 Hollywood offset to permit the taking of tail measurements. Boulevard, Hollywood, Ca. 90027. 15 cm stainless steel metric/English system rule: BANDING PLIERS. Long nose pliers with rigid, % in. wide, 0.49 in. thick, 150 mm long; openers and holes to fit band sizes. One plier graduated in 112 mm, mm, cm; English system on handles size 0, 1, lB, and lA, $7.50; the other reverse side, graduated in 32nd and 10th; ground handles soft and hard 2 and 3 bands, $7.50. There edges for accuracy; $6.00 each ppd. is also a pair for size 3A for $6.50. Ppd. in USA. Order from: R.N. MacDonald, 850 Main St., 30 cm steel metric system rule: spring-tempered, satin-chrome finish; 12.7 mm wide, .33 mm thick, Lynnfield, Mass. 01940. 300 mm long; graduated on 3 edges in mm, one MIST NETS. 5, 9, and 12 meter. Nets with llf2 in. edge 1l2mm; $15.00 each. and 1% in. mesh are made from 50d/2 ply or Order from Christopher N. Rose, 98 Lopez Rd., 70d/2 ply thread. 2% in. mesh nets are made Cedar Grove, N.J. 07009. from 110d/2 ply thread and 5" mesh nets are made from 210d/2 ply thread. All nets are ap- BANDING SUPPLIES. Bleitz Wildlife Founda- proximately 7 feet high. tion has available a new listing of the more than Send for order form from EBBA Net Committee, 100 styles, sizes, colors and types of Mist Nets, Biology Dept., Indiana University of Pa., In- Portable Poles, Pesola Scales, etc., which are diana, Pa. 15701. P.O. Box 446 Cave Creek, Arizona 85331 ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED Western BirdBander A Quarterly Publication of the Western . Bird-Banding Association

Oct.- Dec. 1874 Table of Contents From the President : 63 EffActof Color On ReteT\tionof LegStreamers by Red-winged Blackbirds by W.C.8oyall, Jr., J.L. Guarino, and O,E. Bray., 64 White-crowned ~parrow Project by Arthur E. Staebler ...... •...... " 66 Ageing Acorn Woodpeckers by Ru~hG.Troetschler .; 67 Identification of Bagged Waterfowl by Hunters in Northern California by Roger J. Lederer and Kent Fickett 70 Some Data for a tipecies Index by Donald E. Payne : " 73 Recent Literature ; ; 75

Officers of the Western Bird Banding Associlltion

President Michael San MigUel 409Meadow Lane, MonrovIa, California 91016 First Vice President Mrs. Shirley Wells 30443 La Vista Verde, Rancho Palos Verdes, California 90274 Second Vice President Richard DeHaven . P.O. BoxC, Davis, California 95616 Secretary Otis D. Swisher 1002S. Oakdale, Medford, Oregon 97501 Business Manager Dr. L. Richard Mewaldt 4150Golf Drive, San Jose, California 95127 Editor Mrs. Eleanor Radke P.O. Box446,Cave Creek, Arizona 85331

Recent Literature Richard W. DeHaven Worksheets Dr. Charles T. Collins Auxiliary Marking David W. Foster Annual Report David W. Foster

Cover Photo: California Quail trapped at Wool Ranch, San Jose, California. Demonstrates fpH adult male plumage (lacks spotted upper wing coverts of first winter plumage). Photo by Diana G. Matthiesen, Saratoga, California. Page 63

From the President

With the rush of the recent holidays behind us, own studies to suit the species you are in- we hopefully now have the time to devote to our dividually interested in. interests and hobbies. Although, for most of us, The new year, of course, brings with it the need the weather somewhat restricts our activities in to report our activities to the banding lab and the field we now have some extra time to devote also to summarize our banding for W.B.B.A.'s to the data accumulated in our notebooks during Annual Report. Please be prompt in sending the past year. your replies to Otis Swisher who will be doing At the risk of sounding like a broken record - the report this year. this plea has been issued many times in the past To bring you up to date on the journal merger, it - I would ask all of you to re-evaluate your appears that things have bogged down because banding activities to include an article or paper of some reservations which E.B.B.A. has about for our publication. Programs, such as the White- moving printing activities to the West and con- crowned Sparrow project which Dr. Arthur tinuity of editorships. Because of the many Staebler is coordinating, is one that immediately benefits a joint publication would have for both comes to mind and one which would be fun and organizations, it is hoped that these problems easy to be a part of. Those of you who would like can be resolved by E.B.B.A.'s Executive Com- to participate in projects like this are en- couraged to do so or, better yet, to organize your mittee. M'k1 e San M'Igue 1

New Members ZelIa Schultz David Bradley, 1315 Park Ave., Apt. 8, Long We regret to have learned of the passing of long- Beach, CA 90804 time W.B.B.A. member, ZelIa Schultz of Seattle, William A. Burnham, Dept. of Zoology, Brigham Washington. Young Univ., Provo, UT 84801 Teacher, poet, artist, scientist - Mrs. Schultz Alan R. Harmata, 13217 County R., #15, graduated from the University of Washington Wellington, CO 80549 with a master's degree in zoology. Idaho Coop. Wildlife Research Unit, College of Her bird paintings illustrated a number of Forestry, Univ. of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83843 books, among them Washington Birds by Earl Mrs. George K. Jacobson, 4100 Graham St., Larrison and Familiar Birds of Northwest Pleasanton, CA 94566 Forests, Fields and Gardens by David Marshall. Linn R. Kraft, 408 N. 34th St., Yakima, WA 98901 She contributed several of her Hne sketches to Western Bird Bander. Edward Piccolo, ,1564 Marietta Dr., San Jose, CA 95118 Her 30-year study of the gulls in the Puget Sound Philip P. Schaeffer, Nat'l AUQubon Soc., area involved both banding and reading band Richardson Bay Wildlife and Educ. Ctr., 376 numbers by telescope. The results of those Greenwood Beach Rd., Tiburon, CA 94920 studies are to be published soon. . Effect of Color on Retention of Leg Streamers by Red-winged Blackbirds w.e. Royall, Jr., J.L. Guarino, a.E. Bray

During a field evaluation of colored plastic leg elevated feed trough, and a water trough on the streamers on Starlings (Sturn us vulgaris) and floor. The pen was hosed out daily. Thus, the blackbirds, Guarino (1968) found that 98.1 per- streamers were evaluated under far more cent of 860 recaptured birds retained their moderate and less variable conditions than wild streamers up to 4 months. Thereafter, streamer birds normally encounter. We checked the birds loss increased steadily and 90 percent were lost for streamer loss daily and inspected the by the 16th month. In that study, white, orange, streamers for wear at 1, 3, and 4 months. yellow, and blue streamers were used because The results (Table 1) confirm the comparatively these were the most visible of the available short retention of red Saflag streamers. Two of colors of Facilon', the plastic-coated nylon them were lost within 11 days and all were lost material tested. by the 119th day. Although the Saflag material in More recently we have also color-marked Rocket Red and Signal Green weighed at least 10 blackbirds with another plastic-coated nylon percent less than in Blaze Orange and White, the material. Saflag (Arnold and Coon, 1971). green streamers were retained as long as the because its fluorescence provides a more highly orange and white ones. We therefore concluded visible red, orange, and green. The streamers that red streamers were lost early, not because are attached by the same method Guarino (1968) of weaker material. but because of bird described: bands one size larger than recom- behavior. Our observations of the birds' reac- mended in the North American Bird Banding tions when they were first color-marked con- Manual. firmed that they tugged and' pecked at the red streamers more persistently than at streamers of In general. streamers of the more highly visible other colors. colors of both products have proved satisfactory for our studies of local movements and migrations. However, we have found that Red- Table I. Wea, and loss of colo,ed leg streame,s attached 10 penned winged Blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) do not Red-winged Blackbirds fo, 119 days (eight birds pe' colo,). retain red streamers (Saflag "Rocket ~ed") as DIptt 01•••• OIIl191h Illy long as streamers of other colors. For example, SI_ (110.sir-. in ••• diu) sn-Iolt of nine adult male redwings captured and mark- \Jpt IIld ClIIor 11_ S6"" •••• SMn II.. DaJoftest ed with red streamers on breeding territories in SIftq RocketRed - - - - 8 9.11, 76.88, a small marsh near Denver in 1972, two had lost 89,104, them within 15 days. None of a total of 177 108,119 breeding male redwings marked with red in BlazeOrange 6b 0 1 0 1 83 SignalGreen 5 1 1 0 1 101 Colorado in 1972 were seen during a search on White 5' 2 0 0 1 106 their known wintering area 6 months later or at the same breeding areas in 1973. In contrast, we Fadlon Orange 2 4 1 1 0 - have observed a number of streamers of four Yellow 0 2 3 2 1 112 Blue 2 3 3 0 0 - other colors (orange, yellow, green, and white) a. Degrees of weal defined as: II__ No more than one or two minor cracks in the up to a year after banding. Twenty-eight percent plastic, no nylon threads frayed or broken. SII&ht-Only minor cracks in plastic. few or no of 48 breeding male red wings marked with threads frayed or broken.••• rate-Plastic cracked from attachment hole to outer edge, some threeds broken but attachment to band secure. Sonrt-Plastic bedly bloken, many yellow Facilon in Wyoming in 1972 still retained threads bloken, attachment insecull. their streamers when recaptured a year later. b. Includes two streamers on birds that died at 25 and 73 days. c. Includes one streamer on bird that died at 87 days. To more directly compare the retention rates for different streamer colors, we conducted a 4- month aviary test of 1"x4" Saflag and Facilon Excluding the red Saflag streamers, slightly streamers of seven colors. Eight male redwings fewer Facilon than Saflag streamers were lost. (mostly subadults) were marked with each color. However, all three colors of Facilon showed The 56 birds were held for 119 days greater average wear around the attachment (January-May. 1973) in a 7'x7'x7' indoor walk-in hole. A longer test (6 months to a year) might pen at 70° F under indirect daylight. The pen reveal if this would eventually cause greater was furnished with metal b~r perches, an loss. 'Reference to trade names does not imply U.S. No redwings we~e injured from wearing Government endorsement of commerical streamers atrached with size 3 bands. However, products. there was a tendency for the hind toe to become Page 65

hooked through the attachment hole in the particular color of marker selected can in- streamer. This was noted for 6 birds (11 percent) fluence retention time and could thereby lead to at 1 month and 12 birds (21 percent) at 3 months, a misinterpretation of data. and usually occurred with streamers that were frayed around the hole. Half of the hooked toes Literature Cited at each inspection were with yellow Facilon, the Arnold, K.A., and D.W. Coon. 1971. A technique most frayed streamers aside from red Saflag. modification for color-marking birds. Bird- Banders should be alert to possible abnormal Banding 42(1) :49-50. effects of colormarking on the behavior, Frankel, A. I. , and T.S. Baskett. 1963. Color- movements, productivity, and survival of mark- marking disrupts pair bonds of captive ed birds. Although we have concluded that mourning doves. J. Wildl. Manage. 27(1) :124- streamers had no apparent effects on redwing 127. territorial behavior and nesting in field studies, Goforth, W.R., and T.S. Baskett. 1965. Effects of experimental marking with yellow dye on the experimental color marking on pairing of heads of Mourning Doves (Zenaida macroura) captive mourning doves. J. Wildl. Manage. can disrupt pair bonding under certain con- 29(3) :543-553. ditions (Frankel and Baskett, 1963; Goforth and Guarino, }.L. 1968. Evaluation of a colored leg tag Baskett, 1965). for starlings and blackbirds. Bird-Banding 39(1) :6-13. Guarino (1968) pointed out that, by their con- spicuousness, leg streamers can bias band Unit of Ecology, Section of Bird Damage Control, recovery da ta, especially in mortality ra te Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Sport studies. Our redwing aviary and field tests show Fisheries and Wildlife, Building 16, Denver that, in addition to bias from markers per se, the Federal Center, Denver, Colorado 80225. Progress Report of the W.B.B.A. Cooperative White-crowned Sparrow Banding Project Arthur E. Staebler

Twenty-six banders representing eight western states have indicated they are participating in the WBBA Cooperative Banding Project. Some cooperators are receiving instructions from per- sons other than the coordinator and their numbers will bring the total of participants to more than 30. A number of questions have been asked about some of the procedures. Drs. James King and L. Richard Mewaldt have offered several very helpful suggestions on the clarifica- tion of procedures and the standardization of data collection to assure maximum value from our project. Cooperators are reminded that it is not necessary to secure all the kinds of data re- quested; however, each bander should take as much data as possible. Record only those data for which accurate measurement or observation has been made. watch closely for the appearance of SY in- Wing measurement. The wing is measured from dividuals that have almost completed this molt the tip of the wrist joint to the end of the longest on the head. Once these individuals appear it is primary. This measurement, which is called the no longer safe to age all birds with the full black "chord" of the wing, is the straight line distance and white crown as ASY. Birds that are still in between these two points. Extreme care must be the process of acquiring the black and white exercised to have the wing in its natural closed crown can be aged as SY but all others must be position when the measurement is taken and not aged as AHY. straighten any joints along the wing or flatten the flight feathers. Record the measurement to the Cooperators are urged to examine the condition nearest whole millimeter; fractions of a of the central pair of tail feathers commonly millimeter may be recorded only if you have an referred to as the "decks." Old decks can be instrument capable of taking these readings. identified by their worn and ragged margins and these are assigned a "0." Decks that are new and Weight. Record weight in grams and tenths if growing are assigned a "1" and the length in possible; in any case record as accurately as millimeters is included. Fully grown new decks your equipment permits.Be sure to check the ac- curacy of the balance or spring scales (e.g. are assigned a "2." These data can be recorded Pesola) periodically by using an object of known in the note section or on the back of the banding sheet. weight. It is generally possible to read scales that are divided into whole grams to the nearest half Fat. Examine birds for the amount of fat in the or quarter gram. region of the furcula (wishbone) while holding Pre-nuptial Molt. In the fall the HY birds will the head in a natural position. The fat will appear yellowish or whitish and is clearly visi- have a brownish crown in sharp contrast to the black and white markings of the AHY in- ble through the skin. If no fat is present in the furcular cavity, record as "0." If most of the cavi- dividuals. The crown markings of the adults will ty is filled with fat but well below the level of be acquired by the young before the breeding the sides, it should be recorded as "1." A season and most of this pre-nuptial molt will number "2" rating is assigned when the furcular take place on the wintering grounds in February, March and April. We are very anxious to docu- region is filled level with fat and assign a "3" rating when the region is convex with fat. ment the progress of this molt and cooperators are urged to record in the note section or on the Hopefully this will answer the questions on back of the banding sheet the approximate per- procedures that have been raised. We appear to cent of black and white feathers appearing in be off to an excellent start on our project; let's the crowns of HY birds. carry it through until the last White-crown has left for its breeding ground. After December 31 the age designation of the birds will be either SY or ASY. Banders should California State University, Fresno, CA 93710 Ageing Acorn Woodpeckers Ruth G. Troetschler

Studies of longevity and life strategy in birds are clarified by knowledge of the age of individuals in the population. In studying the Acorn , Woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus) I have long been aware that the young of the year were recognizable in the field by shorter bill length and higher voice pitch for some months after fledging. In an effort to extend these ageing clues over a longer period, I investigated the ageing possibilities implicit in the statements of Myers (1923), "The young have two or more white bars on the outer tail feathers ... " and of Bent (1939, pg. 215) "There are narrow white tips on the two outer tail feathers on each side, but these tips wear away during winter, or sooner; there are at least two white spots on each web of the outer tail feathers, which are in evidence all through the first year; as the juvenal wings and tail are retained until the next summer molt, birds of the year may be recognized: the bill is smaller and weaker than that of the adult." Rectrice Pattern and Bill Length Analysis I measured the bills and noted the tail-feather characteristics of a series of over 500 nlUseum specim'ens of Acorn Woodpeckers [AWP) representative of 5 subspecies: bairdi, for- micivorus, augustifrons, martinensis, and Figure 1. Examples of outer reetrice feathers in aculeata. Because study skins may·. suffer "spotted tailed" Acorn Woodpeckers. plumage damage, I did not measure the traditional "exposed culmen," but the maxilla from its tip to the posterior edge of the nostril. tailed bairdi, only 16 of 178 (7%) had badly worn Because extreme tail feather wear is likely to tails in these months, while among spotted-tailed have obliterated white tips, birds with badly bairdi, 21 of 166 (32%) had worn tails between worn black tails were not included in the bill- January and May. These are results which might length analysis, but their presence was tallied be expected if spotted tail feathers are mostly and their bill lengths noted. restricted to the young Acorn Woodpeckers which retain their tail feathers for several I found that in the small series of known months longer than the adults. Further, it is juveniles (i.e., those which retained juvenile contour feathers), 19 of 20 males, and 27 of 33 T.ble1. Multiple Comparleon of M•• n Bill Lengtha· of Black· females, had some white on the outer rectrices. tailed Acorn Woodpeckers1,- That is, 95% of these males and 88% of these females had tail markings similar to those il- Su_pee" M." Fem." lustrated in Figure 1. I further found that of currently molting, or newly molted adults, 12 of ~ s' n ~ s' n 14 (86%) of the males and 10 of 11 (91%) of the bairdi 26.5 2.2 88 25.3 1.0 67 females had molted to solid black outer rec- martinensis 25.6 2.2 13 24.5 2.0 11 trices. Molting adults were collected in July, augustifrons 23.7 1.0 9 23.4 0.2 8 August, and September; remiges are replaced formicivorus 23.7 1.96 26 21.9 1.2 8 aculeata 21.5 0.6 11 19.8 2.2 14 before rectrices. I confirmed that juveniles do not molt rectrices • Maxilla measured from tip to posterior edge of nostril in or remiges, and that among bairdi collected mm. • Mean bill lengths differ significantly a: >.05 except male between January and May, all specimens with augustifrons and formicivorus, in same-sex comparisons. badly worn black tails had relatively short bill Between sex tests were not made. lengths of 25 mm or less. Further, among black- - A posteriori test (Sokal & Rohlf 1969) black toi I FOIUUCIVORUI spotted toi J

~+f1 MIA ••I

~V i MIANI

black tall o 8AIRDI .potted tall

22 21 24 2S 2e MAXILLA LIMITH

Figure 2. Comparison of maxilla lengths for black tailed and spotted tailed Acorn Woodpeckers res- ident in the United States. Black bars represent males; white bars. females. Page 69

Outer Rldrica

With Whit. Spots or Tips Solid Black 1IodIrItIIy.1lIIYi1y New New or Moder- BIdI,W.orn New All othln llcept fIId •• Worn or IIoItin& lilly Worn before contour molt Jill."'" Apr.-JulII JuIy·Dec. Jen.-JulII Apr.·JUIII Jen.·IlIe. bairdi (mostly California) Jan-Apr. May-Dec. Q'S26 SY>AHY HY s26 HY>U S24 SY>AHY HY S22 AHY HY>AHY 9 S25 SY>AHY HY s25 HY>U S23 SY>AHY HY S21 AHY HY>AHY

!onnicivorus (Arizona, New Mexico, W. Texas) O'S22 SY>AHY HY S22 HY>U S22 SY>AHY HY S21 AHY HY>AHY Q S22 SY>AHY HY s22 HY>U s20 SY>AHY HY S20 AHY HY>AHY

I Maxilla measured from tip to posterior edge of nostril in mm. - Abbreviations: SY •• SecondYear, HY = Hatching Year,AHY •• After Hatching Year, U "Unknown SLess than or •• to. >Greater than. possible that many of the badly worn, black- George 1972). Nestling and very young fledgling tailed, short-billed woodpeckers were juveniles Acorn Woodpeckers have brown eyes. I have which had worn off white tips from their outer handled few live Acorn Woodpeckers, but of rectrices. these all were birds of known age. All adults had A single classification analysis of variance pale pinkish or whitish eyes; the juveniles (through May, after hatching year) had pale (anova) (Sokal & Rohlf 1969) of the bill length for each of the several subspecies showed that in bluish or greyish eyes. I feel that other Acorn the majority of Acorn Woodpeckers, the white- Woodpecker banders should look for these spotted outer rectrices are found in birds with possible eye-color changes to determine if my preliminary observations are valid. short bills. That is, the bill length data suggest that Acorn Woodpeckers with spots on the outer rectrices are a separate .population of short- Acknowledgements billed Acorn Woodpeckers whose mean bill length is significantly shorter than that of black- Lawrence Binford of the California Academy tailed Acorn Woodpeckers in bairdi (F >.001), of Sciences and Ned K. Johnson of the Museum formicivorus (males, F > .001, females, F >.05), of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, and augustifrons (F > .001). (A larger sample Berkeley kindly allowed use of the Acorn would likely show a similar trend for aculeata). Woodpecker collections in these institutions. Figure 2 graphs the bill lengths for the U.S.- inhabiting bairdi and formicivorus. Another Literature Cited anova showed that the mean bill lengths of the Bent, A.C. 1939. Life histories of North American several subspecies differed significantly (Table woodpeckers. U.S. Nat. Mus. Bull. 174. 1). Thus, bill-length comparisons are valid in Dover Edition, 1964, pp. 1-334. Acorn Woodpeckers only if the subspecies is George, W.G. 1972. Age determination of Hairy known. and Downy Woodpeckers in eastern North I conclude from this evidence that in the United America. Bird Banding 43:128-135. States, at least, 85'Y" of spotted-tailed Acorn Myers, H.W. 1923. Western Birds. MacMillan, Woodpeckers are birds less than one year old; N.Y. that spotted-tailed and even some black-tailed Rea, A.M. 1968. Age, sex and race determination juveniles may be recognized in the hand if max- of Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers. Western Bird illa measurements are used. (See Table 2). The Bander 43:46-47. error in using the table should be less than 1%. Rea, A.M. 1970. Age determination of Red- shafted Flicker. Western Bird Bander 45:52- Eye Color as an Ageing Tool 54. SokaI, R. and Rohlf, S.]. 1969. Biometry, In the future, eye color may prove to be an Freeman, San Francisco. easier ageing criterion for Acorn Woodpeckers. Wood, M. 1969. A bird-bander's guide to deter- A number of species of woodpeckers have been mination of age and sex of selected species. reported to show eye color changes during the Penn. State Univ., Univ. Park, Penn. ageing process (Wood 1969, Rea 1968, 1970, 184 Lockhart Lane, Los Altos, Cal. 94022. Vol. 49, No.4

Identification of Bagged Waterfowl by Hunters in Northern California

Federal fish and game management personnel \ manage waterfowl by species (Crissey 1965, 1970). Regulations are based on the mortality During the 1972 and 1973 hunting seasons, a sur- rates, reproductive rates, and kill statistics of in- vey was done at the Graylodge Waterfowl Area, dividual species (Geis 1959, Geis et. aI.1969). But near Gridley, California. The data were the only way that hunting regulations can be collected for two to three hours two or three effective is if the hunter can identify individual times a week. Hunters were required to check in species. If he cannot, perhaps the species their waterfowl kill with California Fish and management approach is not an appropriate Game personnel. At this time we asked the one. Evrard (1970) tried to determine hunter hunters to identify the species and sex (if abilities to identify flying waterfowl and con- dimorphic) of the birds. At that time we also cluded that many hunters do not possess this recorded the actual species and sex of the bird. skill. Some degree of training and practice are Colloquial and local names were accepted if required before accurate identification of flying there was no chance of confusion. "Sprig" and waterfowl can be made. Considerably less train- "speck" were accepted for Pintail and White- ing is necessary to be able to identify waterfowl fronted Goose, for example, but "green-head" in .the hand. The purpose of this study was to was not accepted because it is applied to both determine how many hunters can identify Mallards and Shovelers. In the latter case no waterfowl under simple circumstances, i.e., i~ data was recorded. See Table I for results. the hand.

TABLE I R•••• 1ts of hun •••. In•••.•••••

Percent IdentIIIed Spec'" (Non-dlmorphic) Number of IndlvldUllIa Incorrectly Canada Goose (Brante canadensis) 2 o Wtlit.fronted Goose (Anser alblfrons) 5 o Snow Goose (Chen hyperborea) 10 o Ross' Goose (Chen r0S8/1) 4 100 American Coot (Fullca amerlcana) 199 1.6 220

Percent Percent Number of IdenIItIed Number of Identified ••••• (Dimorphic) M." IncorrecIIy F••••••• IncorrectIJ Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 604 2.5 521 0.0 Pintail (Anas acute) 271 6.9 219 2.5 Gadwall (Anas srrepera) 54 6.3 45 8.3 Widgeon (Maraca amerlcana) 106 19.0 120 13.3 Shoveler (Spatula clypeata) 128 3.7 208 2.7 Blue-winged Teal (Anas disco,.) 04 0.0 o 0.0 Cinnamon Teal (Anas cyanoptera) 18 8.3 22 77.8 Wood Duck (Aix spon•• ) 10 0.0 10 0.0 Redhead (Aythya americana) 01 0.0 o 0.0 Lesser Scaup (Aythya a",nls) 01 100.0 o 0.0 Bufflehead (Bucepha/a albeo/a) 06 50.0 01 0.0 Ruddy Duck (Oxyurs lamaicansls) 21 15.0 09 22.5 ToI8IlndJyldu8la 1223 1155 Aver. Percent MI8IdentIIIed 7.7 Number of h••••••.•••••••.•..•••••• : 1347 Page 71

Results and Discussion our dat~, from a different viewpoint, support Data from 1972 and 1973 were lumped together Evrard's statement. We feel, as does Evrard, that since an arc-sin transformation test showed no hunter training programs in waterfowl iden- significant differences in the percentages of mis- tification are warranted. identifications. These data are inherently con- Acknowledgements servative because: 1) the hunters had the oppor- tunity to identify or find out the species of the We would like to thank Mr. John Cowan of the birds from others before they arrived at the Gray Lodge Wildlife Area for his patient check station, and 2) since the hunters almost in- cooperation and willing assistance during the variably came in groups of two to four and had period of study. Mr. Cowan and all the other their birds together, the group as a whole could California Department of Fish and Game per- make the identification, although the most sonnel deserve many thanks for their help. We knowledgeable member of the group usually did would also like to extend our thanks to those so. 1,347 hunters who kindly participated in the Very few of the non-dimorphic group were iden- studies. tified incorrectly. The biggest error here was the identification of Ross' Goose as Snow Goose but Literature Cited the sample size was too small to generalize from. Crissey, W.F. 1965. Waterfowl species manage- ment: problems and progress. A paper In the dimorphic group, a Mann-Whitney U-Test presented at the 30th North American indicates that there is no statistically significant Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference, difference between the degree of misidentifica- Washington, D.C., March 8-10, 1965. tion of males versus that of females. We ex- Crissey, W.F. 1970. A new approach to waterfowl pected some correlation between the com- species management. A paper presented at monness of the species and the ability of the the 32nd Midwest Fish and Wildlife Confer- hunter to identify them. There is a tendency to ence, Winnipeg, Manitoba, December 6-9, indicate some connection between the two fac- 1970. tors, but a weak one. The only obvious iden- Evrard, J.O. 1970. Assessing and improving the tification problems were with the Widgeon, Cin- ability of hunters to identify flying water- namon Teal, and Ruddy Duck. The Widgeon is fowl. J. Wildlife Management, 34:114-126. not as strikingly colored or patterned as the Geis, A.D. 1959. Annual and shooting mortality other species which may account for its being estimates for the canvasback. J. Wildlife difficult to identify, although the same argument Management, 23:253-261. should, but does not, hold for the Gadwall, Geis, A.D., Martinson, R.K., and D.R. Anderson. which was misidentified considerably fewer 1969. Establishing hunting regulations and times. The Cinnamon Teal female was quite allowable harvest of mallards in the United often called a Blue-winged Teal with which it is States. J. Wildlife Management, 33:848-859. easily confused. The Ruddy Duck was not con- fused with any other species; some hunters just Dt::partment of BJOlogical Sciences, California did not know what it was. State University, Chico, California There were also several instances of misiden- tification not listed in the table such as Pied- billed Grebes which were brought in even though the hunter had no idea what they were. The Common Snipe (Capella gallinago) and Long-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus scolopa- ceus) were quite often confused.

Conclusions Although the average percent of misidentified individuals was about 8.0, our figures pertain only to bagged waterfowl in possession of the hunters. Evrard (1970) found that experienced hunters misidentified birds in the field about 26 percent of the time and novice hunters about 48 percent. Evrard concludes that "the majority of duck hunters tested cannot identify waterfowl on the wing to the degree assumed by present species management regulations." We feel that Information Exchange It is our hope that an Information Exchange section can be a regular feature of our publication. Readers are welcome to submit their re- quests for assistance on any facet of study relating to banding. We would be happy to publish listings of graduate student projects (or, for that matter, of any bander's project), requests for data on a par- ticular species, sightings of color-marked birds, etc.

Information Available From W.B.B.A. similarity of these species it is quite likely they will follow the same sequence of bill color ANNUAL REPORT. A summary by species, state, and highest individual total is given each change. Banders in this country handling year-for the preceding year-in the spring numbers of either or both of these species issue of Western Bird Bander. Because of space should verify the usefulness of this additional limitations, some of the data available cannot character for age determination. Anyone want to appear in WBB. Anyone wishing a further make up a Banding Worksheet for us?-Charles T. Collins, W.B.B.A. Banding Worksheet Editor. breakdown of information may contact David W. Foster, Whittier Narrows Nature Center, 1000 N. Durfee Ave., S. EI Monte, Ca. 91733. Information available includes: yearly totals for any species reported since 1924, as well as who banded how many of a species (from 1963 to date). Informa- tion of this type may be of interest to anyone wishing to·find others working with a particular species, establishing banding trends. WORKSHEETS. Extra copies of the ageing/sex- ing worksheets issued by W.B.B.A. are available from the Editor for 50 cents each. The following species sheets have been issued: Merlin, Com- mon Snipe, key to kingbirds, Eastern Kingbird, Tropical Kingbird, Western Kingbird, Cassin's Kingbird, Myiarchis flycatchers, Violet-green Swallow, Tree Swallow, Verdin, Bushtit, Color-marked Bald Eagles Orange-crowned Warbler, Louisiana Water- thrush, Oporornis warblers, Western Tanager, Nestling Bald Eagles have been fitted with red, Summer Tanager, Black-headed Grosbeak, green, and yellow vinyl wing markers in 'Lazuli Bunting, Cassin's Finch, Common Red- northern Saskatchewan. Each eagle has a poll, American Goldfinch, Lesser Goldfinch. different color combination so that it can be recognized individually. Some wings have one marker; others have two. Notice to Kinglet Banders Knowledge of the migrational movements of In a paper on age determination of European these birds is at present sketchy, and it is hoped Goldcrests (Regulus regulus) it was noted that that more can be learned about them through the color of the inside of the bill was indicative this project. of age (Hogstad, 0., Ornis Scandinavica, 2(1971):1-3). In particular, the inside of the bill If you see any of these birds, please write to was yellow to grayish yellow in young (HY) birds either: Jon Gerrard, 954-15th Ave., S.E., with incompletely ossified skulls. By early Minneapolis, Minnesota 55414; or Doug Whit- autumn when the skull was completely ossified, field, Botany Dept., University of Alberta, Ed- or nearly so, the color of the inside of the bill had monton, Alberta. Or call Jon Gerrard collect at 1- become strongly grayish black or black. Birds 612-331-6736. having this dark color to the bill in late spring When reporting sightings, please include date, and early summer can be safely assumed to be time of day, location, observer(s), and the se- adults (AHY). quence of markers on the wings. Use right or left There does not seem to be any mention made of referring to the eagle's right or left wing. If you this color character for either the Ruby-crowned note specific details of the plumage or the Kinglet (Regulus calendula) or the Golden- behavior of the wing-marked eagles, this infor- crowned Kinglet (R. satrapa). Considering the mation would be of interest also. Some Data for a Species Index Donald E. Payne One of the popular Pacific Flyways extends from The weights were taken on a triple beam Southwest British Columbia through Western balance to the nearest tenth of a gram. Wing Washington, We~tern Oregon to the headwaters lengths are the cords of the unflattened wing of the Willamette River here in Lane County measured on a centimeter scale. I have included where it originates. Gullion has described this the extremes of the weights and wing lengths, southern terminus. This valley is the end of and the average taken. After the method of E.J. anything like a direct course running north and Berger in the E.B.B.A. Workshop Manual, I have south. computed the Standard Deviation. Some of the The Coast Range casts a shadow ov~r the flyway, figures do not represent enough individual and the Cascades form the eastern border. measurements to be significant, but hopefully There are numerous "Ox-bow and Yazoo" type they may assist some other investigator. bodies of water that form good resting and forag- Most of the birds were taken in mist nets or the ing sites. To the east of us there are passes in the McCamey Chickadee Trap. They include HY 5,000-foot range and this barrier effectively dries birds that ~ere on the wing, as well as adults. out the prevailing westerly winds to form a This, too, may affect the data. divided Transitional Zone with humid and arid For what it is worth, these figures represent the components. work of a small station, but it may form a base The climate is mild. Water is abundant; in for some other workers interested in weights winter it is seldom iced over for very long at a and wing lengths. time, so that we have a sizeable inventory of birds at any season. Bibliography I have banding stations on both sides of the Gabrielson, LN., and S.G. Jewett. Birds of Cascades; at the present time the District Oregon. Ranger's Office in the Deschutes National Forest Berger, E.J. Jr., Eastern Bird Banding News has asked for a list of the birds that I have en- Workshop Manual. countered while banding east of the summit. I Gullion, G.W. The Condor. Vol. 53, May-June am happy to pass this information along. Over a 1951. number of years the following data have been in Pettingill, O.S. Jr. Ornithology in Laboratory and process of being gathered to form part of a Field. 4th Ed. Species Index for West Central Oregon. Route 7, Box 159A, Eugene, Oregon 97405.

Wellhts and W1nclenaths for Birds of Western Ol'tlon

SImple Aq. Std. A'I· std. Species AOU No. Wl (JIll.) Mln-MII Dew. LnJlh. Min-III. Dew. Am. Kestrel - M 360 16 110 90·120 2.60 195 185-199 1.62 Am. Kestrel - F 360 17 120 105-145 1.95 200 190-215 1.22 Wh.·hd. Woodpkr. 399 15 59 56-64 2.61 129 127-131 1.14 Vaux's Swift 424 43 19 16-22 1.74 113 110·120 2.53 Steller's Jay 478 35 124 112-140 1.81 146 138-160 2.32 Br.·hd. Cowbird 495 25 36.3 42·50 3.52 99 106-110 4.46 Brewer's Blckbd. 510 59 65.5 50-80 1.62 120 110-135 1.35 Ev. Grosbeak 514 42 55.1 45-64 2.41 109 100-117 3.53 Less. Goldfinch 530 43 10.0 7-12 1.03 63 59-67 1.02 Pine Siskin 533 101 12.1 10-14 .93 73 67-78 2.10 wt. -ern. Sparrow 554 24 29.7 26-32 2.13 76 70-84 3.57 G1d.-ern. Sparrow 557 33 33.2 27·39 1.02 82 72-84 2.26 Fox Sparrow 585 47 28.8 22-36 3.04 80 74-87 2.83 R.os.Towhee 588 43 41.7 34-46 3.08 81 71-88 3.20 Orng.-ern. Warb. 646 20 9.0 6-11 1.37 58 54-62 2.20 Y.-r.(Aud.) Warbler 656 55 12.0 10-16 .97 76 70-82 3.40 BI.-thr. Gr. Warb. 665 10 10.0 9·12 .90 62 60-65 1.70 Hermit Warbler 669 5 9.7 8-11 .90 65 62-69 .97 Pygmy Nuthatch 730 10 9.9 9-12 .95 62 59·66 1.83 BI.-cap Chickadee 735 51 11.0 8-13 1.33 61 54-68 2.74 Mtn. Chickadee 738 43 11.0 8-13 1.08 67 60-72 2.58 Am. Robin 761 79 83.2 71-98 1.75 130 118-140 2.65 Varied Thrush 763 25 83.0 66-94 1.90 127 121-134 2.80 West. Bluebird 767 57 27.0 22-32 1.97 107 101-112 3.63 Snowy Egret. 656-83969. Banded as a Local by Avian Biology Lab, San Jose State Univ., at San Francisco Bay, California on 22 July 1972. Found dead in January 1973 at San Diego, California. .

Franklin's Gull. 564-10117. Banded as a Local by Louis M. Moos at Chateau, Montana on 19 June 1967. Recovered 18 March 1973 at Santa tecla, El Salvador.

Red-tailed Hawk. 877-07139. Banded as a Local by Peter H. Bloom 9 miles east of Santa Ana, California on 19 May 1971. Found dead 20 January 1973 at Simi Valley, California.

Red-tailed Hawk. 877-07164. Banded as AHY-U by Peter H. Bloom at Seal Beach Naval Weapons Sta- tion, California on 19 December 1971. Found dead in September 1973 at Honeylake Wildlife Manage- ment Area, Susanville, California.

American Kestrel. 1193-75093. Banded as a Local-F by Peter H. Bloom 8 miles west of Mono Lake, California on 3 July 1971. Died of injury 9 January 1973 at Villa Hidalgo, Nayarit, Mexico.

Starling. 762-40400. Banded as AHY-M by Avian Biology Lab, San Jose State Univ., at San Jose, Califor- nia on 24 November 1971. Shot in July 1972 at Port Townsend, Washington.

Mallards. 747-85821 and 747-05992. Banded as AHY-M at Camas NWR, Hamer, Idaho on 16 February and 18 February 1964. Retrapped 23 January 1973. (10 years).

Allen's Hummingbird. (S.sosln sedentorlusJ. X~3327. Banded as HY-F by Shirley Wells at San Pedro, California on 24 August 1971. Renetted 24 January 1974. Six previous returns.

Allen's Hummingbird. X13865. Banded as AHY-M by Shirley Wells at San Pedro, California on 30 December 1971. Renetted 24 March 1973. Three previous returns.

Anna's Hummingbird. X13855. Banded as HY-F by Shirley Wells at San Pedro, California on 7 November 1971. Renetted 29 January 1973. Two previous returns.

Barn Swallow. 69-68554. Banded as AHY-U by Dr. Albert Mozejko 18 miles south of Bend, Oregon at a bridge on the Little Deschutes River on 17 May 1968. Renetted at same bridge on 16 May 1973. No previous returns. (5 years).

Cliff Swallow. 670-39339 and 670-39350. Banded as AHY-U by Dr. C.T. Collins at Seal Beach, California on 23 June 1969. Recaptured 28 May 1973 at nesting colony. No previous returns. (47 months).

Orange-crowned Warbler. 125-74025. Banded as AHY -U by Otis D. Swisher at Bear Creek, Medford, Oregon on 7 October 1971. Recaptured 30 September 1973. No previous returns. (3 plus years).

Yellow Warbler. 120-35345. Banded as AHY-M by Dr. George C. West at College, Alaska on 18 June 1971. Renetted 26 May 1973. No previous returns. "This return is of interest because the bird was used in an experiment to measure metabolic rate for several hours prior to its original banding."

Yellow-breasted Chat. 31-194634. Banded as HY-U by Otis D. Swisher at Bear Creek, Medford, Oregon on 8 August 1971. Recaptured 3 September 1973. One previous return.

White-crowned Sparrow. 28-193688. Banded as HY-U by Emerson A. Stoner at Benicia, California on 2 October 1967. Recaptured 11 January 1973. Six previous returns. (6 years). Page 75

Banding E~ipment and Techni~ North Pacific. Errors from other literature Bird trapp g With a tape recoraer:-R. Dewire. sources are pointed out. The former paper is a 1974. EBBA News, 38:241-242. (Recorded Screech reprint from British Birds, 59:376-384, Owl calls used to attract birds to mist nets.)-RD 1966)-,..MM A comparison of two methods for capturing Identification of wintering orioles in the roosting Wood Ducks. D. A. Tolle and T. A. northeast. J.P. Hubbard. 1974. EBBA News, Bookhout. 1974. Wild1, Soc. Bull., 2:50-55. (Mist- 37:70-73. (Reprinted from Delmarva Ornithol, netting resulted in over nine times as many cap- 7:10-12. See comments in WBB, 48:62, 1973)-SK tures per man-hour as drive-trapping. Includes Field methods for age and sex determination of recommended procedures for each Mourning Doves. Anonymous. 1964. Prepared by method.)-SK USDI, Fish and Wildl. Service, Migratory Bird Estimating survival rates from banding of adult Populations Station, Laurel, Md. 2pg (with 4 and juvenile birds. D.H. Johnson. 1974. J. Wildl. sket<;hes). (Based on molt of wings and color of Mgmt. 38:290-297. (A method is proposed which crown, nape, breast and throat)-SK allows survival rates and recovery rates to vary Feathers reveal age of Mourning Doves. J.L.

I with the calendar year, and also allows juveniles Herring. Undated. Pub. by Louisiana Wildl. and to have rates different from adults.)-RD Fisheries Comm., New Orleans, La. 1pg. A computer program for estimating survival and (Juveniles up to 150 days of age can be accurate- recovery rates. D.R. Anderson and F.R. Fiehrer. ly aged by primary feather replacement. Wing 1974. J. Wildl. Mgmt., 38:369-370. (A new program sketches given.) -SK is described. The source deck, documentation, Criteria for sexing Eastern Bluebirds in juvenile and test data may be obtained from F.R. Fiehrer, plumage. B.C. Pinkowski. 1974. IBBA News, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of 46:88-91. (Some individuals can be sexed as ear- Migratory Bird Management, Laurel, Maryland ly as 10 days of age.) -SK 20810.)-RD A photographic index for ageing Mallard em- Status, chronology, and ecology of nesting storm bryos. P.J. Caldwell and A.E. Snart. 1974. J. petrels in northwestern California. S.W. Harris. Wildl. Mgmt., 38:298-301. (A field and laboratory 1974. Condor, 76:249-261. (Considerable detail is method of visually ageing dead Mallard em- given on mist-netting techniques used to catch bryos is presented. Descriptions, measurements, 5,569 Leach's Storm Petrels and 122 Fork-tailed and photos were obtained from known-age em- Petrels. Data from netting include return and bryos.J-RD recovery rates, behavior in nets, growth of Determination of the sex and age of starlings in young, daily pattern of flights, brood patch molt, Canterbury, New Zealand. J.D. Coleman. 1973. tail and body molt, primary molt, weights over Notornis, 20:324-329. (Reliability of sexing based the year, and body temperatures. Capture rates on iris and mandibular rami colors; ageing bas- are compared for dark vs. moon-lit nights.) --MM ed on length of iridescent portion of the lower Improvements in Mourning Dove trapping throat hackles.)-RD techniques, emphasizing trap design. S.R. Age ratios of Sandhill Cranes. R.S. Miller and Amend and F.C. Kniffin. Paper presented at the J.P. Hatfield. 1974 J. Wild1, Mgmt., 38:234-242. Midwest Wildl. Conf., Winnipeg, Manitoba, Dec. (Characters for age determination based on size, 1970. 35p. (Appendix includes instructions for voice, head and body plumage, eye color, and constructing traps of weld-wire.) -SK color of bill.) -RD Molt and its timing in the Pinon Jay, Gym- A in , Sexin , and Identification norhinus cyanocephalus. J.D. Ligon' and J.L. now oose pr maries as In Icators of age and White. 1974. (A scoring method for molt and sex. J.P. Kelsall. 1974. Can. J. Zoo1" 52:791-794. methods of age determination are in- (Lengths and weights of the fourth primary from cluded.)-MM Lesser Snow Geese from Banks Island varied significantly with sex and age. Verification for other populations is sought.)-MM Bandin~ Results Albatross identification in the North Atlantic. J. *Prelim nary report on bird banding in New Warham, W.R.P. Bourne, and H.F.I. Elliott. 1974. Zealand 1971-1972. C.J.R. Robertson. 1973. Notor- Am. Birds, 28:585-598; Additional notes on nis, 20:59-70. (A total of 35,125 birds banded and albatross identification. J. Warham and W.R.P. 21,698 repeats and recoveries are listed in Bourne. 1974. Am. Birds, 28:598-603. (Together tabular form.)-RD these papers catalogue identification features *Bird banding in 1969:1. Results of bird banding for all albatrosses likely to be encountered near carried out by the Ornithology Department of North America, the latter paper including the the Biology Institute, Zagreb University, 20th Report. 2. Foreign recoveries in Yugoslavia, 16th juvenile feeding days is also indicated.)-MM Report. L.J. Stromar. 1970. Larus, 24:5-30 (From An unusual case of nesting persistence in a translation by U.S. Dep. Commerce, Nat. female Field Sparrow. L.B. Best. 1974. Condor, Technical Information Service, Springfield, 76:364. (A color-marked pair made 10 nesting Virginia 22151.) (A report of 10,940 birds of 140 attempts in 1972, but no young were species banded and 276 recoveries obtained in fledged.)-MM 1969.)-RD Recent changes in the Ring-billed Gull popula- Highlights of 20 years banding on Bell Hill {Bed- tion and biology in the Laurentian Great Lakes. ford, N.H.} J.H. Kennard. 1974. EBBA News, J.P. Ludwig. 1974. Auk, 91:575-594. (Banding data 36:234-239. (Returns and recoveries of Purple are used to estimate mortality, numbers of Finches and American Goldfinches.) - RD fledglings produced, recruitment, percent of 2- Common Grackle recoveries: Birds banded at year-oIds attempting to nest, return rate to natal Woodhaven Bird Banding Station, Morrisville, colony for ,breeding, movements among colonies, Pa., M. Warburton. 1974. EBBA News, 36:231-232. and age of birds founding new colonies. (Fifteen recoveries are listed.) - RD Influence of band loss on these data is con- Experiences with banded cowbirds. (Mrs.) J.A. sidered; band loss greatly distorts mortality Gillespie. 1974. EBBA News, 36:227-230. (Returns figqres for birds over 4 years of age.)-MM and recoveries of birds banded near Relationship of anting and sunbathing to molting Philadelphia, Pa.)-RD in wild birds. E.F. Potter and D.C. Hauser. 1974. Recovery of a banded Eastern Bluebird: Confir- Auk, 91:537-563. (This paper is an excellent ex- mation of an assumption. E.F. Potter. 1973. The ample of how banding and observation data can Chat. 37:51. (A recovery near' Zebulon, be combined to produce a significant contribu- N.C.)-RD tion to ornithology.)-MM Longevity records for some Neotropical land Cape May Point Raptor Banding Station - 1973 birds. D.W. Snow and A. Lill. 1974. Condor, results. W.S. Clark. 1974. EBBA News. 37:51":64. 76:262-267. (Longevity data are given for 13 species, with information on ages of breeding Miscellaneous and minimum survival rates.)-MM A new hybrid bunting (Posserino cyoneo x Age of first breeding in the Brown Pelican. L.E. Posserinociris). W.K. Taylor. 1974. Auk, 91:485- Williams, Jr. and T. Joanen. 1974. Wilson Bull., 487. (Description and comparison with parent 86:279-280. (Breeding age determined by band- forms.)-MM ing and color-marking known-aged young.)-RD *The snipes: a study of the genus Copello. L.M. Movements of Canada Geese color-marked near Tuck. 1972. Can. Wildl. Service Monogr. Ser. No. southwestern Lake Erie. J.W. Koerner, T.A. 5. 428p. (Available from Information Canada, Bookhout and K.E. Bednarik. 1974. J. Wildl. Ottawa, Cat. No. CW65-775. Cloth. $7.25) (See Mgmt., 38:275-289. (A total of 989 geese were review in EBBA News, 37:40.)-SK marked with vinylite collars to study local The winter seasons. December 1, 1973 - March movements, flight patterns, use areas, and 31,1974. Edited by R.S. Arbib, Jr. and 27 regional relationship to the Tennessee Valley population editors. Am. Birds, 28:610-694. (Banding of Canada Geese.)-RD highlights include a new alltime continental high Range extremes for Ring-billed Gulls from the of 23 Great Gray Owls in Manitoba; 80 Evening Great Lakes Region. W.E. Southern and F.R. Grosbeaks in South Dakota; 100+ House Finches Moore. 1974. !BBA News, 46:83-87. (Based on in New York; totals of 478 and 70o-Common Red- recoveries of banded birds.)-SK polls at 2 stations in the Hudson St.-Lawrence The age of blackbirds and Starlings. H.E. Burtt region, 1,974 in Manitoba, and 345 in North and M.L. Giltz. 1974. EBBA News, 36:224-226. Dakota; and 147 Pine Siskins in Nebraska.) -MM (Time intervals between banding and recovery is discussed and compared for species.)-RD Population dynamics of molting Pintail drakes banded in south-central Saskatchewan. D.R. Anderson and R.T. Sterling. 1974. J. Wildl. RD - Rich~rd DeHaven Mgmt., 38:266-274. (From a total of 18,820 birds SK - Susan Kaiser banded, 248 returns and 1,440 recoveries were MM - Martin McNicholl obtained. Population size, survival, harvest RW - Robert Wright pressure, kill rates, etc. are estimated.) - RD Consumption of jack-pine budworm, Chrosistoneuro pinus Freeman by the eastern Photocopies of most references are available Chipping Sparrow. G,A. Simmons and N.F. from the recent literature editor, Box C, Davis, Sloan. 1974. Can. J. Zool. 52:817-821. (Birds band- California 95616. Cost is 5¢ per page or a 25¢ ed from mist nets near two small lakes provided minimum. An asterisk before the citation in- an estimate of sex ratios and natality. Number of dicates that it is not available from the editor. Special Review: Birder's Guides To ... I am sure would be true also of those who have previously used one or more of them. More such A Birder's Guide to Southern California. by guides are in preparation and we eagerly await James A. Lane. 1968(revised 1971).$2.00.93 pgs. them! -Charles T. Collins. A Birder's Guide to Southeastern Arizona. by J. A. Lane. $1.50. 46 pgs. To the Editor: A Birder's Guide to the Rio Grande Valley of The copies of the Western Bird Bander have Texas. by J.A. Lane. 1971 (Revised 1972). $2.00. arrived safely, and I know they will be a 72pgs. valuable addition to our Association's Library. I A Birder's Guide to the Texas Coast. by J. A. look forward to a continuation of an exchange of Lane. 1973. $3.00. 108 pgs. Journals between us. A Birder's Guide to Denver and Eastern Please inform your members who plan to visit Colorado. by J. A. Lane and Harold R. Holt. 1973. Australia that we shall be pleased to help them $3.00. 135 pgs. All are available from L. & P. establish ornithological contacts. Photography, Box 19401,Denver, Colorado 80219. Yours sincerely, M.D. Murray, Hon. Sec. When I first moved to California about five Bird Banders Association of Australia years ago, one of the first things I was given was P.O. Box A313 a copy of Jim Lane's book, A Birder's Guide to Sydney South, NSW 2000 Southern California. It was invaluable to me in getting to know this new area, and also as a guide to finding a particular species I wanted to We Goofed become acquainted with. Realizing that banders Instead of running the page numbers con- are also "birders" I felt that this and the other secutively for Nos. 1 through 3 of WBB's 1974 recent additions to this series of birder's guides Volume, we mistakenly started over with Page 1 should be brought to the attention of the readers for each issue. This issue, No.4, has the correct of Western Bird Bander. page numbers. These guides contain the following information: Number 2 should be re-numbered with pages 17 an introduction to the area, the fauna, ecological (cover) through 40. Number 3 should be re- zones, as well as information on travel facilities numbered with pages 41 (cover) through 60. and the best times of the year to visit. Local bird- ing organizations and general information or map sources are also mentioned. The bulk of the contents are in the form of detailed descriptions Believe It or Not! of birding areas with directions on how to get The recovery of a bird banded by one of there, and exact mileage between points. Often W.B.B.A.'s members made Ripley's Believe It or loop-trips are presented for those wanting Not column. suggestions of routes for an outing encompassing several locations in one day. Listings by species, A Swainson's Hawk (36-638810)was banded by giving particular sites where each can be ex- Dr. Ralph B. Williams of Juneau, Alaska, 10 pected, are also included, as are chart sum- miles N.W. of Laramle, Wyoming on 26July 1942. maries of seasonal occurrence and abundance. It was shot on 10 January 1952 near Pehuago, Buenos Aires, Argentina. It was one of two These guides have several very attractive young found in a nest 15 feet up in a cottonwood qualities. They are inexpensive (a rarity in itself tree. No report has been received on the other these days), very clearly written, and precise. band. Above all they are accurate! The earlier ones, even though only a few years old, have already been revised to keep pace with the rapid and all- Correction~ In the last issue of Western Bird too-often man-made changes in our environment Bander, Mourning Dove number 1263-66093was and its bird populations. It also further reflects listed as being banded at Seedskadee NWR, the author's attention to detail and accuracy. Wyoming and recovered at Minot AFB, North Dakota. In general, these guides would be extremely useful to both "local" banders and "migrant" John Tautin, Biologist at the BBL, writes: "The ones alike. They would be useful in finding recovery letter indicates the bird was recovered various species and also in locating potential on 8 September 1973near Flagstaff, Arizona by a banding study areas when there is an interest in hunter who was from Minot Air Force Base, a particular species. I fully recommend them, as North Dakota. HIGHLIGHTS OF A WINTER BANDING SEASON ON THE ARIZONA DESERT Charles E. Corchran

My principle banding area is Tanque Verde Ranch, twenty miles northeast of Tucson, Arizona near the foothills of the Rincon Moun- tains. The habitat is well suited for wintering, local, and migrating birds with adequate desert scrub, a large cottonwood grove and a one-acre pond teaming with gambusi fish and frogs. Between 31 October 1973 and 18 April 1974 twen- ty four banding sessions from dawn to noon were conducted. 2,341 birds were banded (1,386 or 59% were White-crowned Sparrows) represen- ting 51 species. 1,215 birds previously banded were recaptured. Following the severe 1973 summer drouth and extremely limited weed-seed production, the bird traffic was heavy at the Ranch's 40 open tray feeders where over four tons of scratch feed-consisting of cracked corn, millet and 180mm and tail 92mm. She stayed on the pond wheat-was used. Winter rainfall was also very just one day after banding. Sight and collection limited, which seemed to delay the usual early records on this species for the Santa Cruz River nesting of Curve-billed Thrashers, House drainage were furnished me by Gale Monson. Finches and Cactus Wrens. Two were collected by Mr. Herbert Brown in 1890 south of Tucson. There are twelve sight Two birds banded added zest to a great banding records at or south of Tucson from 1965 through season. On 8 November 1973 a net set extending 1973-certainly not an abundant species for this twenty feet over the pond took an AHY, female region. Hooded Merganser-the first Hooded Mergan- The second· exci ting bird was banded 19 ser banded in Arizona. This bird, now wearing November 1973. A beautiful Rufous-backed band number 685-54781, weighed 457.1 g; wing Robin, age and sex unknown, weight 67.9 g; tail 117mm and wing 95mm. Now wearing band number 772-21275. It had been seen one week earlier eating pyracantha berries and remained within two hundred yards of the banding site un- til 3 January 1974. Two others had been previous- ly banded in Arizona, the first by Eleanor Radke at Carefree on 13 December 1966 and the second by Allegra Collister at Blue Point campground near Mesa on 24 March 1970. Sight records on this species were also furnished me by Mr. Mon- son for Pima County (county seat-Tucson) for the period 1965 through 1973, during which time 7 birds were seen in or near Tucson-one in 1965 staying from 2 January to 18 April. There were four other species I was surprised to band in this desert setting at an elevation of 2,780 feet. They were the Eared Grebe, Belted Kingfisher, Black-chinned Sparrow, Least Flycatcher and Green Heron. Such a fine banding season would not have been possible without my faithful recorder Donald W. Lamm and an excellent well trained volunteer crew of seven dedicated people. Box 367, Lake Hubert, Minn. 56459 BIRD-BANDING SUPPLIES WING MEASURE. Stainless steel "bend-of- available from the Foundation. Reprints of wing" fixture has been accurately secured at "Mist Nets and their Use" are also available. right angles to the end of rule. The fixture is Bleitz Wildlife Foundation, 5334 Hollywood offset to permit the taking of tail measurements. Boulevard, Hollywood, Ca. 90027. 15 cm stainless steel metric/English system rule: BANDING PLIERS. Long nose pliers with rigid, 3/4 in. wide, 0.49 in. thick, 150 mm long; openers and holes to fit band sizes. One plier graduated in 112mm, mm, cm; English system on handles size 0, 1, 1B, and 1A, $7.50; the other reverse side, graduated in 32nd and 10th; ground handles soft and hard 2 and 3 bands, $7.50. There edges for accuracy; $6.00 each ppd. is also a pair for size 3A for $6.50. Ppd. in USA. 30 CIJl steel metric system rule: spring-tempered, Order from: R.N. MacDonald, 850 Main St., satin-chrome finish; 12.7 mm wide, .33 mm thick, Lynnfield, Mass. 01940. 300 mm long; graduated on 3 edges in mm, one MIST NETS. 5, 9, and 12 meter. Nets with 11/zin. edge 1/zmm; $15.00 each. and 11/4 in. mesh are made from 50d/2 ply or Order from Christopher N. Rose, 98 Lopez Rd., 70d/2 ply thread. 21/z in. mesh nets are made from 110d/2 ply thread and 5" mesh nets are Cedar Grove, N.J. 07009. made from 210d/2 ply thread. All nets are ap- BANDING SUPPLIES. Bleitz Wildlife Founda- proximately 7 feet high. tion has available a new listing of the mure than Send for order form from EBBA Net Committee, 100 styles, sizes, colors and types of Mist Nets, Biology Dept., Indiana University of Pa., In- Portable Poles, Pesola Scales, etc., which are diana, Pa. 15701. The Western Bird Bander is published four times a year by the Western Bird-Banding Association. Applications for membership should be sent to the Business Manager. Membership classifications' are: Ac- tive Member, $4.50 per year; Associate Member, $4.50 per year; Student and/or Sub-permittee, $3.50 per year; Sustaining Member, $9.00 per year; Life Member, $100.00.

Bulk Rate U.S. POSTAGE P,O. Box 446 PAID Cave Creek, Arizona Cave Creek. AZ 85331 Parmit No. 34 ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED